If you think you need Mitigating Circumstances applied to an assessment you’re working on or have already submitted then you should get in touch with your School as soon as possible.

You’ll need to complete the online form. The Student Support Office in your School can talk to you about your circumstances and what options you have.

We have a video that explains how to apply for mitigating circumstances as well as the following information on this page.

In your application you’ll need to:

• Read the privacy notice and guidance information
• Confirm that you understand the different application types
• Fill in your details
• Explain your situation
• Explain in detail exactly how it affected or is affecting your work
• Choose if you need a Coursework Deadline Extension or Additional Consideration
• Fill in the details of the module and piece of work you are applying for
• Include any evidence to support your case
• Select your desired outcome

Make sure you keep a copy of your evidence and your acknowledgement email.

Extensions

You can ask for an extension of up to 7 days which can be self-certified. This can be useful for if you’ve suddenly become unwell just before an assignment is due.

You can request an extension of between 8 and 14 days if this would be more useful, but you’ll need to provide evidence of the illness or problems you’re having, for example a doctor's or counsellor's letter, or a supporting statement from a parent or friend confirming your circumstances.

It’s often a good idea to apply for the maximum extension (7 days if self-certified, or 14 days if you have evidence) even if you don’t think you’ll need the full time to complete the work. When making this decision, it’s useful to consider the other deadlines you might have coming up and think about how you can best manage your time.

Additional Consideration

For anything else, such as requesting late penalty removal, seeking a ‘first attempt’ resit, or further resit attempts, you’ll need to ask for Additional Consideration when completing the form. You’ll also need evidence for this type of request.

You have 14 days after submitting the form to provide evidence. You would need to email this evidence to your Student Support Office, or some Schools will send you an email with a link to upload your evidence. Email addresses for all Student Support Offices can be found here.

LUU Advice can help by advising on types of applications, outcomes and evidence.

FAQs

What evidence do I need for mitigating circumstances?

If you are applying for an extension of between 8-14 days, or for Additional Consideration, you will need to provide evidence for your mitigating circumstances application.

The evidence you have will depend on your situation. If your issue relates to your health, including mental health, the strongest evidence is medical evidence such as a doctor’s or counsellor’s note. For a bereavement, something like a death certificate or funeral ‘order of service’ could be used. If the issue is some other unexpected personal issue, speak to your Student Support Office about what you should provide.

Evidence needs to be dated around the time of the assessment or your application may be rejected. Your School needs to be able to see that you were impacted in the lead-up to the assessment or on the day of your exam. Evidence dated a few weeks or months ago doesn’t always show that you are still being affected closer to the time of the assessment.

LUU Advice can talk to you about your specific circumstances and what evidence would be useful. We’re independent from the University and won’t tell anyone about your circumstances without your permission.

Am I too late to apply for mitigating circumstances?

You can apply for an extension for coursework up to the date of the original deadline. For Additional Consideration, your School will have their own deadline. This should be sent out to all students, for example via email or on Minerva. The dates might also be in your Programme Handbook. If you’re unsure, you should contact your Student Support Office.

If you are worried that you are too late to apply, it’s usually worth applying anyway. You should follow this up with an email to your Student Support Office to explain why you are applying late and to ask if they will consider your application.