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Quality Handbook Section 17B - Academic appeals process requirements

Find information about the Academic Appeals process.

Latest version as of September 2026.

1. Principles

This process is designed to ensure that Academic Appeals are considered fairly and seriously.

1.1 Principles of fairness include:

  1. avoiding potential bias by ensuring independent consideration at each stage of the process;
  2. giving reasons for actions taken and decisions made by the University;
  3. operating reasonable timescales for both submissions to and responses from the University;
  4. providing an opportunity for both the student and the University to be equally heard and have equal access to documentation where matters proceed to a hearing, and
  5. Setting out a clear process for how the university will manage Academic Appeals.

1.2 The University will ensure that students with protected characteristics, as defined under the Equality Act 2010, are treated fairly and without discrimination.

1.3 If there are concerns regarding the student’s wellbeing, any notifications and communications to the student will be managed appropriately, such as a personal conversation.

1.4 Students appealing in good faith will not be disadvantaged as a result of making a submission under this Process.

1.5 It is not the policy of the University to adjust marks, grades or degree classifications where a submission by a student is upheld at any stage of this Process (unless correcting marks entered in error), but to provide circumstances in which a student can demonstrate their academic ability unhindered.

1.6 The University reserves the right to transfer an appeal to another procedure if we feel it could be more appropriately addressed through a different University process, for example the Student Complaints Procedure.

1.7 The University reserves the right to not respond to each individual point raised. If appropriate, points will be grouped together when providing a response.

1.8 The University considers that students will normally be able to meet the timescales in communicating with the University, including by electronic means, unless affected by circumstances beyond their reasonable control.

1.9 The University will reasonably endeavour to comply with the timescales prescribed within this Process. Where the University is unable to do so, it will notify the student of any adjusted timescale or deadline.

1.10 Freedom of speech and expression is at the heart of what universities are for, where the freedom to express ideas and debate opinions within the law is a fundamental principle. The application of this policy will therefore be undertaken in accordance with this principle. More information on the University’s approach to Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom can be found in its Code of Practice.

2. What is an Academic Appeal?

An academic appeal is a request by a student to review the decision of a Board of Examiners.

2.1 An academic appeal relates to the outcome of an assessment, a decision about progression or a degree classification.

2.2 The following are not considered to be legitimate grounds for an academic appeal:

  1. where a student questions the exercise of academic judgement, that is, the decision made by academic staff on the quality of the work itself or the criteria being applied. A student cannot appeal simply because they believe they ought to have received a higher grade.
  2. where students did not use the Consideration of Personal Circumstances (CPC) policy because they were unaware of deadlines for requesting an extension, including not wanting to share personal circumstances due to embarrassment or cultural reasons, or only realised the impact of their personal circumstances after receiving assessment results.
  3. where a student disagrees with the outcome of a consideration of personal circumstances.
  4. where students wish to express dissatisfaction about the University’s action, inaction or standards of service which should be dealt with under the Student Complaints Procedure (see Quality Handbook Section 17E).
  5. frivolous, vexatious or mischievous appeals.

2.3 Where an academic appeal involves multiple issues, which do not fall neatly into the category of Academic Appeal (e.g. because it also covers issues that fall within the remit of Complaint or other procedures), these matters may be considered together. Depending on the individual circumstances, the University reserves the right to either suspend one procedure pending the outcome of the other, or decide not to pursue a procedure in favour of the other.

3. Scope – Who is covered by this process?

The academic appeals process applies to all students of the University with the exception of those named in the further information below.

3.1 This procedure applies to all currently enrolled Nottingham Trent University students (including those studying on School-Based collaborative arrangements), except research degree students for whom a separate procedure applies.

3.2 Third Party Appeals: The University will only accept an appeal on a student’s behalf from a Students’ Union representative, a parent/guardian or other third party where the student has provided written authority for them to do so. Where consent is provided to and accepted by the University, all communications relating to this process will still be copied to the student to ensure they are informed. The University reserves the right not to engage with a third party if, in the view of the University, they do not behave in an acceptable manner, communicate in an inappropriate way, or attempt to disrupt the process.

