Extensions and Late Submission of Coursework

Contents

1. Extensions of up to 5 working days - Delayed Asessment Permits (DAPs)
2. Extensions of more than 5 working days
3. Late submission policy 
4. Online exams
5. Appeals
6. Queries

Extensions of up to 5 working days - Delayed Assessment Permits (DAPs) 

If you need more time to complete an assignment, then from academic year 2026 - 2027 you may be able to apply for an automatic extension using a Delayed Assessment Permit (DAP) in accordance with 16.27 of the Assessment Regulations, and the Extenuating Circumstances Policy published at the start of each academic year.

Students normally get three DAPs per academic year,  which can be used to arrange a five working day extension on any eligible piece of coursework. If a DAP is applicable then the extension is automatically approved, and no evidence is required.

Requests to use a DAP should be made in advance of the assessment deadline, via the University’s  Extenuating Circumstances Portal.

Please also see our Extenuating Circumstances Overview guidance for more information on DAPs, and Section 5.5 of the Guide to Assessment Regulations.

Extensions of more than 5 working days

If you need longer than five working days then you will need to apply under the ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ rules, as set out in 16.45-16.53 of the Assessment Regulations. There is no definitive list of what constitutes ‘Extenuating Circumstances’, but things like being ill or injured, or other exceptional circumstances such as a death in the family are likely to be included. If you submit an application for Extenuating Circumstances for your late submission, and this is accepted by the University, then the late penalties can be waived.

The University policy on Extenuating circumstances is found here, and please also see the SRC guidance on Extenuating Circumstances.

Please note if you are absent for more than five consecutive working days during semester time, or are prevented  from completing assessment or fulfilling a requirement for the award of credit, then you may need to complete an absence report, as set out in the Student Absence Policy and Absence Reporting Guidance. If in doubt, speak to teaching staff in your School such as your Course Convenor or Adviser of Studies first before completing this.

Late submission policy 

The University policy for taught students on late submission of coursework can be found in sections 16.25 - 16.26 of the University's Assessment Regulations, and Section 5.1 of the Guide to Assessment Regulations.

If you hand in your work late, without a good reason for doing so, your mark will be reduced by two secondary bands for each day late. Anything over five days late gets an ‘H’ (i.e. zero marks).  Anything handed in after feedback has been given to the class on that assignment also gets an ‘H’ (zero).

Example: Emma’s essay would have been worth a B3. However it’s two days late and she doesn’t state a good reason why. Therefore her mark is reduced by four secondary bands, giving her a D1.

Part days count as full days – for example:  Your essay is due on Wednesday at 5 pm.  You hand it in on Friday at lunchtime – a day and a half over time.  This counts as two days late, so would normally be penalised by four secondary bands in total.

If you do have a good reason why you can’t hand work in on time, then try to ask for an extension before the deadline if you possibly can. There are a couple of different rules, depending on the severity of the situation and how late you are in submitting the work.

Online exams

Remember to leave yourself enough time at the end of the online exam to upload your exam submission. The University can be very strict on accepting any submissions that are received after the exam time has ended. Please refer to the University's Online Exam and Late Submission Policy set out in 16.28 of the Assessment Regulations and Section 5.6 of the Guide to Assessment Regulations.

If you experience any technical or IT issues during an online exam it is vital that you contact the University's IT Helpdesk to report this. Even if the IT Helpdesk are unable to assist or resolve the issue for you, if you decide to submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim for the exam, then the fact that you have a record of contacting them could be vital evidence to support your claim.

Appeals

If you disagree with your School’s decision about late penalties, you have the right to appeal. Please see our page on Academic Appeals for further information about this.

Queries

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the SRC Advice Centre.