Extenuating Circumstances

Before Extenuating Circumstances - Extensions using Delayed Assessment Permits
Definition of Extenuating Circumstances
What can an Extenuating Circumstances claim achieve?
What if I sat an exam when I was unwell?
Should I submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim?
I’m worried that an Extenuating Circumstances claim might cause me problems?
How do I submit an Extenuating Circumstances Claim?
How do I explain my situation?
Extenuating Circumstances due to bereavement, pregnancy loss or other sensitive circumstances
Extenuating Circumstances and Long Term Conditions (NOT Registered with Disability Services)
Extenuating Circumstances and Long Term Conditions (Registered with Disability Services)
What evidence do I need?
When should I submit my Extenuating Circumstances claim?
What if my claim is late but grades have not been released yet?
What if my claim is very late and grades have already been released?
What if my Extenuating Circumstances claim is refused?
Support to Study
More useful information about Extenuating Circumstances

Before Extenuating Circumstances - Extensions using Delayed Assessment Permits

If you are approaching a deadline and your progress has been disrupted due to minor personal circumstances or illness, keep in mind that you may be able to apply for an automatic extension using a Delayed Assessment Permit (DAP), in accordance with the Extenuating Circumstances Policy published at the start of each academic year.

From academic session 2026 - 2027, students will receive three DAPs per academic year, which can be used to arrange a five working day extension on any eligible piece of coursework. Requests to use a DAP should be made in advance of the assessment deadline, via the University’s Extenuating Circumstances Portal.

No evidence is required and the extension is automatically approved. This may be enough additional time for you to submit your work, without the need for an Extenuating Circumstances claim.

Please also see our Extenuating Circumstances Overview guidance for more information on DAPs, and our webpage on Extensions and late Submission of Coursework.

Definition of Extenuating Circumstances

The University defines Extenuating Circumstances within 16.45 of the Assessment Regulations as:

" circumstances affecting a student which would reasonably result in components of a student’s programme of assessment not being completed.

Extenuating Circumstances include situations where the student is unable, through no fault of their own, to fulfil the requirements of the scheme of assessment appropriate to their programme of studies.

Students with chronic or persistent illness or long-term adverse personal circumstances should also refer to the University’s Policy on Reasonable Adjustments & Supportive Arrangements for Students."

You can see from this that Extenuating Circumstances is a two-stage process – firstly you must have had illness or other personal circumstances, and secondly your illness/circumstances must have resulted in either non-completion of the assessment, or clearly demonstrate that your academic performance has been adversely affected.

The University has a comprehensive Extenuating Circumstances Policy, however we felt it would be helpful to highlight a few common questions students ask about Extenuating Circumstances.

What can an Extenuating Circumstances claim achieve?

It is important to understand that a successful Extenuating Circumstances claim will not simply raise your grade in the assignment or exam, but if your claim is upheld it can allow other solutions, such as:

A fresh attempt to complete the assignment or exam at the next opportunity. If the assignment or exam was a 1st attempt, it will be treated as a 1st attempt again with no capping of your grade.
A longer assessment extension than the usual maximum of 5 working days that can be granted via a Delayed Assessment Permit (keep in mind though that some work will have a limit as to how long this extra time may be)
The removal of late penalties from a piece of work
For Honours students, removing the affected assessment from your final degree calculation (depending on how much work you have submitted).

In many cases a successful Extenuating Circumstances claim will require you to complete a new piece of work at a later date. You need to take this into account when deciding whether it is worth submitting a claim or not.

There are also special considerations relating to Extenuating Circumstances for dissertations, which is covered in the policy in the outcomes section.

What if I sat an exam when I was unwell?

If you have taken an exam when you shouldn’t have e.g. you were ill or had other adverse circumstances around the time of the exam, then you can submit an EC claim for “cancel and retake” within five working days of the exam, along with any supporting evidence. If your claim is upheld then that attempt at the exam is cancelled and a fresh opportunity is normally given at a later date. If you are close to graduation and you have enough credit, the grade may be set aside from your final degree calculation.

You will find more information on cancel and retake in the Extenuating Circumstances Policy here.

Should I submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim?

Firstly, it’s always a good idea to make contact with your adviser of studies to talk through your own specific situation and take their advice on your options. Each student’s circumstances are unique, so receiving accurate advice depends on understanding your individual situation.

Generally, if you think that an assessment or exam has been affected by health or personal circumstances, and you either failed to complete it or have a strong sense that you didn’t perform to your usual standard, then the short answer is, yes, you likely should.

This is especially the case where the piece of work carries a significant weight or bearing within your course and you don’t have any further resit opportunities to recover from a poor grade.

This is less relevant if the piece of work constitutes a small percentage of your course, if you have the opportunity to re-sit anyway, if the grade will not contribute to your classification, or if you're not concerned about its impact on your progression.