Further information

4. Key Stages of the Academic Appeals Process

The existence of this process does not preclude students from discussing any issues or concerns informally with the School.

4.1 There are two stages to the Academic Appeals Process:

  1. Request for Reconsideration; and
  2. Academic Appeal

4.2 Once a student has received their results, they may wish to make contact with their Course Leader, Personal Tutor or Subject Administrator to discuss their results in person. In cases where a simple error has been made, it may be most expedient to resolve this immediately via the Board of Examiners Chair’s Action, without the need to invoke this Process. If it is not possible to resolve the matter informally, the student may use this Process.

5. Request for Reconsideration

A student may submit a Request for Reconsideration (R4R) where they seek to appeal the decision of a Board of Examiners.

Permitted grounds for a request for reconsideration

5.1 Following the publication of results, a student may request reconsideration of the decision of a Board of Examiners on the following grounds:

  1. They believe there has been a material error or irregularity by the University in the assessment process;
  2. One or more of the constituent parts that make up a student’s final outcome are incorrect;
  3. They have additional material information which could not have previously been made available through the Consideration of Personal Circumstances (CPC) policy or to the Board of Examiners.

Request for reconsideration process

A Request for Reconsideration must be submitted in writing via the online appeals portal no later than ten working days from the date of publication of results.

5.2 An R4R must demonstrate that it meets the permitted grounds for appeal and provide supporting evidence. A submission will be rejected if one or both of these requirements are not met.

5.3 A student who has submitted an R4R will receive an immediate acknowledgement confirming receipt.

5.4 An R4R will be considered by a Reconsideration Panel (RP). Panel membership will be determined by the Executive Dean or Deputy Dean of the School and will include three independent academic colleagues who were not part of any CPC process and were not members of the relevant Board of Examiners or course team.

5.5 Where a student is unable to meet the ten working day submission timescale, they must explain in the submission why it is late and provide appropriate evidence to corroborate this. The RP will decide, on the basis of the explanation and evidence, whether to accept the R4R application for consideration. If the R4R is accepted for consideration, it will be reviewed according to the process.

5.6 For practical purposes, the RP may be either a physical meeting or a virtual meeting.

5.7 The RP will determine whether the R4R submission:

  1. is made on the permitted grounds; and
  2. appears to be substantiated by the evidence provided.

5.8 The RP may consult with the Course Leader, the Chair of the Board of Examiners, the Consideration of Personal Circumstances Contact, the Consideration of Personal Circumstances Panel or any other relevant persons it believes appropriate.

5.9 The decision of the RP, including reasons for that decision, will be communicated to the student (copy provided to the Course Leader) within 25 working days of receipt of the R4R and supporting evidence. This time period will include any referral to, and subsequent decision of, a Board of Examiners.

5.10 The decision of the RP may include, but is not limited to, one of the following:

  1. the submission is deemed not to have been made on one or more of the permitted grounds; or
  2. the submission is not deemed to be substantiated by the evidence presented; or
  3. the submission is considered to be substantiated.

5.11 Where an R4R is substantiated by the RP because of an identified error in the recording of a grade, the School will inform the student and the Chair of the Board of Examiners (the Chair). The Chair will arrange for the error to be corrected and for the student to receive a correct report of their achievement, within five working days of the decision of the RP being sent to the student.

5.12 Where an R4R is substantiated and has affected the final degree classification it will be referred to the Chair of the Board of Examiners. The Chair will either take Chair's Action in consultation with the (Chief) External Examiner to change the classification, or convene an exceptional meeting of the Board of Examiners to reconsider the case. The Chair will inform the student of the action that the University intends to take.

5.13 Where an R4R is substantiated on the grounds of evidence that was previously unavailable for disclosure through the CPC Policy or otherwise, the RP will report their findings in writing to the student and the Chair of the Board of Examiners. The Chair shall either take Chair’s Action and amend the Board of Examiners’ original decision or convene an exceptional meeting of the Board of Examiners to reconsider the case. The Chair will inform the student of the action that the University intends to take.

5.14 The School will record the R4R outcome on the student’s file.

5.15 Any determination that the Board of Examiners should reconsider its original decision does not guarantee a change to that decision.

