Academic appeals can sound scary and confusing. Your Arts SU Advice Team is here to guide you through everything you need to know about making an academic appeal.
What is an academic appeal?
At UAL, academic appeals allow students the chance to ask the exam board to reconsider their decision and take into account any new information that they were not aware of at the time of your assessments.
Am I eligible to make an appeal?
You can only make an appeal under 2 circumstances:
- Material Irregularity
This is when UAL has made an error that has affected your assessment. For example, material irregularity can occur in course delivery, where UAL fails to deliver the approved programme of study, resulting in a significant, negative impact on the student’s performance in the assessment. Other examples may be if your grade has been calculated wrong, the college lost some of your work or where disabled students have not received the agreed level of support they need.
- Extenuating Circumstances
These circumstances are unexpected, and beyond your control and will have affected your ability to perform in your assessment, for instance illness or bereavement. You will need to explain and evidence why you didn’t submit details of your extenuating circumstance before your work was marked; simply stating that you are unaware of the EC process will not be an acceptable reason. The university expects all students to submit an extenuating circumstances form at the time of difficulty.
Unfortunately, you cannot submit an appeal if you disagree with the mark obtained for a piece of work as this is considered questioning the academic judgement of the marker. If students have concerns about their feedback or grade, they are advised to contact their course leader to discuss as soon as possible.
How do I make an appeal?
Step 1: Contact us, your Advice Service at Arts SU!
We strongly suggest you come talk to us first! We can discuss your options and provide individual guidance depending on your situation. Additionally, we can also guide you through the appeal form, read your draft and suggest ways to evidence your points. You can either email us or book an appointment with our advisors.
Step 2: Download and complete the Stage 1 Appeal Form
This form can be found here on the UAL webpage. Make sure that you’ve got the correct one! You will need to complete all sections for your form to be correctly processed. Take a look through our detailed guide to completing the Appeal Form, which explains the requirements of each section and suggestions on how to approach them.
Step 3: Send it and wait
Once your form is complete, you will need to send it to appeals@arts.ac.uk along with a copy of your results letter from the exam board and any supporting evidence.
After that the Appeals Unit will process your appeal in no more than 10 working days and let you know if it’s either accepted for an investigation or denied. If accepted, the exam board will review your case. If your appeal is denied, there are still further steps that you can take and we can help you in understanding your next steps.
What should I do when I need support?
In addition to reaching out to us, there are many more resources where you can access support. Here are a few links!
UAL Student Guide to Appeals
UAL Appeals Regulations
UAL Evidence Guide
Arts SU Resources on Appeals
UAL Support Services
Counselling, Health Advice and Chaplaincy
UAL Student Advice Service (Finance and Immigration)
UAL Disability & Dyslexia Service
Academic Support