Mitigating Circ*mstances: Extensions and Additional Consideration (2024)

We understand that sometimes life does not go according to plan, no matter how hard you try or prepare. If something has gone wrong and impacted your ability to complete assessments, don't worry - there are options available to you. This page outlines the help you can receive and how to request it.

Mitigating circ*mstances

Mitigating circ*mstances are unexpected events that could not be planned for or avoided, and can seriously affect your ability to take assessments.

The help the University can offer when these situations occur are called "mitigations". They are designed to reduce the impact on your studies.

There are two routes of mitigation available:

  1. Extensions to Coursework
  2. Additional Consideration

You can read the full information about mitigating circ*mstances and the 2023-24 guidance on the University website: University mitigating circ*mstances page

You can apply for mitigating circ*mstances via an online form, simply click the button below:

Frequently Asked Questions

As well as the University guidance mentioned above, we have put together a list of the most common questions that our students ask about the process. The FAQ is split into sections that cover Extensions and Additional Consideration.

Please read the FAQ carefully first, but if you need extra help or are unsure about anything, you can contact the LUBS Student Support Team at: lubsstudentsupport@leeds.ac.uk

Extensions

If you experience circ*mstances that will have a short-term impact on your ability to complete coursework assessments (for example a minor illness), you can make an application for an extension to a coursework deadline.

Please note: not all circ*mstances are grounds for mitigating circ*mstances. You can find out more on the circ*mstances normally accepted in section 2.1 of the Mitigating Circ*mstances Guidance on the university website.

How/when can I apply for an extension to a coursework submission deadline?

To apply foran extension to a coursework deadline, you must applybeforethe coursework submission original deadline via theonline application form.

Email requests for extensions will not be considered.

We are unable to review extension requests submitted after the assessment deadline: all extension requests must be submitted before 12 noon (UK time) of the day of the deadline.

If you have missed the deadline to apply, you have the option to make an application for Additional Consideration to request either:

1. The removal of penalties for late submission (if incurred)or

2. A further attempt at the assessment at the next available opportunity.

You can read the FAQs on Additional Consideration further down this page.

What is the maximum number of days extension I can apply for?

If you are applying for a coursework extension on personal medical grounds, you will be able to self-certify for a period of up to 7 calendar days.

The maximum period we can grant extensions for coursework deadlines is 14 calendar days.

For any application of up to 14 days and/or for non-personal medical grounds, supporting evidence will be required.

You can read about supporting evidence here.

Do I need to provide evidence of my circ*mstances?

If you are applying for an extension to a coursework deadline on personal medical grounds (which includes mental health), you will be able to self-certify for a period of up to 7 calendar days without the need to provide evidence.

All other applications will require supporting evidence. We may need additional evidence to help to clarify a set of circ*mstances, if this is the case, we would contact you via email.

If your circ*mstances relate to a Disability and you are registered with Disability Services at the University, your Summary Support Sheet can be used as a type of supporting evidence for an extension request. Please also mention on the application that you are registered with this service when describing your circ*mstances and the impact on your ability to complete assessment.

Which type of assessment can I get an extension for?

You can apply for an extension to assessed coursework.

It is not possible to request an extension for:

  • An examination - If you have mitigating circ*mstances which affect your ability to undertake an examination, then the option open to you is to apply for 'Additional Consideration'. For further information please see the Additional Consideration FAQs below on this page.
  • Non-assessed draft – you will need to contact the module leader directly to discuss an alternative date.
  • Live presentations - you will need to contact the module leader directly to discuss an alternative date.

Can I get an extension on assessed group work?

If the group work element is an essay/poster/presentation and does not impact the rest of the module, then an extension request can be reviewed.

You must provide sufficient supporting evidence at the time of application if applying for a group extension, as provisional extensions cannot be granted for group work assignments.

Only one group extension can be granted per assessment.

How will I know if I have been granted an extension?

You will receive an email within 3 working days (this does not include weekends or University closure dates).

The email will advise whether your extension request has been accepted or rejected. If accepted, it will advise you of your new submission deadline.

Please note: the original deadline will remain on Minerva as that is the module area which is not tailored to individual student accounts.

Where do I submit my work if I have been granted an extension?

There will be a Late/Extension submission area which is where you will need to submit.

If you have any issues with uploading an assignment, please contact LUBSassessment@leeds.ac.uk ahead of the deadline and include in the email:

  • Student ID number
  • Module code
  • Deadline of submission
  • Attach the completed assignment to the email.

What happens if my request for an extension is rejected or I can’t submit by the assessment deadline?

If the work is not submitted by the deadline, late penalties will be applied for each day the work is late and after fourteen (14) days of non-submission a mark of absent (AB) is returned.

You can find more information on late penalties on the'Submitting Assignments'page on the Taught Student Guide.

Additional Consideration

Additional Consideration is a request to the Business School for your circ*mstances to be taken into account at the next Special Cases Committee meeting.

It is different from an Extension request because Additional Consideration is usually applied for after the assessment has taken place. Please see the University Mitigating Circ*mstances Guidance for further information.