6. Academic Appeal

A student who is dissatisfied with the outcome of a Request for Reconsideration can submit an Academic Appeal.

6.1 A student may appeal:

  1. The decision of the RP to reject the R4R;
  2. The decision of the Board of Examiners, either through Chair’s Action or a reconvened meeting, following a decision by the RP.

6.2 An Academic Appeal may only be made on the following grounds:

  1. The University failed materially to follow its procedures at an earlier stage within this Process; and/or
  2. The student now has new material information which could not have previously been made available for consideration through the CPC Process, the Board of Examiners or R4R process.

6.3 A student may not submit an Academic Appeal until the R4R process has been completed.

An Academic Appeal must be submitted in writing via the online appeals portal no later than ten working days from the date of the outcome of the R4R.

6.4 The Academic Appeal must be accompanied by evidence, including copies of all documentation submitted for consideration through the CPC policy (where applicable), and in support of the R4R, together with a copy of the RP’s decision(s). A submission will be rejected if these requirements are not met.

6.5 Where a student submits an Academic Appeal on ground (1), they must indicate where they believe the University has failed materially to follow its procedures and provide evidence accordingly.

6.6 Where a student submits an Academic Appeal on ground (2), the submission should not be a repeat of the R4R submission; it must include relevant new material information which could not have previously been made available for consideration at an earlier stage in the process.

6.7 Where a student is unable to meet the submission timescale, they may seek an extension from the Academic Registrar or nominee. An extension will only be agreed if the Academic Registrar or nominee is satisfied with the reasons for the extension provided by the student. Non-agreed late submissions will be rejected as being out of time.

6.8 In exceptional circumstances, the Academic Registrar or nominee has the discretion to accept late submissions where the student did not seek an extension and has shown valid reasons for the late submission.

6.9 The appeal will be considered by the Appeal Investigator who will be the Academic Registrar or a nominee from within Academic Registry.

6.10 The Appeal Investigator will acknowledge an Academic Appeal within five working days of receipt.

6.11 The Appeal Investigator will consider the appeal to determine whether it falls within the permitted grounds and will communicate this decision, and the reasons for it, in writing to the student within 30 working days of receipt.

6.12 The Appeal Investigator may consult appropriately during the investigation, including with the Chair of the RP.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Appeal Investigation

6.13 The Appeal Investigator may make use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools, including Microsoft 365 Copilot (“Copilot”), from time to time to support with the complaint investigation.

6.14 The University uses a range of tools to support its processes, including AI-enabled tools. However, all appeal investigations are conducted with appropriate care, diligence, and human oversight, and no decisions are made solely by automated means. Appeal Investigators will maintain an appropriate audit trail where AI tools are used, including retaining relevant prompts and outputs where they form part of the investigation process. Such records are stored in accordance with the University’s records management and retention policies.

6.15 The University recognises that AI tools may produce outputs that are incomplete, inaccurate or reflect unintended bias. Appeal investigators will take appropriate steps to identify and mitigate such risks. Appeal investigators will ensure that any use of AI tools complies with the University’s data protection and confidentiality obligations, including ensuring that only appropriate information is inputted into approved systems.

6.16 AI tools are intended to assist the Appeal Investigator with administrative and analytical tasks only. They are not used as a substitute for professional judgement or decision-making. The Appeal Investigator will independently review and verify all information, findings and conclusions, regardless of any AI-assisted outputs. Any outputs generated by AI tools will be critically assessed, against the underlying evidence, and, where necessary, supplemented or corrected by the Appeal Investigator.

6.17 Any drafts or materials generated with the assistance of AI tools will be clearly identified as draft or working documents until reviewed and finalised by the Appeal Investigator. AI-generated drafts do not constitute findings or conclusions unless and until they have been reviewed and formally adopted by the Appeal Investigator.

6.18 If the Appeal Investigator requires further information or evidence from the student, they will give the student five working days to provide it, during which time the Academic Appeal will be put on hold. The investigation will resume from the date of receipt of additional information or evidence and the days during which the Academic Appeal was on hold will not count towards the 30 working days timescale.

