Appeal Guidelines and FAQs

Academic Appeal Guidance

The University's Academic Appeal form and information relating to the process can be found here: 

Appeal Form . 

Can I appeal because I am unhappy with my marks, my supervision, or 

miscommunication from the faculty ?

Regrettably, you cannot appeal against academic judgment. However, the University's Accuracy of Published Marks is available to students who wish to query the accuracy of the grades recorded.  Accuracy of Published Marks - Swansea University 

Appeals based on personal feelings of lack of support, supervision, dissatisfaction with marks or miscommunication from the faculty are not eligible, as they are classed as matters of complaint. This is a separate process to the academic appeal procedure;  it is important that your appeal does not contain matters of complaint. Please see the attached link for more information on Complaints. 

The Advice & Support Centre can support through the University's Complaint Process by revieweing  your complaint, suggesting any amendments and relevant evidence to submit alongside it.

I want to appeal on the grounds of extenuating circumstances that affected me.

It is important to note that when a student’s academic studies are affected by personal circumstances, the university usually expects students to submit an extenuating circumstances application at the relevant time and inform the university. 

Appeals based on the grounds of extenuating circumstances need to demonstrate why you were unable to submit an application (Extenuating Circumstances) at the time. The appeals panel are going to be looking for a reason, with evidence to substantiate why you were unable to apply for an extension or deferral at the relevant time as a result of your circumstances. 

Please note, not knowing about the extenuating circumstances process or about deferrals is not an accepted reason. Explaining your circumstances is not enough; it is essential that you address why you were too affected by your circumstances to determine your fitness to undertake the assessment (apply for EC or deferral) or notify the faculty.

Please ensure your mitigation is relevant to the failed assessment/exam and your supporting evidence is also relevant to the date of the failed assessment/exam

Where do I put my explanation?

Your reason for submitting  the appeal, along with the explanation for why your assignment/module/term was affected should be included in Section C. This section should contain detail about the relevant timeline leading up to the affected assignments/exam, explaining what happened and how it affected you (physically/mentally/emotionally), and how it affected your ability to apply for an extension/deferral. It is important to include anything that would help the university understand what you went through, and do not assume that anything is implied. This means include details on any symptoms and in what way your circumstances impacted you, even if it may seem obvious. Any circumstances mentioned that you are basing your appeal on will need evidence to substantiate them. 

What do I include in section E?

Section E should include a list of evidence that will accompany your academic appeal form. Your supporting evidence can be included as attachments in an email with your completed academic appeal. 

**Do not put your explanation in this section, it should go in section C as explained.**

How specific does my evidence have to be?

The appeal panel will be looking for evidence that will prove why the specific exam or assessment you are appealing was affected. This is why the evidence needs to be very specific to the time leading up to the failed assignment or exam. If your evidence is too vague, they may question why other modules at the relevant time were passed successfully.

The more specific your evidence is, the better. Depending on the severity of the circumstances, the appeal panel will consider supporting evidence and how likely it is that the circumstances affected your academic performance at the time of the failed assessments/modules. In most instances, events that occurred within a month of your submission or deadline will be considered. Examples of more severe circumstances and the timelines they will consider can be found here in section 2.6.

Evidence should specifically mention the relevant time period leading up to the assessment or exam. If you spoke to anyone at the university about your struggles, a support letter from them can also be helpful for an appeal. A friend or family can also write a supporting letter, but these are not usually enough by themselves and should be supplement to more official evidence such as a GP or therapist letter.

Where do I submit the appeal?

Your completed appeal should be attached in an email, along with any supporting evidence, and be sent to studentcases@swansea.ac.uk.

How long do I have to submit my appeal?

The timeframe to submit an academic appeal is 1-month following the publication of the exam boards decision. For most courses at undergraduate level, this is usually the end of term module mark releases in January and July. However, exclusions apply for many FMHLS courses and others. If you are unsure of when the relevant exam board is for your appeal, please contact the Hwb  Hwb - Swansea University 

The Advice & Support Centre can assist and support students through the academic appeal process. Please contact us by submitting a ticket to hello.swansea-union.co.uk