Do I have a valid reason to request Additional Consideration?

Like extensions, Additional Consideration is for unexpected circ*mstances that are out of your control, such as a bereavement or a sudden illness that has impacted your studies or ability to take an assessment.

Please note that not all circ*mstances are grounds for mitigating circ*mstances and you can find out more on the circ*mstances normally accepted in section 2.1 of the Mitigating Circ*mstances Guidance.

What can I apply for through 'Additional Consideration'?

You can apply for any of the following:

  • First Attempts – this is an uncapped further attempt to be taken in the next assessment period.
  • Removal of Penalties – to remove any late penalties that have been accrued on an assignment.
  • Exemption – this can only be requested on certain elements that are 30% or under, if granted the element would not be considered in the final total of the module.
  • Consideration - this is a request that your circ*mstances be taken into account at the Classification Board at the end of your University career.
  • Repeat of Year – if your circ*mstances have meant that you have missed the majority of your teaching and assessments the School may be able to consider allowing you to repeat the year.

Please note that the School Special Cases Committee will award you what is appropriate and acceptable for both you and the School.

Can I apply for Additional Consideration for an exam?

Yes. If you have either missed an exam, have suffered some disruption in an exam or feel that your circ*mstances have negatively affected your preparation and performance, you can apply for Additional Consideration.

What evidence do I need to provide?

Evidence must be in documentary form from a professional third party (i.e. doctor/therapist/government body/employer).

The evidence should cover the assessment period in question and should be signed and dated. All evidence must be in readable English, or if not, translated by a certified translation company. We cannot accept evidence in another language, prescriptions for medication, or photographs of physical maladies/injuries.

Please see the Mitigating Circ*mstances Guidance for further information about evidence.

How do I apply for Additional Consideration?

You can apply online via theonline application form.

If you run into any difficulties, please contact your Parent School for advice.

If I have a further question about Additional Consideration, who should I ask? My Parent School or Teaching School of the module??

Your Additional Consideration application will go to your Parent School. If you have any further questions, please contact your Parent School for any advice and for further information on application deadline dates.

If you are a LUBS student, you should contact LUBSStudentSupport@leeds.ac.uk

When do I need to have applied by?

LUBS Student Support will communicate upcoming Additional Consideration deadlines to students via Minerva. The deadlines to submit Additional Consideration applications during the 2023/24 academic year are as follows:

Deadline to apply for Additional ConsiderationWhen was the assessment deadline?Expected outcome date for an application
4th October 2023This deadline is for Taught Postgraduate Resits (August and September 2023 deadlines)23rd November 2023
31st January 2024This deadline is for UG and PG students for assessments with deadlines which fall between 2nd October 2023 and 31st January 202415th March 2024
15th April 2024This deadline is for UG and PG students for assessments with deadlines which fall between 1st February 2024 and 15th April 202423rd May 2024
10th June 2024This deadline is for UG and PG students for assessments with deadlines which fall between 16th April and 10th June4th July 2024

If you do not apply by the deadline you will need to submit an academic appeal.

If you wish to appeal to the University, we recommend you speak with a member of the LUU’S Help and Support Team for independent support and advice. You can visit their team in the Union building during their opening hours, give them a call on 0113 3801 400 orsend them an email.

If you decide to formally appeal, you will need to follow the University’s appeals process and submit your appeal within 20 working days of receiving your final results. You should seek independent advice regarding your case from LUU’s Student Advice Centre.

More information about the university’s appeals process can also be found here.

Who makes a decision on my application?

Your application will be first looked at by a Student Support Officer (SSO). The SSO will check that the information you have submitted in your application is correct for your programme of study and that the reason and evidence you have supplied is valid.

The SSO will then present your request to the School Special Cases Committee.

Each School has a Special Cases Committee that meets a number of times throughout the year to look at mitigation circ*mstances requests. This Committee is chaired by a representative of the Head of School and is attended by a quorum of academics.

I have applied so when can I expect to hear back?

Deadline to apply for Additional ConsiderationWhen was the assessment deadline?Expected outcome date for an application
4th October 2023This deadline is for Taught Postgraduate Resits (August and September 2023 deadlines)23rd November 2023
31st January 2024This deadline is for UG and PG students for assessments with deadlines which fall between 2nd October 2023 and 31st January 202415th March 2024
15th April 2024This deadline is for UG and PG students for assessments with deadlines which fall between 1st February 2024 and 15th April 202423rd May 2024
10th June 2024This deadline is for UG and PG students for assessments with deadlines which fall between 16th April and 10th June4th July 2024

What happens next?

The LUBS Student Support Team will provide you with an outcome letter via your student email address, explaining the outcome of your application and any action you are required to take. It is important that you read all of the information outlined in this email.

If you have been granted any First Attempts, you will be provided with a link to a form to complete to accept your first Attempt(s). The deadline to complete this form and accept any First Attempt(s) will be communicated within the outcome letter.

