What are Mitigating Circumstances?
The University defines mitigating circumstances as ‘unforeseeable or unpreventable circumstances that could have, or did have, a significant adverse effect on the academic performance of a student’.
Possible mitigating circumstances include:
- significant illness or injury; or worsening of an ongoing illness or disability, including mental health conditions;
- the death or critical/significant illness of a close family member/dependant;
- significant family or personal crises or major financial problems leading to acute stress; and
- absence from the University for public service, for example, jury service.
Circumstances that will not normally be regarded as grounds for mitigation include:
- failure, loss or theft of a computer or printer that prevents submission of work on time; students should back up work regularly and not leave completion so late that they cannot find another computer or printer;
- holidays, moving house and events that were planned or could reasonably have been expected;
- travel during exam period: The expectation is that students studying on campus (i.e. not remotely) will remain in Manchester during the entirety of the exam period to ensure minimal disruption to exams. If a student is required to travel during the exam period, it is their responsibility to ensure travel times do not interfere with their exam schedule and that they have reliable access to equipment and Wi-Fi to enable them to complete their exams on time and without disruption. Whilst restrictions have eased in the UK, other countries may still require travellers to quarantine in a designated hotel where Wi-Fi and equipment may be limited. In these instances, mitigation is unlikely to be accepted, should they impact on a student's exams;
- assessments that are scheduled close together;
- misreading the timetable or misunderstanding the requirements for assessments;
- inadequate planning and time management;
- the act of religious observance (please see the Examinations and Religious Observance form);
- consequences of paid employment
- exam stress or panic attacks not diagnosed as illness or supported by medical evidence; and disruption in an examination room during the course of an assessment which has not been brought to the attention of, or recorded by, the invigilators (including instances such as fire alarms or other noise disruption).
Events may arise during pregnancy that may constitute mitigating circumstances, and these need to be judged on a case by case basis. It is recommended by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU), that, at a minimum, students are required to take two weeks’ compulsory maternity-related absence, or four weeks if they are on placement in a factory. This is in line with employment law, and is to ensure the health and safety of the mother following birth.
Applications for mitigating circumstances must be submitted using the AMBS Mitigating Circumstances request form. If you have any problems accessing or submitting the form, please get in touch with the Student Support and Wellbeing Team at ambs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk
For any issues affecting your assessment during the academic year (outside of the scheduled exam period), the deadline to submit an application is as follows:
Coursework: For information and deadlines relating to coursework extensions please refer to the Coursework Extensions webpage on the handbook.
Mid-term tests:
- For IT issues, same day;
- For illnesses affecting test, 1 working day.
Exam period
Please read through the information below carefully so you apply by the correct deadlines.
IT issues
If you experience IT issues during your exam or at the submission point, applications for mitigation must be submitted on the same day. Supporting documents (videos and/or screenshots) to evidence the IT issues will be required. These must be date and time stamped before the deadline and clearly show that an error has occurred.
If you are experiencing issues that could have an impact on your academic performance leading up to an assessment (exam) period it is your responsibility to ensure you let the School know prior to the start of that assessment period. The start dates of the assessment (exam) periods for the 23/24 academic year are as follows:
- Semester 1: Monday 15 January 2024
- Semester 2: Monday 13 May 2024
Application submitted after the deadline will not be considered without a credible and compelling reason to why the School was not informed at the time.
If you experience circumstances that have arisen during the course of an examination, you are advised to inform the School as soon as possible and submit an application so that we may advise you accordingly. The ultimate deadline to submit mitigation will be 7 days after the relevant assessment (exam) period has ended. The ultimate deadline dates are as follows:
- Semester 1: Friday 2 February 2024
- Semester 2: Wednesday 12 June 2024
Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
University policy states that requests for mitigation submitted after the published date for the beginning of an assessment period will not be considered without a credible and compelling explanation as to why the circumstances were not known, or could not have been shown, before the beginning of the assessment period. For example, if you have been ill three days before your exam but do not inform us until after the exam has started, you would have to provide a credible and compelling explanation for the delay.
Not informing the University of circumstances due to personal feelings, e.g., shame, embarrassment and pride, or having concerns over the confidential treatment of requests for mitigation, are not considered to be credible and compelling explanations as to why the circumstances could not be made known or shown before the beginning of the assessment period.
