Coursework Extensions and Special Circumstances
Students with exceptional circumstances may apply for a coursework extension to an assignment deadline and for Special Circumstances
If you are experiencing circumstances beyond your control that are having an adverse impact on your academic performance, you can apply for a coursework extension and/or Special Circumstances.
Applying for a coursework extension
Coursework extensions are managed by a central University team, the Extensions and Special Circumstances Service.
Full details on the purpose of a coursework extension, when a request is likely to be approved, and the online application form are on the Extensions and Special Circumstances Service website.
The Extensions and Special Circumstances team aim to respond to coursework extension requests within 2 working days. If you have questions about your application, they can be contacted by email at escteam@ed.ac.uk.
We would encourage you to discuss your situation with the Student Support Team. They will be able to advise you on the range of support that is available to you.
Applications for coursework extensions are managed via MyEd > Assessment Support.
- This will allow you to apply for a single coursework extension, or to select several assignments across different courses, all in one application.
- You will be able to submit several applications throughout the academic year.
- Coursework extensions are usually for 4 days.
- Not all assessments are eligible for a coursework extension.
- The approval process is not immediate.
- The ESC team aims to respond to applications within 2 working days.
Applying for extra time using a learning adjustment
Many adjustment schedules include extra time for assessments. Even when included on a student's schedule of adjustment, this is not automatically applied to every assessment. Students need to register that they plan to use it via the Extra Time Adjustment tool (ETA) This is found on the Disability Support page in MyEd.
Apply for extra time using a learning adjustment
In addition to a learning adjustment extension, you can also apply for a coursework extension via MyEd > Assessment Support.
If you have an adjustment for extra time during examinations, this will be arranged by the Exams Team for you. You do not need to take any action.
If you have problems accessing or using the tool, please contact the ESC team at escteam@ed.ac.uk.
Applying for special circumstances
If a 4 day coursework extension is not sufficient to mitigate the impact of difficult circumstances on your assessments, you may also wish to apply for Special Circumstances.
When a student’s Special Circumstances application is accepted by the University, Boards of Examiners will take into account that their assessments were affected by difficult circumstances. The options open to Boards of Examiners are outlined in the Special Circumstances Policy.
The School's Student Support Team is your first point of contact should you wish to discuss your circumstances with them. They will be able to advise you on the range of support available at the University, as well as explain about Special Circumstances.
Special circumstances applications are reviewed by the Extensions and Special Circumstances Service.
How to apply
You can submit your application and track its progress via MyEd. The online system allows you to select a single coursework assessment or several assignments across different courses on one application.
You can find the application deadlines, plus full details on the criteria for Special Circumstances, the process of applying, deadlines for submitting applications, and how decisions will be communicated are available on the Extensions and Special Circumstances Service website.
If you have questions about your application, the Extensions and Special Circumstances team can be contacted by email at escteam@ed.ac.uk. They will aim to respond to completed Special Circumstances applications within 5 working days.
More information on Special Circumstances can be found on the University’s Academic Services’ website.