It’s important to understand that exceptional circumstances really must be exceptional. As a student, you are expected to manage your health and minor illnesses or disruptions alongside your studies. The deadlines for submitting assessments are published when you start a module in order that you have plenty of time to plan, research and complete the work required.
You are expected to work round short-term issues, such as a cold, in the same way that you would if you were employed. This is intended to help you develop your time management skills, which will be transferable skills you will need for whatever you go on to do after university.
Applications for exceptional circumstances longer than 3 days should only be made for genuinely serious situations such as:
- exceptional medical circumstances eg hospitalisation or incapacitation through injury, illness, or mental health crisis
- significant bereavement eg family member or close friend
- victim of a serious crime
- disabilities for which reasonable adjustments are not yet in place and where the delay is not due to the student
- legal proceedings requiring attendance
- challenging domestic situation (e.g. divorce)
- the sudden significant illness of a close family member.
The University would only expect that a minority of students would need to make an exceptional circumstances application during the course of their studies. If you find yourself needing to make regular applications, it might be that there is more suitable support or other processes which may better suit your situation. Your Student Support Co-ordinator or your Academic Adviser can explore other options with you.