Exeter (Cornwall campuses)

Important Update (June 2025): The University of Exeter has recently introduced a new online system for submitting academic appeals. While the process for submitting appeals has changed, the underlying policy, grounds for appeal, and timelines remain the same. We have updated our guides to reflect the new system. If you have any questions, you can email us, or book an appointment with an adviser.

The information set out in our Appeals Page here is general guidance for University of Exeter students. It should not be seen as a definitive statement of the University's appeals policy and procedure.

An overview of the University's academic appeals procedure, as well as information about how to submit an appeal using the new system, can be found here.

The information set out in our Academic Misconduct Page here is general guidance for Exeter University students. It should not be seen as a definitive statement of the University's Academic Misconduct policy and procedure.

A copy of the University's Academic Misconduct policy and procedure, is available here.

The information set out in our Complaints Page here is general guidance for Exeter University students. It should not be seen as a definitive statement of the University's Complaints policy and procedure.

A copy of the University's Complaints policy and procedure, is available here.

Students studying at the Falmouth, Penryn and Truro campuses are part of the wider academic and local communities and are expected to adhere to their respective University's rules and regulations.

Students whose conduct breaches those rules and regulations may find themselves subject to their University's disciplinary procedure.

Where any misconduct relates to examinations and academic work, such as plagiarism or cheating you should refer first to our Academic Misconduct advice above.

In circumstances where you are ill or your studies have been affected by another serious incident or event, you may want to extend or defer a coursework or exam deadline. Mitigtion is the process by which a student can apply.

Most mitigation applications relate to ill health and bereavement. However, students sometimes need to ask for help for all sorts of other reasons. Generally, the situation should be something that you could not reasonably have anticipated or prepared for. Below is a non-exhaustive list of reasons a student might refer to when applying for mitigation

• Illness at the time of the date for the submission of work or the examination
• Bereavement
• An acute episode of a chronic condition which has an impact on the student not mitigated by any reasonable adjustments (such as adjusted deadlines) already in place
• Unusually severe mental or emotional stress at or immediately before the date for submission of work or the time of the examination.

Bear in mind that ordinarily you will need to evidence your circumstances.

There are some circumstances that ordinarily the University will not consider as sufficient to extend a deadline, including:

• Short term mild illness, such as a cold

• Mild unspecified depression or a level of anxiety and stress which normally occurs at assessment time

• Technical problems, such as a corrupted disk, lack of a printer, loss of work on a computer with no back up
• A long-term health condition or disability for which reasonable adjustments have already been made
• Personal disruptions or events which could have been anticipated, such as holidays, weddings, changing address or employment, religious holidays or festivals which are usually known in advance

Before applying for mitigation, you might want to contact the University’s Cornwall Campus Mitigation Team: welfare.penryn@exeter.ac.uk

In addition, the University's mitigation FAQs document is a useful source of information.

Getting Advice - You can get advice from the Students' Union's Advice Service. You can book an appointment with one of our advisers here. Alternatively, email your enquiry to advice@thesu.org.uk

Download mitigation PDF

The University's Health, Wellbeing and Support for Study Policy is intended to serve as an alternative or supplement to other means of managing concerns over a student's behaviour, attendance or academic progress, where:

• Mental or physical ill health or disability could be a contributory factor; or

• The behaviour could affect the health, safety or wellbeing of other people

You can access a full copy of the policy and procedure here.

The University is likely to invoke the process where:

• Concerns about the student's wellbeing are raised by a third party, for example academic staff, a friend, placement provider, housemate, medical professional, or Student Services professional.

• A student has told a member of staff that they have concerns about their health, wellbeing and fitness to study.

• A student‘s disposition is such that it indicates there may be a need to address an underlying health issue. For example, if the student has demonstrated mood swings or unusual behaviour, shown signs of depression, become withdrawn, aggressive and/or distressed.

• It is considered behaviour, which might otherwise be dealt with as a disciplinary matter, may be the result of an underlying physical or mental health difficulty.

• A student's health difficulties are adversely affecting the health, safety or wellbeing of others.

Process

The Procedure comprises three levels:

• Level 1: initial support and guidance, usually involving informal discussions between the student and members of their course team who may recommend the student seeks support from services such as Student Support, Accessibility and Academic Skills (ASK).

• Level 2: is characterised by a degree of formality and includes a meeting to which, ordinarily, the student is invited. Others who will be present at the meeting including the Head of Wellbeing (or their nominee) and someone from your course team.

• Level 3: may be initiated where a Level 2 panel concludes there are persistent and/or serious concerns raised about a student that have the effect of putting the student or other members of the University community at significant risk. Exceptionally, the severity of the University's concerns may lead to a student being referred into Level 3 directly (i.e. without Levels 1 and/or 2 taking place). Student Services convene Level 3 meetings, to which the student is invited. The student is entitled to be accompanied to the meeting by a currently enrolled student of the University, a family member or an elected member of the Students' Union.

Outcomes

The process exists to support students. Nevertheless, it can lead to outcomes that have significant consequences for the student involved including, for instance, short-term suspension, intermittence and even withdrawal.

Therefore, if you are subject to the procedure, it is important to get advice promptly.

Getting Advice - You can get advice from the Students' Union's Advice Service. You can book an appointment with one of our advisers here. Alternatively, email your enquiry to advice@thesu.org.uk.

To Be Updated.

Getting advice

The University of Exeter (Cornwall campuses) students, can get advice from the Students' Union's Advice Service on the topics listed above:

• Book an appointment with one of our advisers using the link below.
• Or, email your enquiry to advice@thesu.org.uk.

Book an appointment

For Exeter students in Streatham:

• Please visit the Exeter Guild for support.