Sometimes things can go horribly wrong in university exams. Sometimes you leave the examination hall and you know you have not done enough. Sometimes, however, you're pretty sure you've done well and your exam results do not reflect your confidence. This is also true of retakes. The main thing to remember in these cases is not to panic; whatever your results are, you always have options.
There are cases where further resits are possible, or you may decide to repeat the year or even take some time off before returning to study. However, if none of these are options, and you feel that your results are not a fair reflection of your abilities, you may decide that you wish to appeal against your results.
How to appeal your results
It is always possible to appeal your exam results but you must act quickly. All appeals must be submitted within a specific time period; however this can be as short as ten days, so speed is of the essence. This information about your individual institution’s appeals policy will be attached to your exam results. Therefore, before the allotted deadline, you must fully research the rules and regulations, obtain the evidence to support your case and draft your appeal letter.
Evidence may include the following:
- Illness - you will be expected to produce a note from your doctor or hospital.
- Family problems - in the case of divorce of your parents, for instance, you should obtain a letter from one of the lawyers involved as confirmation.
If you are not able to acquire the evidence in time, don't let this delay you getting the rest of the paperwork together. You must put the forms in and inform the university in writing that you have evidence that will follow. Seek consent from someone in the appeals team that they are prepared to accept late evidence.
Make sure you read the rules and regulations surrounding the appeals procedure very carefully. You need to know exactly what the grounds of appeal are and ensure that your argument fits the criteria. Unless there are specific reasons that make you believe something went very wrong in the marking process, you are not allowed to appeal on grounds of harsh marking. You cannot appeal on the grounds that you were really close to the pass mark as a stand-alone appeal ground.
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to get your appeal statement right. You must be clear and concise, but if you need space to explain yourself, don't be afraid to take it. The average length of an academic appeal letter is five pages. You have to set out all of the facts of your case, the relevant regulations and rules, and your specific arguments for why your appeal needs to be upheld.
How Match Solicitors can help
Match Solicitors can help you with your appeal. We have a dedicated team of education specialists who deal with hundreds of academic appeals every year. Give us a call today to discuss your case in complete confidence.
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