Exam season always seems to come around quickly and we know it can be a time that heightens stress levels. You can do lots of preparation but what happens if the day comes, and you are not well?
When you attend an exam or submit a piece of work, there is an assumption that you are feeling well and functioning effectively, that you are ‘fit to sit’.
By sitting the exam or submitting an assessment you are declaring that you are fit to do so and that there is no reason that your performance will be impaired.
Why might you declare that you are not ‘fit to sit’?
- you are feeling unwell enough that it will impact your performance
- you are experiencing a bereavement
- you are experiencing personal or mental health issues
- you are having a flare up or unexpected symptoms of an existing condition
- you are impacted by a life event or disturbing news that causes you significant distress
What do you do if you have decided that you are not ‘fit to sit’?
- Contact your personal tutor as soon as you can
- Look to see if you need to submit Extenuating Circumstances (link to flowchart) The SU Advice Team (link) can support you to complete this if you are unsure
- Progress with collecting any evidence you may need to support your Extenuating Circumstances claim – not all claims need evidence, so do check.
Remember, you are not alone and can seek wellbeing support by visiting the Student Hub in the library or by contacting them online here.
I still want to complete my exam but need some support to do so, what do I do?
If you feel that you are ‘fit to sit’ but need some additional support, perhaps in the case of a temporary medical condition or injury, it may be possible to put this in place for you. For example, if you had a broken leg.
To request temporary additional support, you will need to contact your Faculty Office and copy in examinations.scheduling@plymouth.ac.uk. You will need to message as soon as possible and no less than 5 working days before your exam. If the timescale is less than 5 working days, you will need to submit extenuating circumstances.
Get in touch!
The best way to contact us is via our online enquiry form.
*Please note that the SU Advice team may not be able to respond to enquiries during the winter break. View SU winter closing times here.