6.19 If the Appeal Investigator decides that the Academic Appeal has not been made on any of the permitted grounds, this decision is final and there is no further right of appeal within the University’s Academic Appeals Process.

6.20 If the Appeal Investigator considers that the Academic Appeal is submitted within the permitted grounds, they will either:

  1. refer the submission back to the relevant School for further consideration and action, and inform the student accordingly; or
  2. convene an Academic Appeal Panel.

6.21 Where an Academic Appeal has been referred to the relevant School for further consideration and action, and the subsequent outcome is that the appeal is upheld, the Chair of the Board of Examiners shall have discretion to take Chair’s Action and amend the Board of Examiners’ original decision (where appropriate).

6.22 Where the Academic Appeal has been referred to the relevant School and a final decision reached by the Chair of the Board of Examiners, the School will communicate the outcome to the student and Academic Registrar within ten working days of the referral.

6.23 Whether an Academic Appeal has been upheld or not upheld, the Appeal Investigator shall provide the student with a Completion of Procedures Letter.

Where a decision is taken to convene an Academic Appeal Panel, it will take place within 30 working days of the date of the decision.

6.24 The Academic Appeal Panel (AAP) membership will be decided by Academic Registry and will normally comprise:

  1. A Chair from outside the student’s School;
  2. a representative of Nottingham Trent Students’ Union (NTSU); and
  3. at least two other academic colleagues from Schools not connected with the student.

6.25 Academic Registry will coordinate the AAP and will send all parties an invitation to the panel meeting and provide all appropriate information at least ten working days before the date of the panel meeting.

6.26 The student is entitled to submit additional relevant documentary evidence or a statement in support of their Academic Appeal. This must be submitted at least five working days before the date of the meeting in order for this to be circulated to the AAP. Late evidence may be submitted only with the consent of the Chair.

6.27 The student is entitled to be accompanied to the AAP by one other person, as set out in section 14 below. The student must inform Academic Registry of the name and capacity of any person accompanying them to the Panel meeting at least five working days in advance.

6.28 If the student is unable to attend the AAP without good reason, the Chair may take the decision to proceed with the student in absentia and on the information already supplied. If a documented acceptable reason for absence is received, the AAP date may be re-arranged, at the discretion of the Chair.

6.29 The Panel may reach any of the following three decisions:

  1. the Academic Appeal is rejected;
  2. the Academic Appeal is upheld and the Board of Examiners will be asked to reconvene to reconsider its decision along with any additional recommendation made by the Panel;
  3. there is evidence which raises doubts about the competence of, the standards and/or procedures applied by, the Board of Examiners. In such cases, the Panel will submit a recommendation to the Academic Board recommending, following advice from competent examiners, that the Academic Board annul the original decision of the Board of Examiners, substituting it with a decision of its own and request that the Academic Board authorise a full and proper investigation into the conduct of the Board of Examiners.

6.30 Academic Registry will notify the student and their School of the Panel’s decision, with reasons, within five working days of the date of the AAP meeting.

6.31 The outcome of an AAP will be recorded on the student's file and will only be shared with those persons necessary to progress the outcome of the Academic Appeal or help support a satisfactory outcome within the student’s School.

6.32 If the Board of Examiners is required to be reconvened, it will meet within 30 working days of the decision of the AAP.

6.33 The decision of the AAP and any associated decision by the Board of Examiners shall be final. This is the end of the University’s internal Procedure.

7. Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA)

If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the Academic Appeals Process, they may make a complaint to the OIA if they have been provided with a Completion of Procedures Letter.

7.1 To submit a complaint to the OIA, the student must first have completed the University’s internal procedures.

7.2 At the end of the University’s internal procedures, the student will be issued with a Completion of Procedures letter as follows:

  1. Where an Academic Appeal is not upheld, a Completion of Procedures Letter will automatically be sent to the student;
  2. Where an Academic Appeal is upheld or partially upheld the student is sent an outcome letter. A Completion of Procedures Letter will only be provided if requested by the student.

7.3 A complaint must be submitted to the OIA within 12 months of the date of your Completion of Procedures Letter from the University and must be submitted using the OIA’s form. The Completion of Procedures Letter must be included with the submission.

