This article is currently being updated and some advice might be out of date. Contact advice@luu.leeds.ac.uk if you have any questions.

How do I apply for mitigating circumstances?

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 found here. The Student Support Office in your School can talk to you about your circumstances and what options you have.

We have a video here that talks about how to apply for mitigating circumstances as well as the information below.

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.

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. The email addresses for all Student Support Offices can be found here.

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.

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