Extenuating Circumstances
If something serious or unexpected happens to make submission of an assessment or completion of an exam impossible, you may need to submit an Extensions and Extenuating Circumstances Form.
Extenuating Circumstances are usually personal or health problems that are defined as exceptional, short term events which are outside of the student’s control and have a negative impact on your ability to prepare or take an assessment.
If your circumstances are affecting your ability to engage with your programme of study (including attending classes and submitting assessments) you must notify the Student Experience Team as quickly as possible.
If you believe you might need extenuating circumstances, please follow the guidance on the central website by clicking the link below.
IMPORTANT
While the form allows students to indicate what action they would like the committee to consider, this does not mean this action will be taken. Students should discuss with the Student Experience Team, whether they should make an application before submitting a form to discuss whether it is appropriate to submit a form, how it should be completed, and whether any further documentation (e.g. a medical note) should be provided.
Grounds for Extenuating Circumstances
Bereavement – a death, which has a significant impact on you, which in an employment context would have led to a period of compassionate leave;
Serious short term illness/accident/hospitalisation -which in an employment context would have led to a period of sickness absence;
Deterioration or fluctuation of a disability or long term health condition;
You have a Learning Support Plan that indicates the impact of your condition/impairment can affect your academic performance on an ongoing basis;
Commuter students who have made reasonable travel arrangements to be in Sheffield for an assessment and who are impacted by unexpected delays to travel arrangements on the day;
Activity associated with Military Service, where Leave of Absence may not be appropriate;
Interviews where organisations refuse to change dates;
Jury service;
Caring responsibilities when there are unexpected difficulties with usual caring arrangements or unexpected new caring responsibilities (childcare, care for elderly relatives);
Other significant unavoidable and exceptional personal circumstances for which there is evidence of stress caused.
The Extenuating Circumstances Panel is a sub-committee of the relevant programme Examination Board which meets before the final board at the end of each semester to consider all cases where an extenuating circumstances form has been submitted. This committee may then make recommendations to the final exam board.
If you feel that applying for an extension or for extenuating circumstances consideration is the right decision for you, please read the University guidance carefully before making an application.
PLEASE NOTE
The deadline for submitting extenuating circumstances to cover Autumn Semester assessments is Friday 9th February 2024. The deadline for submitting extenuating circumstances to cover Spring Semester assessments is Friday 7th June 2024.
How to apply
Please make sure you are logged into MUSE *and* your Google email account, otherwise you will get an error message saying "You need permission, try contacting the owner of the form".