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What are Exceptional Circumstances (EC)?

 

Exceptional Circumstances (EC), formerly known as Personal Mitigating Circumstances (PMC), are a way for students to let the University know if unforeseen circumstances beyond their control have affected their ability to complete an assessment or attend an exam.

If you've been at the University for a few years, you may still hear people refer to ECs as PMCs. They are the same process, just with a new name. Exceptional Circumstances are intended for situations that are unexpected and have had a significant impact on your studies. Examples include:

  • Illness or injury
  • Bereavement
  • Serious personal or family issues
  • Problems at home
  • The impact of religious observance
  • Other unforeseen circumstances beyond your control

The University provides examples of circumstances that may be considered within the Exceptional Circumstances Procedure. This list is not exhaustive, so if your situation is not listed but has had a significant impact on your studies, it may still be considered if you explain your circumstances clearly.

ECs are not normally approved for circumstances that are expected or could have been planned for, such as poor time management, pressure from multiple deadlines, or not understanding the assessment requirements.

 

Key information you need to know

 

Before submitting an EC, it is important to understand a few key points.

Submission deadline

You should submit an EC as soon as possible. Applications are normally accepted from 10 working days before your assessment deadline up to 10 working days afterwards.

Types of EC requests

Late Submission: A late submission EC gives you a new submission deadline seven calendar days after your original deadline.
If you have a Reasonable Adjustment Plan (RAP) that includes an extension, your seven-day EC extension would begin after your RAP deadline, not the original assessment deadline.

Deferred Assessment Attempt (Non-submission): If you are unable to submit your work at all, you can apply for a deferred assessment attempt.
If approved, you will receive a new assessment date. This is usually set during the next assessment period for your course, so the timing varies depending on your School and programme.

Please be aware that a deferred assessment could affect your graduation date or, if you are an international student, your visa.

Evidence-based and Self-certified ECs

Evidence-based EC: An evidence-based EC requires supporting evidence.
Your evidence should:

  • Support the circumstances you have described
  • Cover the time your assessment was affected
  • Be dated as close as possible to your assessment deadline or exam

Evidence dated long before or after your deadline may not be accepted, so always check that it clearly demonstrates how your circumstances affected you during the relevant period.

 

Self-certified EC (No Evidence): A self-certified EC does not require evidence.
However, you must still provide a detailed explanation of your circumstances and how they affected your studies.

Self-certified ECs are designed for situations where it is difficult or impossible to obtain evidence.
Please note that you can only use one self-certified EC per trimester.

If you're unsure which type of EC to submit, whether your evidence is suitable, or simply want someone to check your application before you submit it, you can book an appointment with a Students' Union Advisor. We can talk you through the process.

 

Accessing the EC system

 

EC applications are submitted through the Student Portal online form. . The quickest way to find the form online form or is to search "University of Salford Exceptional Circumstances" using a search engine. This will usually take you directly to the University's EC webpage, where you can access the online form.

To log in, you will need:

  • Your University username (usually in the format ABC123).
  • Your University password (the same password you use for other University systems).

If you are having trouble logging in, please contact the University's IT Service.

Contact our Digital IT Service Desk team by logging a self-service ticket via our Service Portal. If you require urgent support, please call us on 0161 295 2444 between 08:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).

 

How do I apply for an EC?

 

Once you have accessed the online form., you will be asked to complete your application you can save it and come back to it.

Depending on the type of EC you are submitting, you may need to provide supporting evidence. You should also write a clear explanation of your circumstances.

Try to explain how your circumstances affected your ability to complete your assessment, rather than simply stating what happened. The more clearly you explain the impact on your studies, the easier it is for reviewers to understand your situation.

If your EC requires evidence, make sure it:

  • Covers the period when your assessment was affected
  • Is dated close to your assessment deadline or exam
  • Supports the circumstances you have described in your statement

The University provides a helpful table within the Exceptional Circumstances Procedure that explains what types of evidence are accepted.

If you have a Reasonable Adjustment Plan (RAP), you should check whether your circumstances are already covered by the adjustments in place before submitting an Exceptional Circumstances (EC) application. You cannot normally apply for an EC for a reason that is already addressed through your RAP, as the purpose of reasonable adjustments is to provide ongoing support for your circumstances.

If you find that you are regularly needing to submit EC applications due to a disability, long-term health condition, or another ongoing circumstance, it may be worth speaking to the Disability and Inclusion Team about whether a RAP or additional adjustments would better support you. A RAP can help put appropriate support in place and reduce the need to rely on EC applications for ongoing situations.

 

How long will my EC take?

 

Your EC will be considered by your School. Where possible, decisions are normally made within three working days, although this can vary during busy periods. You will receive the outcome by email, so keep an eye on your university email account.

When considering your application, reviewers will look at things such as:

  • Whether you have clearly explained your circumstances.
  • Whether your circumstances were unexpected and beyond your control.
  • Whether your circumstances affected you at the time of your assessment.
  • Whether your circumstances were serious enough to have affected your performance.
  • Whether your evidence supports your application (if required).
  • Whether you already had support in place, such as a Reasonable Adjustment Plan (RAP).
  • Whether the circumstances affected you personally rather than all students.

 

What if my EC is rejected?

 

If your EC is not approved, you have the right to request a review of the decision.

The outcome email will explain how to do this, and you will normally have five working days to make amendments If your application was rejected because there was insufficient evidence, you may be able to provide additional evidence as part of your review.

If you have reached the end of the Exceptional Circumstances process and still believe the decision was incorrect, you may also be able to submit an Academic Appeal. If you're considering an appeal, we recommend contacting the Students' Union Advice Centre for advice before submitting your application.