Short term illness or injury

If you are unwell during an exam period (whether related to COVID-19 or not), then we are here to help.

Please contact your School or department directly, who will be able to advise you about how to submit a Mitigating Circumstances claim, whether you will need evidence and what the likely outcome will be if your claim is upheld.

What we mean by short term illness or injury

Short-term illness or injury is the term used to describe physical or mental illness or injury lasting less than 12 months. These might include but are not limited to:

  • Broken bones
  • Seasonal flu
  • Surgery
  • Sporting injuries

What support is available to you

If you have experienced a short-term illness or injury, we would encourage you to let your School’s wellbeing advisor or personal tutor aware, as soon as possible. They will aim to support you to ensure it does not negatively impact your academic performance.

You may also wish to consult your GP (general practitioner) for medical advice.

University support available

Should you submit a Mitigating Circumstances claim

If your illness or injury has negatively impacted your assessment or preparation for an assessment, then you should submit a Mitigating Circumstances (MC) claim after your assessment.

Claims referring to minor sickness such as colds, headaches, and stomach upsets where you feel well enough to attempt the exam are not considered eligible reasons to submit an MC claim.

Reasons to claim

What your Mitigating Circumstances claim for short term illness or injury should include

  • As much detail as possible on your short-term illness or injury including dates of impact.
  • A full explanation outlining how your circumstance(s) have impacted your academic performance in your assessment(s)
  • Which assessment(s) were impacted by the circumstances outlined in your claim by selecting the relevant components on the online form.
  • If you can provide evidence that will verify and support your claim, you should include this. However, we recognise that it can be challenging to gather evidence for some claims so please submit your claim anyway. If you can provide evidence, the following (non-exhaustive list) would be accepted:
    • Medical certificate (i.e. fit note).
    • Letter from a medical professional.
    • A&E admittance and discharge papers.
    • First Aid report, including mental health first aid.

Please note that you should NOT submit photographic evidence of injuries or illness.

Guidance on submitting your claim