Academic Appeals Policy & Procedure
Understanding and Navigating the Academic Appeals Process
What is an Academic Appeal?
An academic appeal is a formal request asking the School to review a decision made by an Exam Board, Awards Board, or Academic Misconduct Panel.
It is important to know that you cannot appeal a decision just because you disagree with your mark or the feedback provided. That is considered a challenge to "academic judgement". Instead, you can only appeal under two specific grounds:
- Material Error: There was a significant administrative error or irregularity in how the process was conducted.
- Extenuating Circumstances: Your performance was seriously impacted by exceptional circumstances (like medical or personal issues) that you were unable or, for valid reasons, unwilling to share before the decision was made.
The Early Resolution Stage
Before diving into a formal process, CFS highly encourages trying Early Resolution. Many worries or misunderstandings can be sorted out quickly and informally directly within your department.
- Who to speak to: Reach out to your Course Leader, the Director of Courses & Curriculum, or the Student Services Team as a first step.
- How it helps: Staff can look into the issue right away. If it's a simple administrative mistake, it can often be corrected on the spot, or they can provide a clear explanation of why the decision was made.
- Moving forward: If you aren’t happy with the outcome of this conversation, or if early resolution isn't possible, you can then choose to move forward with a formal appeal.
How to Make a Formal Appeal.
If early resolution doesn't resolve the issue, the next step is the formal process. You can find the complete step-by-step breakdown outlined in our full policy and procedure here.
💡 Accessibility Support: We want to make sure this process is accessible to everyone. If you have any accessibility needs, just let Student Services know and they will gladly arrange for forms in an alternative format for you.
