Academic Support

There are a number of University processes in place to help you if you find that illness or other personal circumstances are affecting your ability to study.

Extension Requests (taught students)

There are two ways to apply for an extension to a submission deadline.

You can apply yourself via an online form (please ask the Academic Office to direct you to it) if your reasons concern your own health. You do not have to provide evidence if you use this form and the request is for up to 7 days. You can only use this twice per academic year.

If you would rather us apply on your behalf, or if you’d like to request more than 7 days extra time, you will have to provide evidence of how you have been impacted to the academic office to send on to the Proctors to review.

Mitigating Circumstances Notice (taught students)

If, whilst preparing for or during your examinations (or in preparing other assessed work), you have a problem that you think will have seriously affected your performance, you can submit a notice to the examiners to make them aware of your mitigating circumstances. You should apply either directly through Student Self Service or your college can apply on your behalf. The notice will be passed to the relevant Chair of Examiners.

You must make sure that your notice is submitted as soon as possible either before or after sitting the affected papers, and in any event by noon the day before the final meeting at which the examiners will decide the results Notices received after this point will not normally be considered but, if there are exceptional circumstances, the Proctors will decide whether to send the notice to the examiners.

Milestones for Research Students

Throughout your DPhil there are a series of milestones: Transfer of Status, Confirmation of Status, and finally the Appointment of Examiners and viva For each stage a GSO form must be completed and usually college approval will be required for these. Please send documents requiring a signature to the Academic Office

GSO forms will also be required if a delay in progression arises, such as a deferral, extension or suspension. In such instances please contact the Academic Office.