UCL academic misconduct: deadline, process and appeal
Rule checked against University College London's own pages on .
If UCL has told you it is looking at possible academic misconduct, you have 10 working days from the date of notification of the allegation to respond or engage in a meeting. Read your letter carefully, check the date of notification and keep a copy. If you do not respond or engage, the Department or Faculty will decide how to proceed without a response.
- Time to respond
- A student has 10 working days from notification of the allegation to respond or engage in a meeting; if not, the Department/Faculty decides how to proceed without a response.[1]
- What happens
- After an initial meeting, the Department/Faculty decides whether there is a case to answer: no case, Poor Academic Practice, Minor or Major Academic Misconduct. Minor and Major cases can be referred to Stage 2 (an Investigatory Viva or a panel).[1]
- Who decides
- An Academic Misconduct Panel has three UCL staff members, one of them acting as Chair.[1]
- Possible penalties
- Penalties include a reduction of marks by 10 percentage points or one letter grade for the component, a capped mark, or a mark of 0.00%/Grade F for the component; the UCL Academic Misconduct Panel can also suspend or exclude the student (Section 6).[1]
- Generative AI
- Misuse of Generative AI is academic misconduct when it is unauthorised or unacknowledged: using assistive tools beyond the assessment brief, or to create false data, text or references.[1]
- Time limit to appeal
- An appeal against an academic misconduct decision must be submitted within 10 working days of receiving formal notification of the decision, and is heard only on set grounds.[1]
What to do first
The letter tells you what UCL is looking at. Note the date of notification of the allegation. Your 10 working days run from that date. They are working days. You can use them to respond or to engage in a meeting. If you do not respond or engage within the 10 working days, the Department or Faculty will decide how to proceed without a response.
Read your own letter closely. Keep a copy of it and of anything you send. If you do not understand what is being alleged, ask the university to explain it in writing. Do not alter the letter or any document connected with the assessment.
Responding and the initial meeting
The Department or Faculty writes to invite you to an initial meeting to discuss the allegation. That meeting gives you the opportunity to discuss the allegation. If your letter gives a date for the meeting, read it carefully and check how it fits with the 10 working days. If you cannot take part, ask the university what it needs from you. If you do not respond and/or engage within the 10 working days, the Department or Faculty will make a decision on how to proceed in your absence.
Misuse of Generative AI is academic misconduct when it is unauthorised or unacknowledged. It covers using assistive tools beyond the remit of the assessment brief, or to create false data, text or references. If the allegation involves AI, read the assessment brief and your letter to see what use is questioned. Use true evidence only. Keep copies of your submitted work and any documents you rely on. Do not invent or exaggerate anything, and do not alter a document. A clear, accurate response that addresses the allegation is easier to follow.
What happens after the meeting
After the initial meeting, the Department or Faculty decides whether there is a case to answer. It can decide no case to answer, Poor Academic Practice, Minor Academic Misconduct or Major Academic Misconduct. For Poor Academic Practice, the original mark stands, but the student is required to undertake UCL's Understanding Academic Integrity course. For Minor Academic Misconduct, the Department applies a penalty in line with Section 6. For Major Academic Misconduct, the Department may refer the case to an Investigatory Viva for consideration under Stage 2 where authorship is in question (usually Contract Cheating or Misuse of GenAI); and/or refer the case to an Academic Misconduct Panel via the Casework Team for consideration under Stage 2. An Academic Misconduct Panel has three UCL staff members, one of them acting as Chair.
The student should be notified of the decision within five working days of the meeting or decision being made. A mark of IR is entered on Portico for the affected assessment, and the student's academic record will not be processed by the Board of Examiners until the investigation has concluded. Penalties can include a reduction of marks by 10 percentage points or one letter grade for the component, a capped mark, or a mark of 0.00%/Grade F for the component.
If the decision goes against you
An appeal against an academic misconduct decision must be submitted within 10 working days of receiving formal notification of the decision. Appeals are heard only on set grounds. The Casework Team conducts an eligibility review. If the request does not fall within the grounds for review and/or does not meet the on-time criterion of 10 working days, the Casework Team will notify the student that the review request will not be taken forward. A Completion of Procedures Letter is issued. The case will not progress to consideration at Stage 3.
Read the formal notification and check the date you received it. Keep a copy. Check the grounds in the notification or the university's page before you submit anything. If you are within the 10 working days and your ground is one of the set grounds, submit the appeal by the route in the notification. Do not add grounds you cannot support with true evidence.
Common questions
How long do I have to respond to a UCL academic misconduct allegation?
You have 10 working days from the date of notification of the allegation to respond or engage in a meeting. If you do not respond and/or engage within that period, the Department or Faculty will decide how to proceed without a response.
What can the Department or Faculty decide after the initial meeting?
It decides whether there is a case to answer: no case, Poor Academic Practice, Minor Academic Misconduct or Major Academic Misconduct. Poor Academic Practice means the original mark stands but the student must undertake UCL's Understanding Academic Integrity course; Minor Academic Misconduct receives a penalty in line with Section 6; Major Academic Misconduct may be referred to an Investigatory Viva for consideration under Stage 2 where authorship is in question (usually Contract Cheating or Misuse of GenAI), and/or to an Academic Misconduct Panel via the Casework Team for consideration under Stage 2.
Can I appeal a UCL academic misconduct decision?
An appeal must be submitted within 10 working days of receiving formal notification of the decision. Appeals are heard only on set grounds.
Is unauthorised AI use academic misconduct at UCL?
Misuse of Generative AI is academic misconduct when it is unauthorised or unacknowledged. It includes using assistive tools beyond the remit of the assessment brief, or to create false data, text or references.
Sources
- Section 9: Student Academic Misconduct Procedure | Study at UCL, University College London. Checked 3 November 2026.