The university recognises that sometimes students are unable to meet assessment deadlines due to unforeseen circumstances, or have significant personal or medical issues.
The university offers several options for students in such situations, which are outlined in this section. Decisions on students’ options should be taken in discussion with the relevant academic staff or personal tutors, and requests for deferrals or extensions will usually require supporting evidence.
Deferral of Assessments
The deferral procedure is for addressing sudden and unexpected extenuating circumstances that may affect a student’s ability to undertake assessments.
Deferring assessments may impact on your academic progression and therefore your eligibility to student funding, your accommodation and (where relevant) your immigration status.
We strongly recommend that you consult the Student Advice Centre, Programme Team or Personal Tutor to discuss your circumstances before submitting a deferral request.
How to submit a Deferral Application
- Download and complete the Deferral Form
- Please ensure you are accurate with the modules and components in the table on the form
- In the personal statement area, please describe the personal circumstances you have been experiencing during this current academic year and how this has impacted on your ability to work of your assessments.
- Deferral applications should be accompanied by supporting evidence.
- Third party evidence should clearly support how the extenuating circumstances have impacted on your ability to undertake the assessment or coursework. If evidence is not in English, please ensure that this is translated to English.
- Send your completed form with evidence to adhadvice@dmu.ac.uk with your full name, Pnumber, Programme and ‘Deferral’ included in the subject title e.g., Joe Bloggs P1234567 Fine Art- Deferral
Please click here to view more examples suggested for evidence
Deferral requests must be submitted no later than 10 university working days from the date of the exam or the assessment submission deadline (For example, if an assessment submission deadline is 20th November 2023, the latest date to submit a deferral request is 4th December 2023).
Extensions to Deadlines
Students may request an extension to a coursework deadline. The request should be made to the module leader in advance of the deadline. The module leader has the discretion to grant an extension of up to 5 university working days for levels 4, 5 and PG Level 7 students and up to 10 university working days for level 6 students.
If a deadline extension is approved the module leader will sign the completed extension form and confirm the revised deadline date. The student should submit this form with their coursework.
How To Submit an Extension to a Coursework Request
- Request an extension from your module leader in advance of the deadline (must be no later than 24 hours before the date/time that the assessment is due)
- Obtain and complete a coursework extension form. This is available from the Student Advice Centre at the Vijay Patel Reception at the location below or can be downloaded
Supporting Evidence
The request form (whether for extensions or deferrals) should be accompanied by supporting evidence, normally from an independent third party. It is your responsibility to provide all the required documentary evidence; the university will not make enquiries on your behalf. You are advised to keep a copy of any evidence you submit. All evidence should be submitted in English.
Third party evidence should clearly support how the extenuating circumstances have impacted on your ability to undertake the assessment or coursework.
Retrospective medical certificates or doctors’ notes will normally only be accepted if you consulted the doctor at the time of the illness. They should be from your own doctor and contain a clear medical opinion that you were unfit to undertake the assessment on the day. A note stating only that you claim to have been unwell or that you told your doctor you were unwell at the time of your examination will normally be disregarded.
If it is impossible to include third party evidence when handing in your form requesting deferral of assessments, forms must be submitted before the deadline date with a note to say that supporting evidence will follow. The evidence must be submitted before the assessment results are published. Evidence submitted after the release of assessment results will not be accepted as the deferral process will be closed.
Examples of other third party evidence that might be acceptable are:
- A letter from a doctor concerning bereavement
- A police report and crime reference number as evidence of theft, break-in or other serious crime
- A letter from a counsellor whom you have been seeing
You may also wish to attach a letter of support from your personal tutor or mentor if they know your circumstances well.
If you are unable to provide confirmation of Doctors appointments or medication that has been prescribed, if you log into your NHS App, you will be able to see your appointments, this will include any phone consultations you would have had. There is also a tab for any medication that has been prescribed to you. Link below for you to download the app.
Please click here to view more examples suggested for evidence
Page last updated 31/08/2023 – if the information on this page is incorrect, please contact adhadvice@dmu.ac.uk