Appeals
If you have received a result that you’re unhappy with, and feel that this was due to an error made by the university you may choose to submit an Academic Appeal.
What grounds can I appeal?
- That there has been a material administrative error - the university made a mistake.
- That the assessment(s) was not conducted under the Academic Regulations - the university didn't follow it's own rules.
- That some other material irregularity has occurred - a mistake was made by the university, for example being given the wrong exam paper.
- If you are disagreeing with the academic judgement of the Awards Board.
How to submit an appeal
We would really encourage you to book an appointment to see a Students’ Union adviser for advice before submitting an appeal. We have completed many forms with students, and we can talk through your own situation to help determine if you have grounds to appeal or not. We will also look at what evidence you have to support your appeal.
You have 25 working days from the date of the awards board to submit an appeal. More information on the academic regulations about appeals and the correct form to use please click here.
What evidence must I provide to support my appeal?
You will need to submit relevant evidence to support your appeal. This could include emails, module guides, placement books or other documentation from the university. If you are unsure what to submit with your appeal forms please speak to a Students’ Union Adviser first. The Academic Registry can also ask for further evidence once the appeal has been submitted from either students and/or University staff.
What happens next?
- The Academic Registrar views your appeal and determines if you have or haven’t got grounds to appeal.
- Your Director of Studies is then given your appeal form and evidence for investigation.
- If your Director of Studies agrees that there is grounds for an appeal the Academic Registrar upholds your appeal and the decision will be confirmed to you in 10 working days.
- If your Director of Studies wishes to dispute the appeal, you will be invited to an Internal Resolution meeting within 20 working days of submitting your appeal. It is important to engage with this process to support your appeal, the Students’ Union Advisers can prepare you and attend this meeting with you.
- At this meeting the Director of Studies is able to dispute and reject your appeal or they can uphold your appeal. You will be notified in either case within 10 working days of the internal resolution meeting.
- If the appeal has been rejected you have the right to request that your appeal is heard at an Appeals Hearing, provided that:
- You have engaged with the internal resolution process
- Additional evidence not submitted at the time of the original appeal form is submitted to the academic registry
How to request an Appeal Panel Hearing
If you wish to proceed to an appeal panel hearing, please ensure you seek advice from a Students’ Union Adviser. We can help determine if you have grounds to request an appeal panel hearing and we will be able to support you by attending the panel hearing with you.
- You must write to the Academic Registrar within 15 working days of your original outcome with further evidence and request to go to an appeal panel hearing.
- The Academic Registry sets a date for the panel hearing and invites all those involved, this should happen not less than 10 working days after your request or more than 30 working days after your request.
- You are strongly encouraged to be familiar with section 9 of the academic regulations covering appeal, a Students’ Union Adviser can explain anything you are not sure about to make sure you make the right decisions at this stage.
Outcomes of an Appeal Panel Hearing
The panel, made up of a member of the Academic Regulations Subcommittee, an academic member of staff not in your faculty and a student represented as nominated from the Students’ Union. They can decide on the following outcomes:
- Uphold the appeal in your favour
- Dismiss the appeal and reject your grounds for appeal
If you are still not satisfied with the outcome of your appeal, when you receive the ‘completion of procedures’ letter from the university you are entitled to take the matter further with the OIA, more guidance can be found here.