Further information

  • Further information can be found on the OIA’s website at oiahe.org.uk.

8. Validation Service Collaborative Arrangements

Students studying at a partner institution under a validation service arrangement must complete the partner’s local appeals processes before they can raise an Academic Appeal with the University.

8.1 To submit a request for an Academic Appeal in relation to the partner institution, the student needs to provide:

  1. Written consent for the University to request the details of the investigation from the partner institution; and
  2. As much information as possible for the University to carry out the review.

8.2 The University’s role in reviewing any Academic Appeal application is to ensure that the Centre has followed its own procedures correctly. Therefore, students of a validated partner are not permitted to request an Academic Appeal on ground (2).

9. Final Year Awards

A student with an ongoing R4R or Academic Appeal may attend their Graduation Ceremony; however, they will not be presented with their certificate, which will be issued once the investigation has been closed.

9.1 If a student attends a graduation ceremony and has not submitted an R4R or appeal, the University will take the view that the student has accepted their award.

9.2 If in the unlikely event that a student attends Graduation and receives their Certificate but have an R4R/Appeal which is in progress or at a later date (but within the timeframe) submit an R4R/Appeal, if it is upheld and their classification changes, the student will be required to return their certificate (at their own cost) before a new certificate is issued.

10. Evidence

It is the responsibility of the student provide evidence to support an R4R or appeal.

10.1 Scanned copies of original documents will be accepted; however, original hard copies may be requested at any time.

10.2 For details on examples of acceptable evidence that is normally required, please refer to the Personal Circumstances Policy. The University considers each application for R4R or Academic Appeal on its own merits, as an individual case, and according to the relevant process. The examples provided are indicative and students should seek guidance from their School about the type of evidence required in their circumstances in case of doubt.

10.3 Students should not normally submit photographic evidence to support their submission, except where this is a photograph of a document or prescription.

10.4 It is expected that the supporting evidence is provided at the time of submission. Where this is not possible, the student must indicate the type of evidence they intend to submit and the reason why it cannot be submitted at the time, with an indication of when the evidence will be submitted. Additional evidence must be submitted within 5 working days of the submission.

10.5 Acceptance of submissions without evidence, or delayed evidence, is at the discretion of the RP or the Academic Registrar (or nominee). The student will be notified of the decision to accept the submission or otherwise. A lack of supporting evidence at the point of submission may lead to delays within the process or the submission being considered ineligible.

10.6 Where an R4R and/or Academic Appeal is submitted on grounds of the student having new material information which could not have previously been made available for consideration by the CPC Contact or Panel, Board of Examiners, or RP, the student must ensure that the evidence:

  • Is genuinely new (i.e., it has not been considered in any form in any of the previous stages of the process);
  • Is material to the original appeal (i.e., significant and relevant);
  • Could not have been presented at an earlier stage in the appeals process for reasons beyond the student’s control.

11. Unreasonable Appeals

Students and third parties using this procedure are expected to act professionally, reasonably and fairly towards University staff, and to refrain from conduct which is abusive, rude or aggressive or otherwise requires action under the Student Code of Behaviour Procedure or termination of an appeal.

11.1 If we believe that an R4R/Appeal is unreasonable, we reserve the right to terminate our investigation of your R4R/Appeal. An R4R/Appeal will be deemed unreasonable if it is:

  • Obsessive or repetitive;
  • Insistent on pursuing non-meritorious appeals and/or unrealistic, unreasonable outcomes;
  • Insistent on pursuing what may be meritorious appeals in an unreasonable manner;
  • Designed to cause disruption or annoyance;
  • Demanding for redress which lacks any serious purpose or value;
  • Excessively long in length. A submission should be no more than 1000 words.

11.2 Where an R4R/Appeal is considered to be unreasonable, or where the conduct of you or a third party is considered to be unacceptable, the Executive Dean of School or Head of Department (or nominated Deputy) will decide whether to terminate contact with the student, their representative or both. In exceptional circumstances, this may mean that consideration of the R4R/Appeal is terminated, in which case you will be issued with a Completion of Procedures Letter.

