Procedure for consideration for a final discretionary attempt at an assessment

Provision for a final discretionary attempt is set out for the following courses:

• MBBS4, MBBS4 INTO, MBBS5, MBBS6 INTO and UNic (Word)
• BSc Biomedical Science - criteria are incorporated into the Scheme of Assessment. Please refer to relevant year's Scheme for details.
• BSc Healthcare Science (from September 2020) (PDF)
• BSc Diagnostic Radiography (Word)
• BSc Therapeutic Radiography (Word)
• BSc Physiotherapy (Word)
• Fd/BSc Healthcare Practice (Word)
• Fd/BSc Paramedic Science (Word)
• BSc Occupational Therapy (Word)
• BSc Clinical Pharmacology — criteria are incorporated into the Scheme of Assessment. Please refer to relevant year's SoA for details.

Please note that MBBS and MBBS international students can only apply for one discretionary attempt for the duration of the MBBS programme.

For the programmes listed in the list, students are permitted two automatic attempts at an assessment (first attempt and one resit). Students who fail an assessment at resit (second attempt) will be considered in accordance with the Procedure for consideration for a final discretionary attempt at an assessment (PDF).

There are two routes by which students might be permitted a third and final attempt – ‘fast-track route' and ‘full consideration route'.

Programme-specific fast-track criteria have been published alongside individual programme regulations and schemes of assessment and can also be accessed by clicking on the programme titles in the list above.

You can find more information about the two routes in the Final Discretionary Attempt FAQs (PDF).

Fast-track route

You will be notified by Examinations Team or your Programme Lead/Administrator regarding whether you have been ‘fast-tracked' or require ‘full consideration' normally within 3 working days of the Board of Examiners meeting. Board of Examiner Meeting dates can be found in the Examinations Calendar. If you have been fast-tracked, you need to confirm in writing to your Course Team that you wish to take up the fast-track offer.

Full-consideration route

If you have not been granted a fast-track third attempt by the Board of Examiners, you are still able to make a written application to a Discretionary Panel for a third attempt. Depending on your programme of study, you will be notified by either the Examinations Team or your Programme Lead/Administrator around the time the results lists are published of the need to apply for Full-Consideration. You should expect to receive ratified overall results/grades within 3 working days of the Board of Examiners meeting. Board of Examiner Meeting dates can be found in the Examinations Calendar. The Discretionary Panel will decide whether or not you will be permitted to repeat the assessment(s) for a third and final time.

Before applying for Full Consideration for a discretionary attempt, you should read the following documents:

• Procedure for consideration for a final Discretionary Attempt 2021 (PDF)
• Criteria for applications for a final Discretionary Attempt 2021 (PDF).

How to apply for full-consideration by the Discretionary Panel

Download the Discretionary Panel Application Form (Word) and submit to the Student Conduct and Compliance Team, along with any supporting documentation, by the relevant deadline. 

• Email scc@sgul.ac.uk

Students are encouraged to submit up to two academic references in support of their application and to provide evidence for any circumstances referred to on the application form. Advice about who to approach for an academic reference is provided in the FAQs.

Attach all documentation as one PDF document when submitting by email. If you are submitting a hard copy, please  do not staple documents together or place documents in a file.

Documents should be submitted in the following order:

1. Discretionary Panel Application Form
2. Evidence (eg medical records, death certificates, major extra-curricular contribution etc)
3. Academic References (no more than 2)
4. Other supporting documents.

When to apply

The course specific dates for each programme are listed in the table below. The cut-off time for submitting documents is 12 noon on the day of the deadline.

Appealing the outcome

Under the terms of the Procedure, students have the right to appeal an outcome under certain circumstances. The process for this is outlined in paragraph 4 of the Procedure. 

Support and advice

The Vice President for Education and Welfare is able to meet with students to guide them through the student procedures and provide general advice and support.

•  Togetherall - Self Guided Support Courses (PDF)
• Togetherall - Interactive PDF (PDF)
• Togetherall - User Guide (Education)(PDF).