An alternative way to assess the situation is to ask, "What are the consequences of not submitting an Extenuating Circumstances claim?". This can be a significant risk, particularly if you believe your performance was genuinely affected by circumstances outwith your control. If you're fortunate, you might still receive a passing grade or just enough to progress in your course. However, for any student who receives a poor grade that impacts their progression or classification and could have submitted an Extenuating Circumstances claim but chose not to, the way back from this is not as straightforward.

The University expects all students to be aware of the Extenuating Circumstances policy. Exceptionally however, the University may be able to consider a very late claim under a new process called EAGR.

You would need to be able to evidence not only the serious medical or adverse circumstances which impacted your exams or coursework, but also why you were prevented from submitting the claim in time.

More information on the EAGR process can be found here.

I’m worried that an Extenuating Circumstances claim might cause me problems?

Some students may worry that submitting an Extenuating Circumstances claim could lead to delays in graduation, extend their studies, or result in additional work later in the year. These concerns can often trigger further anxieties related to visa status, accommodation, finances, and more. Our advice is to consult with your Adviser of Studies, explain your specific situation, and consider their guidance. It's better to have an informed conversation and make a decision based on your unique academic circumstances, rather than avoiding the Extenuating Circumstances claim and potentially finding yourself in a more difficult academic position later on.

If you want to talk your situation and options through with staff in the Advice Centre, please do get in touch with us.

How do I submit an Extenuating Circumstances Claim?

An Extenuating Circumstances claim should be submitted via the Extenuating Circumstances portal and by following the University's policy on how to apply.

How do I explain my situation?

We recommend you consider the following:

Focus on Assessments
The Extenuating Circumstances rules are set up to deal with problems affecting your assessments, rather than problems affecting your learning earlier in the course. For example, if you say ‘I couldn’t concentrate on my lectures because I suffer from anxiety‘ this is unlikely to be accepted, as there is no evidence of any exacerbation surrounding the assessment. However, a situation such as ‘I have underlying anxiety and had a panic attack just before my exam and was unable to focus on the exam questions properly‘ is more likely to be considered, as this shows that there has been some exacerbation at the point of assessment.

Relevant Detail
Use specific and relevant detail, like within the 2 examples underneath, to improve your chance of having your claim accepted.

Example 1:

I suffer from generalised anxiety disorder
On the advice of my GP, I was given different medication in the days leading up to my assessment deadline
I subsequently had a bad reaction to this new medication
I wasn't able to get an appointment with my GP until after the deadline
My elderly brother, who lives with us, also has complex PTSD and my recent home environment has been very challenging
As a result of my reaction to this new medication and having to cope with the challenges at home, I was not able to focus or concentrate on this assignment and my performance was affected

Example 2:

Three days before the exam, my child came down with a stomach bug
As I am a single-parent and could not source alternative childcare, I had to care for my child in the lead-up to the exam
I had very little sleep for three nights and was worried about my child
As a result, I struggled with my preparation and concentration during my exam
I believe my performance was affected

Other examples might include a flare-up of a physical or mental health condition, or some other kind of family, financial or accommodation emergency close to an exam or deadline.

Don’t just say “I spoke to my School about the problems I was having”. Again, do be specific: When did you do this? Who did you speak to? What advice did they give you?

Try your best to present your Extenuating Circumstances claim in a logical order with as much clarity as you can. Unless complex, an Extenuating Circumstances claim should be able to be presented in no more than say 1 side of A4 (500 words).

A second opinion
If you think there’s a chance your Extenuating Circumstances claim might not be easily understood, it can be useful to have someone else read it over before you submit. The SRC Advice Centre team are happy to read over any draft Extenuating Circumstances claim, so please let us know if you would like help with that.

Extenuating Circumstances due to bereavement, pregnancy loss or other sensitive circumstances

If you have experienced a bereavement or pregnancy loss the University will accept an Extenuating Circumstances claim without the need for you to submit any supporting evidence. This also applies to other sensitive circumstances (e.g. sexual violence, domestic abuse, victim of crime) and humanitarian emergencies.

You should apply for Extenuating Circumstances as normal, but also complete the self certification form found on the University website here. if you have disclosed your circumstances to University staff, or staff at the SRC Advice Centre, you do not need to disclose this twice, but can explain this on the form and include the staff member's name.

Extenuating Circumstances and Long-Term Conditions (NOT registered with Disability Services)

The Extenuating Circumstances process is not designed to make allowances for a long-term or chronic condition. This is because the University expects students with long-term health conditions to register with the Disability Service so that any reasonable adjustments and support can be given during the academic year.

However, Extenuating Circumstances can take account of a sudden worsening or flare-up of a long-term condition, so if this applies to you, you can still claim for Extenuating Circumstances. Just ensure that you make clear that it is the flare-up that you are citing as Extenuating Circumstances, rather than simply the underlying condition itself. Rather than say 'i have anxiety', be specific and highlight what the circumstances were that triggered an exacerbation in the anxiety at the time of assessment, e.g. slow access to GP support, change in medication, specific circumstances or events taking place etc.