What happens if I am not happy with the outcome of my application?

If you have any questions about your outcome, please contact your Student Support team in the first instance at: LUBSStudentSupport@leeds.ac.uk

If you are still unhappy with the School Special Cases Committee outcome after speaking with the Student Support team, you have the option of appealing the decision through the University Appeals Procedure.

If your question is not answered above please contact:LUBSStudentSupport@leeds.ac.uk

Mitigating Circ*mstances: Extensions and Additional Consideration (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between mitigating and extenuating circ*mstances? ›

Extenuating circ*mstances, also known as mitigating circ*mstances or concessions, are unforeseen or unpreventable circ*mstances which negatively affect your performance in assessed work. You can request to have these circ*mstances taken into account.

What is mitigation extension? ›

Mitigation means you can delay your assessment until the next time it takes place. There are a limited number of times assessments take place in a year, normally a first attempt date and resit date.

What is a good excuse for mitigating circ*mstances? ›

Some examples of mitigating circ*mstances are: Serious ill health or injury, including physical or mental health. Bereavement or serious illness of someone close to you.

What are examples of mitigating circ*mstances? ›

Mitigating circ*mstances can include things such as the age, mental state, history of abuse, or lack of criminal record of the defendant. These represent specific circ*mstances that lessen a person's culpability in court.

What does mitigating and extenuating mean? ›

Extenuating circ*mstances–also called mitigating factors–are facts or details that are important for fully understanding a situation. With this understanding, the actions a person took in that event might be viewed as less severe, or that person's culpability in those actions diminished.

What are examples of extenuating factors? ›

Examples of extenuating circ*mstances include:
  • ill health.
  • accident or injury.
  • personal or emotional trauma.
  • the death of someone close to you.
  • being the victim of crime.
  • unavoidable transport difficulties.
  • an unsupported learning difficulty.

What is the difference between mitigation and extension? ›

What is the difference between an extension and mitigation? A. Students may apply for an extension (normally for up to 5 working days where a short-term response will be effective). Students may apply for mitigation when an extension to their coursework deadline is not a suitable remedy or has already been exhausted.

What are the 3 types of mitigation? ›

The types of mitigation enumerated by CEQ are compatible with the requirements of the Guidelines; however, as a practical matter, they can be combined to form three general types of mitigation: avoidance, minimization, and compensatory mitigation.

What are the four mitigation options? ›

There are four common methods that are standard across the industry — avoidance, reduction, transference, and acceptance — and each involves multiple methods and techniques for mitigating risk.

How to write a mitigation letter? ›

You should list all the mitigating factors that apply in your case. In addition to these factors, you may include the effect of the DUI penalty on your personal life, career, or family. For instance, you could explain how a conviction can cause you to lose your job or time with sick family members.

What is another word for mitigating circ*mstances? ›

reducing circ*mstances. diminished responsibility. partial excuse. “Now it hardly needs adding that mitigating circ*mstances exist for the dearth of success on the ski slopes.”

What is mitigation in criminal law? ›

What is mitigation? Mitigation is a complex, multi-pronged approach to preparing for sentencing for a defendant's crime with the goal of reducing or lessening the effects of aggravating factors. Mitigation is the story-telling part of representing the criminal defendant.

Can you claim mitigating circ*mstances? ›

Mitigating circ*mstances are circ*mstances outside your control which disrupt your studies and make it difficult to achieve your full potential in assessments. If you make a mitigating circ*mstances claim and it's accepted, you can delay taking an assessment until your ability to achieve is no longer impaired.

Is drunkenness a mitigating factor? ›

Where a crime requires a certain mental state (mens rea) to break the law, those under the influence of an intoxicating substance may be considered to have reduced liability for their actions. With regard to punishment, intoxication may be a mitigating factor that decreases a prison or jail sentence.

What are aggravating and mitigating circ*mstances? ›

Simply put, aggravating factors can increase the severity of a punishment, while mitigating factors can reduce it. Predictably, prosecutors often try to highlight aggravating factors to procure a more severe sentence when trying your case. For example, repeat offenses will usually carry harsher penalties.

What does with extenuating circ*mstances mean? ›

noun. , Law. Usually extenuating circ*mstances. a circ*mstance that renders conduct less serious and thereby serves to reduce the damages to be awarded or the punishment to be imposed.

What is the key difference between a mitigating circ*mstance and an aggravating circ*mstance? ›

Simply put, aggravating factors can increase the severity of a punishment, while mitigating factors can reduce it. Predictably, prosecutors often try to highlight aggravating factors to procure a more severe sentence when trying your case. For example, repeat offenses will usually carry harsher penalties.

What is another word for extenuating circ*mstances? ›

Factors that palliate or serve as a qualification, lessening the attributed responsibility. mitigating circ*mstances. palliative. alleviating circ*mstances. attenuating factors.

What does the term mitigating mean? ›

verb (used with object)

, mit·i·gat·ed, mit·i·gat·ing. to lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain; moderate. to make less severe: to mitigate a punishment.

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