Extenuating circumstances (ECs) are circumstances that affect your ability to meet assessment or affect your performance in an assessment. ECs are unforeseeable, unpreventable, and beyond your control.
The MDXSU Advice service can help you by explaining the process of applying for ECs, advising you on how to put together a statement and fill out the ECs form online, and providing feedback on your statement and supporting evidence.
The following situations would not normally be regarded as ECs:
You will need to provide evidence with your ECs claim to verify that the circumstances have happened.
1. Fill out the extenuating circumstances form. Please use Mozilla Firefox to complete the form, and avoid the use of a tablet or phone. Do not copy and paste information into the EC form. You can choose to apply for a short extension (up to 15 days), deferral, or inform the Assessment Board of your extenuating circumstances - more information is below.
- "Dear Sir or Madam/To Whom It May Concern/ Dear…,"
- Introduce yourself, explain the purpose of this statement, and why you are applying for extenuating circumstances.
- Explain the sudden, unexpected, significantly disruptive, and beyond-your-control issues you were experiencing which affected your performance in the assessment.
- State what outcome you are looking for (e.g. deferral, extension…)
- "Respectfully/Yours sincerely,"
3. Attach evidence to support your case. The evidence must be current and not produced retrospectively. Normally, the evidence should be some kind of formal documentation, letter, or certificate, written in English. Visit UniHub for examples of evidence.
- Short extension: this will give you an extension of up to 15 days
- Deferral: this means that you are requesting an opportunity to sit the exam at the next assessment opportunity
- ECs noted only: although you intend to sit your exam or submit your assessments, you would like to inform the Assessment Board in case there is a borderline decision to be made.
- Short Extension and ECs noted
- DA – deferred all
- DC – deferred coursework
- DE – deferred exam
- DD - deferred other