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Academic Appeals

An Academic Appeal is a request to reconsider a decision made by a University Assessment Board about your assessment outcome. 

Appeals are handled confidentially. Information you provide will only be shared where necessary to process your appeal, comply with University procedures, or if there is a concern about the safety of you or others, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018, UK GDPR, and University data‑sharing agreements (further information available here ) 

Who can submit an appeal? 

You can submit an appeal if you are: 

  • A current student enrolled on a course at the University of Cumbria, or 
  • A recent graduate, provided you are within the published appeal timescale. 

 

  • When & how to submit an appeal?

    • Appeals must be submitted within 10 working days of the publication of your confirmed results following the University Progression and Awards Board. 
    • Appeals submitted after this deadline will not normally be considered. 
    • Complete the Academic Appeal Form 
    • Email the completed form and supporting documentary evidence to: Assessment Team
    • Attach documents directly to the email (shared files cannot be opened) 

     

    In exceptional circumstances, where you are unable to complete the form due to physical or mental illness, a member of staff (such as your Personal Tutor or Programme Leader) may complete it on your behalf. 

     

     

  • Grounds for appeal and evidence

    You must clearly explain your grounds for appeal and provide relevant, dated, independent evidence. Appeals may not proceed if insufficient information or evidence is provided. 

    Appeals submitted on the grounds of extenuating circumstances are reviewed at Stage 1 by the EC Appeals Panel. 

    The panel will consider: 

    • Why you did not submit an EC claim at the appropriate time 
    • Evidence that you were unable to do so (for example, due to incapacity) 

    Acceptable reasons may include evidence that: 

    • You were not capable of understanding that your performance was affected by serious ill health, supported by written evidence from a psychiatrist or mental health practitioner who has treated you over time, or 
    • Your GP confirms relevant treatment, referrals, or an incident close to the assessment date that temporarily affected your ability to make decisions 

    Lack of awareness of the EC process, or failure to engage with your programme team about possible extensions, is not considered an acceptable reason. 

    Appeals submitted on grounds of material administrative error or regulatory or procedural irregularity or where re-registration to re-attend a module following reassessment has not been offered are reviewed Stage 1 by an independent University Award & Progression Board chair. 

    Examples of acceptable documentary evidence for extenuating circumstances are available on MyCumbria. 

    Appeals based on: 

    • administrative error, or 
    • procedural or regulatory irregularity 

    must be supported by verifiable evidence directly related to your claim. 

     

  • Studying while your appeal is in progress

    If your appeal is being progressed, you may normally continue with your course provided that: 

    • You have sufficient credit to progress 
    • You are not in debt to the University 
    • You meet any fitness to practise requirements 

    Students on professional courses (such as Nursing or Midwifery) cannot undertake placement activity while an appeal is ongoing. Placements may resume if the appeal is upheld. 

    Continuing on your course during an appeal does not guarantee that the appeal will be successful. 

  • Outcome of Appeals

    You will be notified in writing of the outcome of the appeal and your right to a Stage 2 appeal if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of Stage 1. 

    • Upheld appeals – your student record will be updated accordingly following the outcome of appeal 
    • Denied appeals – you have the right to submit a Stage 2 Academic Appeal Form to the Officer of the Appeals Panel if it is believed that a material administrative error or procedural irregularity at Stage 1 of the process has occurred.  Further information can be sought in the academic regulations. 

  • Appeals and complaints – what’s the difference?

    An Academic Appeal relates to a specific assessment decision. 

    A Student Complaint relates to issues such as: 

    • Quality of teaching or supervision 
    • Poor service delivery 
    • Unfair treatment or discrimination 

    If your appeal raises concerns about the quality of delivery of your programme, it may be deferred while a complaint is investigated, as the outcome of the complaint may affect the appeal. 

    Complaints should be submitted as soon as possible via the Student Complaints Procedure.

  • Support and advice

    You can get support with your appeal from: 

    • Students’ Union – independent advice and guidance on the content of your appeal 

    Support services are also available, including: 

    • Your course tutor 

     

    Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) 

    The University of Cumbria is a member of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA). 

    If you are unhappy with the final outcome of your appeal, you may be able to ask the OIA to review your case. 

    • You must normally have completed the University’s internal processes first 
    • You will receive a Completion of Procedures Letter when no further internal steps are available 

    More information: 

  • Queries

    If you have any queries about your assessment position after reading this information, please consult your Course Tutor or the Assessment & Awards team at assessment@cumbria.ac.uk.

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