EECS Student Handbook 2023/24

Definition of Extenuating Circumstances:

Extenuating circumstances are defined by Queen Mary as:

Circumstances that are outside a student’s control which may have a negative impact on a student’s ability to undertake or complete any assessment so as to cast doubt on the likely validity of the assessment as a measure of the student’s achievement.

Extenuating circumstances are usually personal or health problems. Health problems include your emotional wellbeing and mental health, as well as your physical health. Extenuating circumstances do not include computer problems, misreading your exam timetable, planned holidays or events, or local transport delays.

Fit to Sit Policy:

Queen Mary operates a fit to sit policy, which covers all assessments including coursework and exams. If you sit an exam or submit a piece of coursework you are deemed to be fit to do so. In such instances a request for extenuating circumstances will not normally be considered. If you do not feel you are well enough to attend an invigilated exam then you should not attend and should submit a claim for extenuating circumstances instead. You will need to attend a medical consultation within three days of the date of your exam that you missed. Similarly if you get sick during an exam and have to leave you will need to attend a medical consultation within three days. 

How to Submit an Extenuating Circumstance Request:

To submit an extenuating circumstance request you must log a claim through the online extenuating circumstances task on MySIS following the instructions there. Claims must be submitted by deadlines outlined in reminder emails and on the EECS Student Support page. If you have queries contact - eecs-sst@qmul.ac.uk. 

Required Supporting Evidence:

Your claim must be accompanied by relevant supporting evidence (for example medical certification, death certificate, police report and crime number, or other written evidence from a person in authority). Please note that although accompanying documentation can be submitted after the claim, claims without any evidence cannot be considered except in the limited cases permitted for self-certification, below. It is in your best interest to provide evidence and supporting documentation that is as comprehensive as possible.

Self-Certification Option:

You are entitled to self-certify on up to three occasions each academic year; each self-certification can cover a period of up to seven calendar days. This means completing and submitting the Queen Mary self-certification form in place of independent evidence. Please note that self-certification does not mean automatic approval of a claim – your school/institute will consider it in the normal way and will need to be satisfied of the validity of the claim, and satisfied that it justifies the outcome. Any claims beyond those three must be accompanied by evidence, as described above.

When you submit an extenuating circumstance claim you will receive a formal acknowledgement , you must keep this safe for the duration of your studies. 

Submission Deadline:

All claims must be received no later than three working days before the relevant examination board meeting [give date] otherwise they cannot be considered.

Confidentiality:

All extenuating circumstances claims are kept confidential until they are considered by a subcommittee of the School/Institute’s Subject Examination Board. All proceedings of the subcommittee are strictly confidential, and will not normally be discussed at the full examination board meeting. 

Responsibility for Submitting Claims:

It is your own responsibility to submit any claims for extenuating circumstances, not that of your tutor. Please ensure that if you have what you believe is a valid case, you complete the submission process in accordance with the School/Institute guidelines and deadlines.

Retrospective Claims:

It is not possible to make a retrospective claim for extenuating circumstances, specifically once you know your results. Therefore claims submitted after the deadline will not be considered by the examination board. Please refer to the full guidance notes on extenuating circumstances from the Advice and Counselling service or online at https://www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/guides-and-forms/student-advice-guides ;