Birmingham resits: attempts, mark cap and timing

Start with your letter and the university page

Start with your own letter and the university's page for your module. The pages we read do not give your exact reassessment date, a shorter deadline or a form name. The pages we read say that the Board of Examiners decides whether a registered student is reassessed in or repeats a failed module. Your letter is where to check what has been decided in your case. If the letter is unclear, take it to Guild Advice, which is listed under Free help at Birmingham.

1. Read your letter and the university's page for the module.
2. Check whether the Board of Examiners has set reassessment or repetition.
3. Check the date and any deadline written in your letter. If the pages you have do not state a shorter deadline, confirm the date with the university or Guild Advice.
4. Keep copies of your letter, what you submit and any messages about the module.

One retrieval attempt, normally within one year

A registered student who fails a module has one opportunity to retrieve the failure, either by re-assessment (re-sitting the examination and/or resubmitting coursework) or by repetition. The opportunity is normally provided and taken within one year of the initial failure. The exception is when, for reasons of frequency of module delivery, the Senate or a delegated authority has agreed otherwise. The pages we read do not state your exact date or a shorter deadline. Check your letter and the university's page, and ask Guild Advice if the date is not clear.

What mark is used after a retrieval attempt

The mark rules depend on what happens at the retrieval attempt. If you pass the module at that attempt, the mark used for your weighted mean, progress decision and classification is the pass mark. The exception is if you are in year zero of a Foundation Year programme: the mark used is the higher of the marks achieved. If you fail the module at the retrieval attempt, the mark used for those purposes is the higher of the two fail marks. The mark achieved after an attempt to retrieve failure is recorded on your transcript.

There is a separate rule for an internal hurdle. Where a student fails a module due to the failure of an internal hurdle, the mark is capped at 1 mark below the pass mark for that module. If the student passes the module at resit stage, the mark is capped at the pass mark.

Extra attempt if the Board accepts extenuating circumstances

Where the Board of Examiners accepts that a registered student's failure in a module is as a result of extenuating circumstances, an additional attempt to retrieve the failure may be granted. The additional attempt is normally of the same status as the attempt affected by the extenuating circumstances: first sit or resit. An additional attempt at a first sitting may therefore be followed by a further reassessment attempt. If you give evidence, it must be true.

What happens after and where to get help

Reassessment of a module does not carry additional tuition fee liability under these regulations. Unjustified absence from the re-examination or failure to submit required work will be counted as failure in the re-assessment and a mark of 0 shall be awarded, as specified in Academic Duty to Attempt Assessment. If you fail the module at the retrieval attempt, the mark used for your weighted mean, progress decision and classification is the higher of the two fail marks. If the outcome is different from what you expected, read the decision again with Guild Advice and ask what the university's page says about next steps. Keep copies of what you send and what you receive.