1. Procedure to request an Extension

1.1 Each summative assessment will have a set submission deadline. It is important that you familiarise yourself with all your deadline dates to be able to apply for an extension in a timely manner. Your assessment statement is published on My Student Record and shows the deadlines for all your assessments in the academic year. You are not able to have an extension for a timebound assessment (e.g., examinations) - please see the information about Self-Certification below.

1.2 If you wish to request an extension you should submit a request through your My Student Record account. You must request an extension within 24 hours of the submission deadline. You do not need to provide any evidence and if you have not exceeded the 4 extensions in an academic year, the request will be automatically granted. This means that you will have an extra 5 working days to submit your work. If you have exceeded the maximum number of extensions, you should submit a request for consideration of your Exceptional Circumstances. All requests must be supported by appropriate evidence. If you have a Learning Contract, please see the Assessment Support for Students with Learning Contracts. If you are registered as a student carer or meet the criteria as an elite/talented athlete, please refer to Assessment Support for Student Carers / Assessment Support for Elite and Talented Athletes. 

2. Procedure to apply for Exceptional Circumstances (ECs)

2.1 Before you apply for ECs, think carefully about the consequences. Generally, the best time to do the assessment is at the point that it is initially set within the teaching of the module and with the rest of your cohort. If your ECs are approved, this could mean that you have to return to university in the summer to complete work or sit an examination. You might also have to complete a different assignment to the one initially set. If you have ECs in several tasks, this could mean that you have a large workload to manage in short space of time. If you do not pass all your assessment tasks by the end of the academic year, this could prevent you from progressing to the next level of study in the following year and this would extend the time taken to complete your course.

2.2 Once you have decided that it is in your best interest to request an EC, you should complete the online request on My Student Record.

2.3 You must put this request in yourself. If you are struggling to do this for any reason, please contact Hallam Help.

3. Timescales

3.1 All requests must normally be submitted within 5 working days of the deadline/date to which they refer. You can submit your request without evidence if you do not have it yet. You can submit your evidence up to 10 working days after you have submitted your request form.

3.2 EC requests submitted late (outside of the 5 working days indicated above) will normally be automatically refused on the grounds of lateness. The exception to this would be if you can provide a satisfactory explanation of why the request was not submitted within the required timescale. Such an explanation should be based on independent medical evidence that you were physically or mentally unfit when a request should have been made.

3.3 Requests which are submitted after publication of provisional and confirmed results will normally result in an automatic refusal.

3.4 You will receive an email confirmation that the university has received your request. Your ECs will be considered by a panel of senior members of university staff who have no prior knowledge of the circumstances being claimed for. The EC Panel will only be able to consider your request from the information you have provided on your form so please make sure you provide full details of your circumstances and the impact that they are having on you.

4. Outcome of your Exceptional Circumstances request

4.1 The EC Panel meets regularly and aim to provide outcomes as soon as possible and normally within two working weeks of the submission of the request (although incomplete requests will take longer to resolve).

4.2 The Panel decision will be emailed to both your SHU student email address and your personal email address if you have provided it to the university. Please make sure you check these regularly.

4.3 If the EC Panel approves your request, and you do not pass the module concerned, you will be given another attempt at the particular task.

4.4 If you pass the module, you are not normally permitted another attempt. If you are a final year Undergraduate or a Master’s student and you believe that being permitted to retake the assessment you have already passed would enable you to improve your degree classification, please contact Hallam Help for advice.

4.5 If your EC request is declined, it is normally for one or more of the following reasons:
• It has been submitted late without a valid reason.
• You have not provided evidence to support your circumstances.
• Your application is not considered to relate to Exceptional Circumstances.

4.6 The Appeals Policy and Procedure provides information on the grounds on which you may appeal any EC Panel decision.

5. Self-Certification

5.1 Requests for extensions should not be used for situations where you are unable to attend a timebound assessment (such as an examination) due to short-term illness. In these circumstances you should submit a Self-Certification Form (PDF, 77.1KB). You can use this form to report a short period of illness between 1 and 5 consecutive days.

6. Student Support Advisers

6.1 You will have been allocated a Student Support Adviser when you first arrived at Sheffield Hallam. They are here to listen and advise you on a range of issues and can signpost you to other specialist services across the university. If you need any guidance about your EC or extensions, you can contact Hallam Help who will signpost you  as appropriate.


7. Student Union

7.1 Your Student Union Advice Centre can also offer you confidential and independent advice. Their friendly, trained professional advisers can help with a range of issues. There is also plenty of useful information and links on their website.

8. ECs for International Students and impact on reassessment dates

8.1 If you are an international student who is in the UK on a student visa, there are additional factors to consider before applying for ECs, and it is essential that you seek advice from Hallam Help before deciding.

8.2 This is because, a successful application for ECs means you will be granted a further attempt at your assessment(s) in the next period of assessment. This may mean that you would not be able to receive your confirmed results prior to the expiry date of your visa, which could affect your future plans.

8.3 You must also be aware that there are legal restrictions on the entitlement to visa extensions, and colleagues in Hallam Help will be able to provide you with advice about these according to our individual set of circumstances so please do not delay seeking advice.

9. ECs for Students undertaking a placement

9.1 If you are unable to attend your placement due to unexpected circumstances, you should apply for ECs as soon as possible as indicated above.

9.2 The complexity of placements means that your request may take longer to process, but you will receive the outcome as soon as possible.

9.3 If your request is successful, your placement will be deferred. You will normally be advised by email and may be invited to a meeting with the relevant member of academic staff and your Student Support Adviser to discuss and agree the arrangements for your deferred placement and any other changes to your assessment deadlines. Please check your Assessment Statement carefully to make sure you are familiar with the changes so you can plan your work accordingly.

9.4 If your request is unsuccessful, you will be advised by email and encouraged to contact Hallam Help who will be able to discuss your options and refer you to the most appropriate team where necessary. You will be advised about the right to appeal the refusal, but you must continue to attend your placement if possible, pending the outcome of any appeal.