Grounds for Deferral

I'm a student at a UK university and I’ve just realised I have an in-person test on 8th December that clashes with a pre-booked family commitment abroad. This trip was arranged long before the assessment timetable was released, and unfortunately, it can’t be changed.
I’m worried about what my options are if I can’t attend the test. Specifically:
Can I apply for a deferral through Extenuating Circumstances in this situation?
If I miss the exam and have to resit, will my resit be capped at the pass mark?
Has anyone been in a similar position and successfully managed to get an uncapped deferral?
I don’t want to risk failing or getting capped if there’s a way around it, so any advice or experiences would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

Reply 1

ageshallnot

21

Original post

by Anonymous

I'm a student at a UK university and I’ve just realised I have an in-person test on 8th December that clashes with a pre-booked family commitment abroad. This trip was arranged long before the assessment timetable was released, and unfortunately, it can’t be changed.
I’m worried about what my options are if I can’t attend the test. Specifically:
Can I apply for a deferral through Extenuating Circumstances in this situation?
If I miss the exam and have to resit, will my resit be capped at the pass mark?
Has anyone been in a similar position and successfully managed to get an uncapped deferral?
I don’t want to risk failing or getting capped if there’s a way around it, so any advice or experiences would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

Different universities have different regulations, so you need to consult yours.

Also, this isn't a case of extenuating circumstances, it's a family get-together.

Reply 2

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

13

Original post

by Anonymous

I'm a student at a UK university and I’ve just realised I have an in-person test on 8th December that clashes with a pre-booked family commitment abroad. This trip was arranged long before the assessment timetable was released, and unfortunately, it can’t be changed.
I’m worried about what my options are if I can’t attend the test. Specifically:
Can I apply for a deferral through Extenuating Circumstances in this situation?
If I miss the exam and have to resit, will my resit be capped at the pass mark?
Has anyone been in a similar position and successfully managed to get an uncapped deferral?
I don’t want to risk failing or getting capped if there’s a way around it, so any advice or experiences would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

Hey,

That’s a really stressful situation to be in, especially when you’ve had the family trip booked long before the exam timetable was even out. Unfortunately, universities tend to be quite strict when it comes to planned travel versus assessments, as they usually expect students to prioritise academic commitments once dates are confirmed. That said, it’s still absolutely worth looking into your options.

Most universities will let you apply for Extenuating Circumstances (ECs), but the challenge here is that ECs normally cover unexpected or unavoidable issues (illness, bereavement, emergencies) rather than pre-arranged commitments. That doesn’t mean your application won’t be considered, but you’ll want to be very clear in your explanation, especially if this trip is for something significant and not just a holiday. If they approve it as a deferral, then your resit would normally count as a first attempt, meaning it wouldn’t be capped.

If, however, they don’t consider your reason valid for ECs and you just miss the test, then you’d usually only get to take it as a resit, and in that case it would likely be capped at the pass mark. That’s why it’s really important to raise this as soon as possible with your exams office or course administrator. The earlier you flag it, the better your chances of getting a fair solution.

I’d also recommend speaking directly with your module leader or personal tutor. Sometimes there are alternative arrangements that can be made (like taking the exam slightly earlier or later, depending on the format), but that’s handled on a case-by-case basis.

You’re definitely not the first person this has happened to, and I’ve seen cases where students were given an uncapped deferral because the situation was explained properly and backed up with evidence. The key is being proactive now, rather than waiting until after the exam date.

Good luck 😊
Arslan – University of Salford Student Representative

Reply 3

Kingston Sarah

Official Rep

14

Original post

by Anonymous

I'm a student at a UK university and I’ve just realised I have an in-person test on 8th December that clashes with a pre-booked family commitment abroad. This trip was arranged long before the assessment timetable was released, and unfortunately, it can’t be changed.
I’m worried about what my options are if I can’t attend the test. Specifically:
Can I apply for a deferral through Extenuating Circumstances in this situation?
If I miss the exam and have to resit, will my resit be capped at the pass mark?
Has anyone been in a similar position and successfully managed to get an uncapped deferral?
I don’t want to risk failing or getting capped if there’s a way around it, so any advice or experiences would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

Hi

Usually you can apply for “mitigating circumstances” (depending on your university policy) and they’ll let you resit your exam later in the year (around august) and the mark won’t be capped since it’s considered as a separate attempt. So I recommend you contact your university now to discover your options.

All the best
-Sarah (Kingston Rep)

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