Academic Appeals A Union self-help guide

What is an Academic Appeal?

After an assessment or module result has been published and you are unsatisfied with the results you can submit an appeal. Appeals are not made on the grounds of academic judgment.

Who can make an Academic Appeal?

An appeal must fall under one of the four valid grounds:

The students performance in assessment suffered through illness or other compelling circumstances which could not have been reported earlier

The assessment was not carried out in accordance with the programme/module regulations

The administrative procedures were not correctly followed

Previously reported circumstances were not considered by the assessors, assessment board, relevant body etc.

How do I make an Academic Appeal?

If your appeal falls under one of the four criteria previously listed, the next step will be to first informally speak to your module/programme leader (or the supervision team for Research students).

Before submitting an appeal it is recommended to seek support from the Union of Students advice team.

The next step will be to gather information and evidence relating to your appeal. Fill out the Formal Appeal Form and submit it once completed.

When can I make an Academic Appeal?

All appeals must be submitted within ten working days of the publication of the module or assessment results.

Where do I submit my Academic Appeal?

To submit an appeal log into your UDo account. Once in your account go to the search page and enter “Academic Appeals” then click search. The first search result will take you to the Academic Appeals information page.

Download the Formal Appeal Form found on the page and fill in all required details. Submit the form and any relevant evidence to appeals@derby.ac.uk.

What happens next?

The University reserve the right to reject an appeal submission without further investigation if it fails to comply with one or more of the four valid grounds.

Appeals will contact you within five days to advise if the appeal has been accepted.

The anticipated timescale for investigation is 20 working days.

Possible outcomes of the investigation

• Appeal not upheld
• Appeal upheld
• Appeal rejected

In some circumstances you will have the opportunity to appeal the outcome. We would suggest that you seek an advisor to support you with this process.