The deferral procedure is for addressing sudden and unexpected extenuating circumstances that may affect a student’s ability to undertake assessments. Deferring assessments may impact on your academic progression and therefore your eligibility to student funding, your accommodation and (where relevant) your immigration status. We strongly recommend that you consult your Student Advice Centre, Programme Team or Personal Tutor to discuss your circumstances before submitting a deferral request.
Students with prolonged chronic illnesses or disabilities should contact the Disability Support and Advice team in Student and Academic Services or Personal Tutor for personalised advice, which might include individual arrangements in examinations. Please note, the deferral of assessments is not an appropriate nor standard measure in respect of permanent or long-term conditions.
Deferrals will be considered for students who have notified the university and submitted a deferral request form to their Faculty Student Advice Centre.
All students granted deferrals will be expected to take their assessments at the next available opportunity. Should this not be possible due to extenuating circumstances, a further deferral should be sought.
Remember, extenuating circumstances do not in themselves excuse poor performance.
There is no provision to adjust marks; you can only apply to have the assessment deferred.
Detailed information can be found in Chapter 5 of the General Regulations and Procedures Affecting Students.
In assessing the significance of extenuating circumstances, the panel will take into account:
- The severity of the problem
- The length of time it has lasted
- The supporting evidence (remember to include it)
- The closeness in time of the circumstances to the relevant assessment
- Whether all assessments might have been equally affected
Deferral request form
Please download and complete the deferral form.
This can then be submitted to the Student Advice Centre by email. Alternatively, if you require a printed copy of the form in a different format, you may request this from the Student Advice Centre.
Please ensure that you keep a copy of the form for your reference.
What will happen if the panel accepts my deferral request?
The only course of action open to the panel if it accepts your case is to grant deferral of the affected assessment.
Assessment deferrals are time-limited. You will be required to take the deferral at the next opportunity offered by the university, please contact your Faculty Student Advice Centre for further details. If you do not do this, the deferral will be withdrawn and you will be failed in the deferred assessment with a mark of zero.
If you have already submitted work for assessment it will not be marked. If a mark or grade has been awarded it will be declared void.
The mark/grade awarded when you retake or resubmit the assessment is the only one that will be entered on your record.
Once you have applied for a deferral and it has been accepted there is no going back, you cannot retract your request at a later date.
What will happen if the panel rejects my deferral request?
The decision of the Panel shall be final, except that a student has the right of appeal on the following grounds only:
- That there is new and relevant evidence which the student was demonstrably and for the most exceptional reason unable to provide in the first instance.
- That the Panel did not comply with its own procedures as set out above.
Any student wishing to appeal must do so in writing, stating clearly the specific grounds on which the appeal is based, to the Student Appeals and Conduct Officer within 10 working days of the Panel decision via acasupportoffice@dmu.ac.uk.
On receipt of such an appeal the Student Appeals and Conduct Officer will:
- In relation to coursework; convene the Academic Board Panel who will consider the case.
- In relation to a formal assessment; consult with the Executive Director of Student and Academic Services who will consider the case.
This decision shall be final and not subject to review by any other university body.