12. Protocol on Confidentiality

The University will handle academic appeals with an appropriate level of confidentiality, and will release information only to those who need it for the purposes of investigating or responding to it.

12.1 Information relevant to the investigation may be shared between other departments as necessary to progress the application or help support a satisfactory outcome in the student’s School under the Student Privacy Notice.

12.2 Anyone submitting an academic appeal is expected to maintain confidentiality and avoid publishing to third parties, either on social media or by other means, any correspondence about the appeal between the student and the University or any other University correspondence which is part of the appeal.

12.3 Academic Registry will share the details of the appeal outcome with the relevant School/department.

13. Advice and Support for Students

Students are encouraged to seek support with the Academic Appeals process should they need it.

13.1 Where a student is invited to attend an Academic Appeal Panel, they may be accompanied by a companion for support. This person may be a fellow student, friend/partner, parent/carer, an NTSU Information Advice Service Adviser or mentor. The University does not normally permit students to be legally represented during the appeal process.

13.2 Students can seek independent advice from the Students’ Union Information and Advice Service.

13.3 Students may seek advice from academic or other members of staff at the University.

13.4 If a student is under 18 years of age and submits an academic appeal, the University will notify the parent/guardian that an appeal has been submitted and will keep them informed of progress unless the student expressly asks us not to.

13.5 NTU provides several support services. Students are encouraged to engage with these services and take up any appropriate support available. Students can:

14. Reporting

Academic Appeals data is reported annually to provide oversight of activity.

14.1 An Academic Appeals report is presented annually to the Academic Standards and Quality Committee (ASQC) detailing the numbers, types and outcomes of Academic Appeals in order to determine if additional action is required.

14.2 All Academic Appeals information is anonymised as far as is practically possible to avoid identification.

15. Appendix 1: Academic Appeals Workflow

Please use the following link to download a PDF with a visual representation of the Academic Appeals workflow, or see below for a step-by-step written description of the Academic Appeals workflow:

Academic Appeals workflow (visual representation)

Step-by-step description of the Academic Appeals workflow

1. Following publication of their results, a student may contact their Course Leader, Personal Tutor or Subject Administrator to discuss the outcome. Where there has been a simple error, this may be resolved informally through Chair’s Action without the need to use the Academic Appeals process.

2. If the matter cannot be resolved informally, the student may submit a Request for Reconsideration through the online appeals portal. This must normally be submitted within ten working days of the date the results were published.

3. The student must explain which permitted ground applies and provide supporting evidence. A Request for Reconsideration may be rejected if it does not meet the permitted grounds or is not supported by evidence.

4. The student will receive an acknowledgement confirming that the Request for Reconsideration has been received.

5. The Request for Reconsideration will be considered by a Reconsideration Panel, made up of independent academic colleagues who were not involved in the relevant CPC process, Board of Examiners or course team.

6. The Reconsideration Panel will decide whether the request has been made on permitted grounds and whether it is substantiated by the evidence provided. The Panel may consult relevant staff where this is necessary.

7. The student will normally be informed of the Reconsideration Panel’s decision, with reasons, within 25 working days of receipt of the Request for Reconsideration and supporting evidence.

8. If the Request for Reconsideration is not upheld, the student may submit an Academic Appeal if they are dissatisfied with the outcome and can identify one of the permitted grounds for appeal.

9. If the Request for Reconsideration is upheld, the matter may be referred to the Chair of the Board of Examiners. The Chair may correct an error, take Chair’s Action or convene an exceptional Board of Examiners meeting to reconsider the case. The student will be informed of the action the University intends to take.

10. An Academic Appeal must be submitted through the online appeals portal within ten working days of the Request for Reconsideration outcome. The student must provide supporting evidence, including relevant documentation from the earlier stages of the process.

11. The Academic Appeal will be considered by the Appeal Investigator, who will be the Academic Registrar or nominee. The Appeal will be acknowledged within five working days.

12. The Appeal Investigator will decide whether the appeal falls within the permitted grounds and will normally communicate the decision, with reasons, within 30 working days of receipt. If further information is needed, the student will normally be given five working days to provide it and the process will be put on hold during that period.

