We can help you understand the process, draft statements, appeal an outcome (including appealing your appeal) and assessing your options.
What is an Academic Appeal?
The UAL Appeals process gives students the chance to ask the exam board to look again at their decision and consider new information that they’d have been unaware of at the time.
We’ve written a quick guide on what you need to know before submitting an appeal at UAL. This isn’t a substitute for advice so we recommend getting in touch with us if you’re about to appeal.
Quick facts about Appealing at UAL
When can I appeal?
At UAL, you can only appeal once you have received your exam board results.
What can I appeal on?
You can only appeal on two grounds
- Something went wrong on your course or in the way your assessment was administered and it affected your mark
- Something happened in your personal life and UAL didn’t know and it affected your mark
My situation doesn’t fit into either of those grounds. Can I appeal?
Contact the advice team to discuss your options. There is no process in UAL to challenge a mark you disagree with.
What’s the deadline?
UAL will accept your appeal form within 15 working days from the date you received your exam board results.
Average length of process
10 days for your initial response
Unsatisfied with the outcome?
You can appeal the decision; more information below.
Grounds for an Appeal
You can submit an appeal under two circumstances, if there has been a Material Irregularity or if you had Extenuating Circumstances at the time of your assessment. UAL lays out specific criteria for each of these which we’ve detailed below.
Material Irregularity
If UAL makes an error in the way they administer your assessment, if you were not given the level of support promised or something else goes wrong on your course which affects your performance in an assessment then you may have grounds to appeal the exam board’s decision.
Extenuating Circumstances
These circumstances are serious, unexpected, and beyond your control and will have affected your ability to perform in your assessment. You will need to explain, and evidence, why you didn’t submit details of this extenuating circumstance before your work was marked.
Your situation may fit into both categories. If you’re not sure which category your circumstances fit into, or if they fit into neither, we may be able to help you in how to present this so get in touch. Just a reminder, you can’t submit an appeal if you just disagree with the mark you obtained for a piece of work.
Making an Appeal
Stage 1
Complete the ‘Stage 1 Appeals From’ which you can find here. Submit the form within 15 working days from the publication of results. If accepted, University Appeals Unit will forward your appeal to the Exam Board Chair.
The Chair will consult with staff and make a decision on your appeal within 10 days. Yxtou’ll need to gather Evidence. UAL require you to provide evidence to support your claim.
Your evidence will need:
- to cover the period of your material irregularity or extenuating circumstance
- contain as much detail as possible
- to be in English
If it’s on the grounds of extenuating circumstance you need to explain why you were unable a claim at the time.
Deadlines
The deadline for appeals is 15 working days after the results were published. If you miss the deadlines and still want to appeal you’ll need to evidence why it wasn’t possible to submit your appeal within the outlined period.
Submitting your Appeal
You need to submit your appeal, at each stage, to the University Appeals Unit. For your own records, we'd recommend doing this via email - appeals@arts.ac.uk
Possible Outcomes
Upheld – This means your appeal has been accepted and the exam board will reconsider their decision. This means you will have the opportunity to resubmit your work or work you did submit up to 14 days after the original deadline will be accepted as if it were received on time.
Dismissed – This means your appeal has been rejected.
Unsatisfied?
Upheld – If your appeal was upheld but you’re not satisfied with the outcome can progress to a Stage 2 Appeal, contact us for more information.
Dismissed – If your appeal was dismissed and you’re not satisfied you can appeal by writing to the Secretary/ Registrar, contact us for more information.
What can the Arts SU Advice Service do for me during the UAL Appeals process?
- Advise you on the process
- Help you structure your form and the reasons for your appeal
- Read over your form and suggest any changes
- Help you appeal the outcome if you don’t agree with it