Can I Appeal My Results?

We know that sometimes you might receive a grade or an outcome that you aren’t happy with. It’s important to note that if you just think you should have received a better grade, you will not be able to appeal this decision, as it is classed as academic judgement. However, some decisions about your academic outcomes are open to appeal.

Decisions made on the basis of academic judgement in relation to a grade or mark are not eligible criteria and cannot be appealed.

You may submit an academic appeal against the following decisions made by the University:

• A decision made by the board of examiners
• A penalty imposed under the regulations on academic misconduct
• The termination of your registration through the formal warning procedure
• A decision made by a fitness to practise panel
• A decision made in relation to access arrangements for assessment

Regardless of which decision you are appealing against, there are set grounds for appealing.

These differ depending on the type of appeal, but if your appeal is not based on one of the eligible grounds, it either will not be considered or another process may be more appropriate. Below you will find the different grounds based on the different decisions you can appeal.

If you have just received your results and are looking to appeal any of them, please keep reading for an overview of the grounds for appeal and a ‘how to’ guide to submitting an appeal.

What are the grounds?

An appeal against the outcome of the Board of Examiners

• Your performance in the assessment/examination/review was substantially affected by circumstances of which the examiners had not been made aware and which you could not with reasonable diligence have disclosed before the outcome had been determined.

If you are appealing on this ground, you must have a clear reason why you could not have disclosed these circumstances to your department/school before the outcome had been determined.

• There were procedural irregularities in the conduct of the assessment/examination/review, or administrative errors, which might cause reasonable doubt as to whether the outcome would have been the same if the irregularities or errors had not occurred.

Please state which procedures have not been followed correctly.

• There is evidence of bias on the part of one or more of the examiners/panel members such that the outcome should not be allowed to stand.

Please note that if you are appealing on this ground you must write down all comments or remarks made by the individual(s) in question, and provide evidence to substantiate these allegations. 

How to appeal

We have created a ‘how to’ guide for appealing against the outcome of the Board of Examiners.

You can use it to help you complete the relevant sections of the appeals form before submitting it or sending to the Advice Centre to check a draft for you. You can download the appeals form in the button below.

Download the appeals form

You have 15 working days (three weeks) to appeal from the date that you received the decision that you are appealing.

Late appeals are unlikely to be considered by the University. However, if you are unable to obtain evidence before the appeal deadline, you must still submit your form before the deadline and explain why you are unable to include evidence at the present moment, and when you expect to be able to provide it.
Your appeal outcome

Once you’ve submitted your appeal, you’ll receive an email confirmation that your appeal has been received within five working days.

The University aims to get an outcome to you within two months of you submitting your appeal. But during busy times of the year, it might take longer when there is a higher volume of appeals.

Your appeal can be one of three things:

• Upheld
• Partially upheld
• Not upheld

If you are dissatisfied with the decision reached, you may request a review of the initial findings.

In order to do so you must submit a Request a Review form within 10 working days of the date of the initial findings letter.

The only grounds on which you may request a review are as follows:

• Fresh evidence can be presented, which you could not with reasonable diligence have submitted with your initial appeal and which might cause reasonable doubt as to the fairness of that decision.
• There is evidence of a failure to follow the procedures set out in the regulations, which might cause reasonable doubt as to the fairness of the decision.
• The decision was perverse given the evidence which was available at the time. A review of the decision will be undertaken, but this will not involve a reinvestigation of your case. 

FURTHER SUPPORT

We appreciate the volume of information being sent your way could be quite overwhelming, so we've created a Coronavirus Hub to give you quick links to key advice, guidance, and our latest news updates. With dedicated pages for housing, academic, and welfare advice, as well as links to government advice and College FAQs, it's your one-stop shop for all the vital information during this time.

The Advice Centre is a free, independent and confidential service for all students here at Royal Holloway. Our friendly, experienced and professional staff will provide a listening ear and offer general and specialist advice. We’re here to support you with a whole range of issues, big and small, and if we’re not the best people to help you with a particular issue, we’ll point you in the right direction.

Email us at advice@su.rhul.ac.uk with any questions or to ask for a phone appointment.