13. If the Academic Appeal is not made on permitted grounds, it will be rejected and there will be no further right of appeal within the University’s Academic Appeals process.

14. If the Academic Appeal is made on permitted grounds, the Appeal Investigator may refer the matter back to the relevant School for further consideration and action, or may convene an Academic Appeal Panel.

15. Where the matter is referred back to the School, the Chair of the Board of Examiners may take Chair’s Action and amend the original decision where appropriate. The School will communicate the outcome to the student and Academic Registrar within ten working days of the referral.

16. Where an Academic Appeal Panel is convened, it will normally take place within 30 working days of the decision to convene the Panel. Academic Registry will coordinate the meeting and provide the relevant information to all parties at least ten working days before the meeting.

17. The student may submit additional relevant evidence or a statement at least five working days before the Panel meeting. They may also be accompanied by one other person and must tell Academic Registry who will accompany them at least five working days in advance.

18. The Academic Appeal Panel may reject the appeal, uphold the appeal and ask the Board of Examiners to reconsider its decision, or make a recommendation to Academic Board where there are concerns about the competence, standards or procedures applied by the Board of Examiners.

19. The student and School will be notified of the Panel’s decision, with reasons, within five working days of the Panel meeting.

20. If the Board of Examiners is required to reconsider its decision, it will normally meet within 30 working days of the Academic Appeal Panel’s decision.

21. The decision of the Academic Appeal Panel, and any related decision of the Board of Examiners, is final and marks the end of the University’s internal Academic Appeals process.

22. At the end of the internal process, the student will receive a Completion of Procedures Letter where required. If the student remains dissatisfied, they may submit a complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator within 12 months of the date of the Completion of Procedures Letter.

Change History

Approval Date:

30.09.16

Nature of Revisions:

Routine updating.

Implementation Date:

01.10.16

Approval Date:

12.09.17

Nature of Revisions:

Reviewed for clarity of language, no structural or policy changes.
Paragraph added relating to dual complaint/ appeal submissions.
Clarified that students have 10 working days from the published date of electronic posting of results to submit an R4R and guidance added relating to late R4R submissions.

Implementation Date:

01.10.17

Approval Date:

12.09.18

Nature of Revisions:

Clarification of responsibilities for informing students of the outcomes of academic appeals where these have been referred back to the School for further consideration and action.

Implementation Date:

01.10.18

Approval Date:

11.09.19

Nature of Revisions

Clarification on information sharing between departments.
Additional paragraph stating that all submissions must be accompanied by supporting evidence.
Statement added making all staff responsible for potential Safeguarding issues and signposting to relevant services.
Appendix 2 updated to include financial hardship. Also, that evidence submitted to support acute personal/emotional circumstances must confirm the circumstances affected the student at the time of assessment.

Implementation Date:

01.10.19

Approval Date:

01.06.20

Nature of Revisions:

Variations due to Coronavirus, including Request for Reassessment process, changes to evidence and reasons for appeal.

Implementation Date:

01.06.20

Approval Date:

16.09.20

Nature of Revisions:

June 2020 variations removed; however, the June 2020 version will be available on website for the duration of 20/21 academic year.
Additional paragraph stating that the University may group individual points in R4Rs or complaints when responding.
Appendix 6 added (as a temporary measure) to address COVID-19.

Implementation Date:

01.10.20

Approval Date:

20.10.20

Nature of Revisions:

Inclusion of Childcare Issues in Appendix 1.
Appendix 6 rewritten for clarification of meaning.

Implementation Date:

21.10.20

Approval Date:

29.04.22

Nature of Revisions:

Updates to third party representation (see general principles).

Implementation Date:

29.04.22

Approval Date:

22.09.22

Nature of Revisions:

Full review and revision of Process resulting in restructuring and minor content changes.

Implementation Date:

01.10.22

Approval Date:

14.09.23

Nature of Revisions:

Minor content changes surrounding evidence submission and deadlines. Addition of 1.10 to address freedom of speech.

Implementation Date:

01.10.23

Approval Date:

09.07.25

Nature of Revisions:

Minor updates to the grounds for an appeal.  Addition of step by step instructions in appendix 1.

Implementation  Date:

01.09.26