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Regulations for the Conduct of University Examinations: Part 14 Late Submission, Non-submission, Non-appearance and Withdrawal from Examinations

  • 14.1. This Part provides for candidates who wish to withdraw from any University Examination after their names have been entered under Part 9 of these regulations or who do not appear at the time and place appointed for taking any examination for which they have been entered or who do not submit a thesis or other exercise at the time and place appointed.

  • 14.2.

    • (1) A candidate who fails to appear for any part of a University Examination (including a viva voce examination other than as specified in (2) below) or who fails to submit a thesis (or other exercise) will be deemed to have failed the entire Examination or, in the case of a Second Public Examination taken over more than one year, the entire Part of the Examination unless a successful submission under Part 14 has been made.

    • (2) This regulation shall not apply where candidates (a) fail to appear for, or to submit work in respect of, optional papers supplementary to the compulsory elements of the examination; (b) fail to appear for a viva voce examination which has the sole purpose of confirming their final position in a Results List.

Late submission and non-submission of a thesis or other written exercise

  • 14.3. A candidate in any University Examination may, through his or her college, request the Proctors to accept an application that the candidate will be or has been prevented by illness or other urgent cause from submitting a thesis (or other exercise) at the appointed time and place for any part of a University Examination.

  • 14.4.

    • (1) A request under 14.3. above must be submitted in writing by the Senior Tutor or other proper officer of the candidate's college, with sufficient evidence to support it.

    • (2) Where non-submission is caused by illness a medical certificate from a qualified medical practitioner must be sent, and this certificate must specify, with dates, the reason why the illness will prevent or has prevented the candidate from submitting the thesis (or other exercise).

  • 14.5. Where the candidate wishes to be permitted to present such thesis (or other exercise) later than the date prescribed by any statute, or regulation, the procedure shall be as follows:

    • (a) the candidate shall include this request in the submission made to the Proctors under 14.3 above;

    • (b) in cases where a significant extension of time is requested, or where the proposed new submission date is beyond the date by which the thesis (or other exercise) may reasonably be assessed for consideration at the relevant meeting of the examiners, or where the request is made after the original date for submission, the Proctors shall consult the chair of examiners about any such application and shall then decide whether or not to grant permission.

  • 14.6.

    • (1) If the Proctors accept a submission under 14.3. above they shall send a copy of their decision promptly to the chair of examiners of the University Examination concerned and inform the candidate's college and the Registrar.

    • (2) If the Proctors decide not to accept the submission they shall give reasons for their decision.

  • 14.7. If the Proctors accept a submission under 14.3., they may authorise the examiners either:

    • (1) to accept a submission at a later date as provided for under 14.5. above. The examiners shall accept and mark such a thesis (or other exercise) as if it had been submitted by the prescribed date; or

    • (2) if other work that the candidate has already submitted in the Examination is of sufficient merit, to act as if he or she had completed the part of the University Examination which he or she was unable to attend.

  • 14.8.

    • (1) Where it is decided under 14.7.(2) above or 14.16.(2) below that the examiners are to act as if the candidate had completed the part of the University Examination concerned, and the University Examination is one in which Honours may be awarded, the examiners may adopt one of the following courses:

      • (a) if they consider the candidate has submitted enough work to allow them to determine his or her proper class, they may award the candidate the class his or her performance merits;

      • (b) if they are unable to adopt course (a) but consider, on the basis of the work submitted, that but for the candidate's absence he or she would have obtained classified Honours, they may deem the candidate to have obtained Honours and publish his or her name accordingly at the foot of the Results List under the words ‘declared to have deserved Honours’;

      • (c) if they are unable to adopt course (a) or course (b) but are nevertheless satisfied with the work submitted, they may include the candidate's name on the Results List to show that the candidate has satisfied the examiners;

      • (d) if they are unable to adopt course (a), (b), or (c) they shall fail the candidate.

    • (2) Where the examiners have adopted course (b), (c), or (d) above it shall be open to the candidate to apply to Education Committee for consideration of his or her standing for Honours at a future examination.

    • (3) Where it is decided under 14.7.(2) above or 14.16.(2) below that the examiners are to act as if the candidate had completed the parts of the University Examination concerned, and the University Examination is one in which Honours are not awarded, the examiners may adopt one of the following courses:

      • (a) if they consider the candidate has submitted enough work to allow them to determine whether it is of a sufficient standard to enable the candidate to pass the Examination they may include his or her name in the Results List;

      • (b) if they are unable to adopt course (a), they shall fail the candidate.