You will need to provide supporting evidence if you have not previously told the University about your disability.

Extenuating Circumstances and Long-Term Conditions (Registered with Disability Services)

Disabled students registered with the University's Disability Service no longer need to submit supporting evidence to support an Extenuating Circumstances claim relating to flare-up of a relapsing and remitting or long-term condition.

This means that disabled students do not need to repeatedly evidence any conditions they have already declared to the University. You can find more information here.

What evidence do I need?

Ideally if the matter relates to a health condition, it would be preferable to submit supporting evidence from a medical professional if you can, but the University recognises that this isn’t always possible. For other non-medical adverse circumstances, it is helpful to submit something to verify the situation, even if this is just a letter from a family member or other relevant person who was aware of your situation at the time.

Please read over the University's Extenuating Circumstances Policy for a more detailed discussion of this here . If you are unsure if your evidence is relevant, then please get in touch with the SRC Advice Centre, who may be able to advise further.

When should I submit my Extenuating Circumstances Claim?

You must submit no later than 5 working days after the assessment was due or the exam date.

It is extremely important to ensure that these time limits are followed.

The reason there are strict time limits is to ensure that grades are not released to students before all Extenuating Circumstances claims are considered.

The University has a guide to the timescales around when you should submit a claim in their Extenuating Circumstances Policy here .

What if my claim is late but grades have not been released yet?

If it was not possible to submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim within the requisite 5 working-day period, but grades have not been released, then a late Extenuating Circumstances claim may be considered - if you can show a good reason as to why you didn’t submit in time (for example, you might have been in hospital without access to your University account).

If you are making a late request we would advise you to submit this, and also contact your course leader or Head of School to make them aware. As part of a late request, in addition to explaining what your adverse circumstances were, you would also have to explain in detail why it was not possible to submit your claim within the required 5-day period. It is crucial that you cover this aspect or your claim is likely to get rejected. Staff reviewing your claim need to see a tangible reason as to why you couldn't follow this 5-day rule. For further advice on this please contact the SRC Advice Centre.

What if my claim is very late and grades have already been released?

If you were unable to submit an ECs claim within the standard five working day window, and the grades have already been released, then the University may be able to exceptionally consider a very late claim under a new process called EAGR, effective from academic session 2026 - 2027.

You would submit your claim via the Extenuating Circumstances Portal and select the option for “EC after grade release”, with your evidence of the ECs and your reasons for the delay.

You must be able to evidence not only the serious medical or adverse circumstances which impacted your exams or coursework, but also why you were prevented from submitting the claim in time.

More information on the EAGR process can be found here and you can contact the Advice Centre for further advice before you submit.

What if my Extenuating Circumstances claim is refused?

If your Extenuating Circumstances claim is refused at Stage 1, you can request for this to be reviewed, as set out in detail in the Extenuating Circumstances policy here.

Essentially you have 5 working days from the date of the original outcome to request a reconsideration of your claim, on either or both of the following grounds:

You have new information or evidence that was not available at the time you made your original Extenuating Circumstances application.

and/or

You believe there has been a procedural error or a flawed decision-making process in the processing of your Extenuating Circumstances application.

You can either re-submit your claim via the portal with additional evidence or information, or email extenuatingcircumstances@glasgow.ac.uk to ask for a review of the existing claim, explaining your reasons for this.

You should receive a decision on your request within 10 working days.

If your application is still not upheld, and you believe there has been a procedural error with how the University have considered your application, you can escalate this to the Clerk of Senate.

This would essentially require you to send an email to clerk-of-senate@glasgow.ac.uk outlining exactly what error you believe the Unviersity have made when processing your claim and asking them to review the decision.

If you are considering escalating your claim to the Clerk of Senate we would strongly recommend that you speak to the SRC Advice Centre for guidance on this before you submit.

If you are unhappy with an Extenuating Circumstances outcome at Stage 2, you should firstly contact your School office or Course Lead to see if a suitable agreement can still be reached.

If not, you may be able to challenge this via the University's Academic Appeals process. You should refer to our appeals advice page and also speak to the SRC Advice Centre for further assistance with this.

Support to Study

It might be useful for you to be aware that the University has a specific Support to Study policy aimed at supporting students with more significant health or personal challenges affecting their ability to study and engage in wider University life. You can read more about this policy on our website here.

You should not be fearful of this policy, as it is a process designed to support any student who is experiencing a broader and often more complex range of challenges, which the Extenuating Circumstances process is not designed to address.

If you feel that the challenges you are facing are complex, potentially long-term and that multiple Extenuating Circumstances claims are not the answer for you, then please have an initial conversation with your Adviser of Studies to talk this all through and make yourself aware of all options. It may be that the Support to Study process forms part of these discussions.

If you do end up being referred to this process, the SRC Advice Centre can support you with this.