Supporting documentation
As part of your application, you will be required to provide independent evidence relating to the issues you are citing which are time specific to the impacted period. If you are unsure about what documents to provide or do not have any documents at present, you are advised to still submit an application form and contact ambs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk for guidance.
Resit period
The deadline to submit mitigation for the resit exam period is as follows:
If you are experiencing issues that could have an impact on your academic performance leading up to the resit period it is your responsibility to ensure you let the School know prior to the start of that assessment period. The resit period will begin on 19 August 2024.
If you experience circumstances that have arisen during the course of an examination, you are advised to inform the School as soon as possible and submit an application so that we may advise you accordingly. The ultimate deadline to submit mitigation will be 7 days after the relevant assessment (exam) period has ended. The ultimate deadline date is 6 September 2024.
The normal deadlines apply for coursework extensions and IT issues.
Students registered with the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS) will not routinely need to apply for mitigation for their DASS registered issue/s as adjustments will have already been put in place. However should there be an exacerbation of the DASS registered issues, who have stated a disability-related reason for their request for mitigation do not need to provide additional medical evidence to support their request. However, a detailed explanation of how the disability has specifically impacted your studies at the time needs to be given on the mitigation application form.
In the instance where students have stated external factors that have, for example, exacerbated their disability, evidence of these external factors should still be provided (e.g., if an exacerbation of disability is due to a bereavement, a medication change or financial issues, evidence of these issues should still be provided). DASS will advise the School if it feels that further disability-related evidence is required.
Students who are not registered with DASS but have stated a disability-related reason for their request for mitigation will still need to provide medical evidence of their difficulties to support their request.
With regards to coursework, if you are registered with DASS, please check your DASS University support plan. If you are entitled to a DASS automatic 1 week coursework extension, please make sure you read the automatic 1 week extension guidance notes to check if the auto extension applies to the specific assessment. The list enclosed available via the link is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other cases where it is not possible to accommodate an automatic extension. For this reason, if the extension applies, you must check with the AMBS Disability Coordinator. Please make sure you do this in a timely manner and before the deadline so you can plan accordingly.
You can contact the AMBS Disability Coordinator at ambs.dc@manchester.ac.uk
Applications for Mitigating Circumstances are considered by a Mitigating Circumstances Panel.
The Mitigating Circumstances Panel is a sub-group of the Board of Examiners. The Panel meets regularly throughout the year to consider cases for mitigation. The dates for the Mitigating Circumstances Panel meetings in 23/24 are to be confirmed.
The Panel makes recommendations to the Board of Examiners to assist the Board in reaching a decision on a student's progression/degree classification. It follows that the last date by which to submit a case for mitigation - Thursday, 6 June 2024 - is adhered to as any medical evidence/mitigating circumstances submitted after this date may be received too late for consideration prior to the Board of Examiners' meeting. Evidence received after Thursday, 6 June 2024 will only be considered under exceptional circumstances.
If the Mitigating Circumstances Panel has evidence to indicate that the assessment performance of a student has been significantly affected by personal circumstances, it may recommend various courses of action to the Board of Examiners.
Notes:
- A Mitigating Circumstances Panel cannot authorise for a substitute examination to be permitted, in the event that a scheduled exam was missed.
- A Mitigating Circumstances sub-panel can authorise an extension to a coursework deadline where mitigation is accepted.
- Students have no right to appeal against the decision of a Mitigating Circumstances Panel, although they can appeal against the final decision of an Examination Board, or equivalent body, under regulation XIX (Academic Appeals Procedure).
Applications for mitigation are treated with confidentiality and anonymity where possible.
When you submit a medical note or other certified evidence of mitigating circumstances in relation to your attendance or assessment (examinations and/or coursework), you will be giving your consent:
- to that document being recorded on your manual file; and
- to the details being recorded on any electronic file relating to your performance in assessment; and
- to the details being disclosed to University of Manchester personnel having a need to see them in the course of their work.
Discussions with a third party regarding a student's progress or circumstances
There is a contract between the student and the University. A student may authorise a third party to act as his/her agent but unless this authorisation is given in writing then members of staff are unable to discuss issues regarding students (medical, academic or other issues) with third parties.
The basic guide to Mitigating Circumstances aims to make the process of mitigation easier to understand.
The Students’ Union Advice Centre have also created a guide on mitigating circumstances and can offer impartial advice on your circumstances, help you prepare your mitigation application and support you throughout the process.