  • 14.9. If a candidate fails to submit a thesis (or other exercise) by the required time for submission without prior permission, but submits it on the prescribed date of submission, the examiners shall mark the submitted work and impose an academic penalty according to the established conventions agreed by the relevant supervisory body and the candidate shall pay a late presentation fee. A candidate may apply to the Proctors in writing through the Senior Tutor of his or her college to request that the examiners take into account the circumstances of the late submission. Such an application should be made within five working days of the notification of late submission. If the Proctors accept the application, they shall forward it to the chair of examiners. If the Proctors decide not to accept the application, they shall inform the Senior Tutor in writing of the reasons why.

  • 14.10. If a candidate fails to submit a thesis (or other exercise) on time without prior permission, but submits after the prescribed date of submission, the Proctors shall enquire into the circumstances. If they permit the candidate to remain in the Examination, then they shall instruct the examiners to accept and mark the work, and forward to the chair of examiners an account of the circumstances of the late submission. They may give leave to the examiners to impose an academic penalty according to the established conventions agreed by the relevant supervisory body. It shall be a condition of any permission granted under this regulation that the candidate shall pay a late presentation fee.

  • 14.11. Where provided for by regulation, submissions must be accompanied by a declaration of authorship and originality. The examiners are under no obligation to mark any submission not so accompanied. This declaration should be in a sealed envelope (which may be included inside the envelope used to hand in the written work). In the event that the Declaration of Authorship is submitted late, the Proctors may recommend that the examiners apply an academic penalty.

  • 14.12. The Proctors may waive the payment of any fee payable under 14.9. or 14.10. if it appears to them to be reasonable to do so.

Non-appearance at an examination

  • 14.13.

    • (1) A candidate in any University Examination may, through his or her college, request the Proctors to accept a submission that the candidate will be or has been prevented by illness or other urgent cause from presenting himself or herself at the appointed time or place for any part of a University Examination.

    • (2) For the purposes of this regulation a candidate will be deemed to have presented himself or herself for a written paper if he or she was present in the place designated for that examination and had the opportunity to see the question paper there.

  • 14.14.

    • (1) A request under regulation 14.13 above must be submitted in writing by the Senior Tutor or other proper officer of the candidate's college, with sufficient evidence to support it.

    • (2) Where non-appearance is caused by illness a medical certificate from a qualified medical practitioner must be sent, and this certificate must specify, with dates, the reason why the illness will prevent or has prevented the candidate from attending the examination.

  • 14.15.

    • (1) If the Proctors accept a submission under regulation 14.13 above they shall send a copy of their decision promptly to the chair of examiners of the University Examination concerned and inform the candidate's college and the Registrar.

    • (2) If the Proctors decide not to accept the submission they shall give reasons for their decision.

  • 14.16. If the Proctors accept a submission under 14.13 above they may authorise the examiners either:

    • (1) to examine the candidate at another place or time under such arrangements as they deem appropriate with invigilation carried out in accordance with regulation 15.5 below; or

    • (2) if other work that the candidate has already submitted in the Examination is of sufficient merit, to act as if he or she had completed the part of the University Examination which he or she was unable to attend, in accordance with 14.8 above.

Withdrawal before the Examination begins

  • 14.17. A candidate whose name has been entered for a University Examination may withdraw from that Examination at any time before the start or (as the case may be) date for submission of the first paper or other assessed exercise in the Examination.

Withdrawal after the Examination has started

  • 14.18. A candidate who wishes to withdraw from a University Examination at any time after the start of the first paper or date for submission of the first paper or other exercise must inform his or her college as soon as possible.

  • 14.19.

    • (1) A candidate may not withdraw from a University Examination at any time after the start or date for submission of the first paper or other exercise in the Examination unless it is a result of acute illness or other urgent cause. If the candidate’s college is satisfied with the reason given the Senior Tutor must as soon as possible notify the Registrar.

    • (2) On receipt of the notice given under paragraph (1) above the Registrar shall inform the chair of the relevant examiners.

Appeals under this Part

  • 14.20. A candidate or his or her college who is dissatisfied with any decision made by the Proctors or by the examiners under this Part, may appeal against that decision in accordance with the provisions of regulations 18.1 or 18.2 below.