If you are going to, or have, missed an exam then your College (or department, if non-matriculated) can request your excusal.
If it is a piece of coursework, you cannot apply for an excusal but instead should follow the process for Late Submission and Extension of Time.
If you need to not submit the paper at all, then you should apply for the excusal. You can only apply for an excusal of an online open book examination if you have not accessed the exam. If you experience technical difficulties in the exam, then notify the online exams helpdesk as soon as possible.
What are the grounds for excusal?
The University will accept excusal requests when you have an illness or other urgent cause that was unforeseeable, unavoidable and/or insurmountable that has caused you to not be able to attend/submit. They will want to know: - What illness or other urgent reason you experienced that was unforeseeable, unavoidable and/or insurmountable - How this impacted your ability to submit on time - Any evidence you have to confirm this (such as a medical certificate)
When and how do I apply for an excusal?
You can use eVision ( https://evision.ox.ac.uk/) to make an exam excusal request.
It's important to do this as soon as possible, ideally in advance of the exam. You can do this up to four weeks in advance of the deadline, and no later than 14 days after the examination date.
What are the potential outcomes?
If your application is accepted, then either you will be asked to sit the missed paper at a later date or (if you've completed enough exams) act as if the paper had been completed and not ask you to submit.
If your application is not accepted, then you will have deemed to have failed either:
- - If it was your first public examination or you are a graduate taught student: you will be deemed to have failed the individual paper and given the opportunity to resit.
- - If it was a paper for a Final Honour School: you will be deemed to have failed the whole examination and would need to resit the whole examination.
Your resit mark will be capped at a pass and you will not be eligible for a merit or distinction. If this was your second attempt at the assessment, then you will be withdrawn from the university unless you submit a dispensation request for an exceptional third attempt.
You do have the option to appeal the Proctors decision to deny your excusal request.
Excusal Request Appeal
I missed the timeframe for submitting all my online exam, what can I do?
If you have completed an online exam (via Inspera) and have not uploaded part or all of the exam within the timeframe, you need to apply immediately through the online helpdesk to have your late exam response accepted by providing your missing files.
You may also be required to provide further information to the Proctors to have your late work accepted. They will be seeking to understand why you were unable to submit it in the time period, generally this will need to be due to an illness or other urgent cause which is unforeseeable, unavoidable and/or insurmountable.
You can find out more about online exams, and find the link to the helpdesk here: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/exams/completing-an-exam/online-exams.
If you have a question not answered by the above or would like your draft statement/evidence checked over by a member of our team, then read our Advice Agreement and Contact Us and we'd be happy to help.
If you have a question not answered by the above or would like your draft answers/evidence checked over by a member of our team, then read our Advice Agreement and Contact Us and we'd be happy to help.