Birmingham Extenuating Circumstances: Your Next Steps

Birmingham calls this process Extenuating Circumstances. The official pages we read describe it for exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond your control that have adversely affected your performance in assessments. The page says any number of circumstances may affect your ability to perform well in assessments, including essays, class tests and final examinations. For exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond your control that occur within the last 24 hours of the assessment submission period or deadline, the page says you normally should use the Extenuating Circumstances process. It also says extenuating circumstances are almost always retrospective: they refer to events that have already affected your performance.

Check your deadline and submit to your School

The deadline is the first thing to confirm. The official pages we read do not give the deadline itself. They say extenuating circumstances are submitted to your School by an advertised deadline. Read your own letter and the information from your School, then confirm the deadline with your School. Do not rely on a date from another student or another year.

The forms page lists College online forms for Extenuating Circumstances for each College and for Dubai Campus. Check the form that matches your College or campus. The same page lists a Medical certificate form. If you have medical evidence, use true evidence; do not change a document or ask for a certificate for an illness you did not have. Keep copies of what you submit and what you receive.

What evidence may help

The official pages we read do not set out every type of evidence for every situation. One specific point is for students registered with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Service. The page says you can discuss with your counsellor or wellbeing advisor the issues that have affected your academic work. If appropriate, they may provide written support for your extenuating circumstances. They are unable to provide this written evidence unless they have worked with you for a minimum of two sessions following your initial assessment. That condition is on the page, so check it before you rely on that route.

The free help listed for this university is Guild Advice. You can talk to Guild Advice about the process and about what you are dealing with. General practical steps still apply: read your letter carefully, keep copies of what you submit, and make sure any evidence you provide is true.

What happens after you submit

The page says your School may wish to take your circumstances into account when the Board of Examiners meets to decide your progress decision. That depends on the nature and severity of the circumstances. It does not promise a particular outcome, and the pages we read do not say how long the process takes.

The page also says discussions about the validity of requests for extenuating circumstances take place at Extenuating Circumstances Panels, rather than the full Examination Board. The Examination Board will not discuss details of the extenuating circumstances you present. If you receive a decision you do not understand, read it carefully and ask your School or Guild Advice to explain what it means and what the next step is.

What to do if something is missing

If you cannot find the deadline, do not estimate it. Ask your School to confirm the advertised deadline and which form applies to you. If you are registered with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Service and want written support, ask your counsellor or wellbeing advisor about the two-session condition. If you are unsure whether a document is acceptable, ask your School or Guild Advice before you submit it. The official pages we read do not give a full list of acceptable evidence, so confirm the point you are unsure about with your School.

Practical steps in order

1. Read your own letter and the information from your School.
2. Confirm the advertised deadline with your School.
3. Check the College online form for Extenuating Circumstances that applies to you.
4. Keep copies of everything you submit and everything you receive.
5. Talk to Guild Advice if you need help understanding the process.

The page does not state a fixed time limit. The time limit is the deadline advertised by your School, and you should confirm it with your School.