Facts
Whilst there is no specific exclusion of financial hardship/the need to work as an acceptable reason to grant mitigation/extensions, previous practice and the current guidance lists the following as the normally acceptable extenuating circumstances (wording taken from Student Factsheet): “Your extenuating circumstances may be as a result of: • Illness • Inability to attend an assessment or examination due to the above • Other factors that are sufficiently serious enough in nature to result in you being unable to attend, complete or submit an assessment on time such as bereavement, serious family illness or being a victim of crime."
Impact
Not giving due consideration to serious financial hardship disregards the potential stress and worry such circumstances can cause students, as well as not recognising the resulting impact on mental health that debt and struggling to make ends meet can have. This fails to acknowledge that working, often long hours, alongside studies is not optional for the majority of students but is a necessity to enable them to remain on their course. By not giving this due consideration for extension and mitigation requests, students' progress may be affected.
Action
Guidance relating to extension and mitigation requests should be widened to include evidence of serious financial hardship (examples could be given if necessary – evidence of rent arrears or action taken by creditors for instance).
Benefit
Students would have the option to request more time for assessment deadlines without the need to give up hours of work/fall behind with bills and some pressure would be lifted by allowing the student a little more time to complete their assessments.