Student Pre-Appeal Questionnaire

The Student Pre-Appeal Questionnaire is intended to help you understand whether you are eligible to submit an academic appeal.

1. Have you received communication from the University that the Board of Examiners has made a decision, and that you would like to appeal this decision?

If YES, proceed to question 2.

If NO, it is too early for you to submit an academic appeal. Please see the Student Guide to Academic Appeals on possible actions that you can take outside of the appeals process.

Please note the following:

That publication of Board of Examiners’ decisions will usually take place on the Student Portal, with notification being sent by email to your QMU and personal email accounts. For most students this will occur from 12 June 2023; with students requiring further assessment receiving additional Board of Examiners’ decisions from 23 August 2023.
That the academic appeals process cannot change an assessment result from a fail to a pass, nor can it increase the mark awarded for an assessment. The most common outcome for an upheld appeal is for the student to be granted a further attempt at assessment.

2. Have fewer than 21 days passed since the Board of Examiners decision that you would like to appeal was published?

For example, a Board of Examiners decision published on Monday 12 June 2023 should be appealed by Monday 3 July 2023.

If YES, proceed to 4.

If NO, proceed to 3.

3. Has your ability to submit an academic appeal been adversely affected by one or more factors that might constitute exceptional circumstances?

If YES, proceed to 4. Please include details of the exceptional circumstances that have delayed your appeal, and provide supporting evidence of these where available.

If NO, the timescale for submitting an academic appeal has lapsed. The University will not hear your academic appeal.

4. Does the appeal rely solely on you, or a third party, questioning the academic judgement of the Board of Examiners?

If YES, the University will reject your academic appeal as per regulation 4.4 of the Academic Appeals Regulations.

If NO, proceed to 5.

5. Are you appealing on the grounds of additional information?

If NO, proceed to 6.

If YES, can you evidence the following? If YES, proceed to 8.

Extenuating circumstances were present which adversely affected your ability to complete the assessment or assessments; and
Circumstances exist which prevented you from notifying the Board of Examiners as required through the Extenuating Circumstances process.

Where appropriate to the circumstances experienced, relevant documentary evidence should be provided in support of your academic appeal. Please see the Extenuating Circumstances webpage for further information on permissible circumstances and evidence requirements.

6. Are you appealing on the grounds of material irregularity in the conduct of assessment?

A material irregularity in the conduct of assessment is where an issue has, or issues have, adversely affected your ability to complete your assessment. For example, an error was made by a member of University staff, or your assessment was disrupted by a third party or external event.

If NO, proceed to 7.

If YES, can you evidence the following? If YES, proceed to 8.

One or more issues were present during your assessment that you believe were irregular;
On the balance of probabilities, these issue(s) can be proven to have occurred; and
You can clearly explain how these issue(s) adversely affected your ability to complete the assessment.

7. Are you appealing on the grounds of material irregularity in the procedures of the Board of Examiners.

If YES, can you evidence that the Board of Examiners has taken a decision that is not consistent with the University’s regulations, or has taken a decision that was based on incorrect information. If YES, proceed to 8.

If NO, then no other grounds for appeal exist.

8. Prepare and submit your academic appeal.

If required, contact the Students’ Union for independent advice and assistance.

Complete the Academic Appeals Form.

Send the completed Academic Appeals Form, alongside any relevant supporting evidence, to Appeals@qmu.ac.uk.