Requesting changes - forms and guidance

Students who wish to change optional course units from those already chosen at the start of semester 1 should contact soss.courseunits@manchester.ac.uk. The deadline for changing course units is outlined in your programme handbook.

Students who wish to request a change in their mode of attendance should contact soss.hub@manchester.ac.uk

If you are here on a tier 4 visa, please check your visa to see if it allows a change in your mode of attendance.

Help and support

Whatever difficulty you're experiencing you don’t need to face it alone. If you are having problems the first thing to do is to talk to someone so don’t be afraid to get in touch with us.

There is a wealth of support available to you, offering practical advice and help throughout your time at University.

Your support network

Student Support Hub

From registration to graduation, the Student Support Hub team will be here at every point to support and guide you through your undergraduate journey at The University of Manchester.

We have an enormous amount of experience so don’t hesitate to contact us. Make us your first port of call for any queries you have regarding your academic progress or personal welfare.

How we can help:

• Assessment queries
• Appeals and complaints
• Course unit selection queries
• Coursework submission
• Examination queries
• Feedback
• Interruption queries
• Mitigating circumstances
• Signposting to specialised support
• Timetable queries.

You can also visit our Student Support Hub which is located on the ground floor of the Arthur Lewis Building.

We are open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm during term time. At all other times of the year outside of term time, we are open Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm.

The Student Support Hub is closed on bank holidays and University closure days.

Academic advising

Academic advising is an efficient way of establishing a personal and motivating relationship with an academic member of staff. Your academic advisor will work with you to build a personal relationship based on matters of academic development and progress. Do get in touch with them. More information is available in your handbook.

You should take note that your academic advisors are not personal tutors. Pastoral support is provided through a variety of means and your advisor will be able to refer you to these. Visit our Student Support pages for more information.

Mitigating circumstances and extension requests

If personal circumstances affect your exams or assessments, or your attendance at teaching activities, you can request extensions on assessment deadlines or apply for mitigating circumstances.

Please read our detailed guidance to find out more about the application process and what to expect.

If you have any questions, please email soss.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk

How to request extensions

Complete this Extension Request Form to apply for a short extension to a piece of coursework/written assessment.

• This form will only allow you to apply for extendable assessments. If the assessment is not listed, you will not be able to apply for an extension. However, you may be able to apply for mitigating circumstances.
• This form will allow you to apply for five additional working days from your submission deadline.
• You will not be required to submit supporting evidence with your application through this form. However, you are expected to provide specific details of how the circumstances are impacting your ability to meet the deadline. If the circumstances do not meet the criteria or insufficient information is provided, the application will be rejected.
• The Student Support and Wellbeing Team will review the circumstances. If they meet the criteria for mitigation, your application will be approved and a five-day extension to your deadline will be permitted.
• The Student Support and Wellbeing Team will email you to confirm your extension has been approved along with the new submission date.

How to apply for mitigating circumstances

Complete this Mitigating Circumstances Submission Form to apply for mitigation.

• If your circumstances mean that a short extension (generally five days) is not sufficient to submit the work, then you would need to complete this form.
• You should complete this form if the assessment is not extendable (e.g. exams, presentations). This form has a list of all extendable and non-extendable assessments.
• Supporting evidence is required and should be uploaded through the form.
• If supporting evidence is not available when completing the form, you will be required to send it as an email attachment within 14 days to soss.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk
• If you are requesting a short extension for assessments belonging to another school, this will need to be made via the Mitigating Circumstances Submission Form. In this case, evidence will not be required.
• All other applications for mitigation for assessments belonging to other schools should also be made via the Mitigation Circumstances Submission form. In such cases, evidence will be required.
• If you are carrying a unit from another level and you need to apply for mitigation, it can be done via the Mitigating Circumstances Submission Form.
• The Student Support and Wellbeing team will review the application and evidence to assess if these meet the criteria for mitigation. The team will then notify you whether your application was accepted or rejected. If accepted, the Exam Board will confirm the specific outcome (e.g. First Sit).

University policy on late submission

If you submit your coursework/essays late and without an agreed extension in place, there is a penalty of 10 marks per day (sliding scale) applied for up to five days. So, for example, if you submit your coursework two days late, 20 marks will be deducted after the examination. A day includes weekends and weekdays.

Extensions to the submission deadline can be granted to students where there are exceptional mitigating circumstances (e.g. compelling medical reasons). The application must be submitted before the due date of your work.

It is the expectation of The University that postgraduate taught students pursue their studies on a continuous basis for the stipulated duration of their programme. It is understood, however, that students may encounter personal difficulties or situations which may seriously disrupt their studies.

Students considering an interruption from their studies should meet with their Academic Advisor, Programme Director and/or the Student Support and Wellbeing Team (soss.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk) to discuss this.

General principles and guidance can be found below:

• Guidance for students on Interruptions to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Programmes of Study 

To request an interruption, you will need to complete this online form.

To ensure that you have understood the potential impact of an interruption, we would ask that you follow the links below for specific information on:

• Accommodation
• Tuition Fees
• Student Finance
• Tier 4/Student Visa

The outcome of your application will be communicated to you by email from the Student Support and Wellbeing Team.

If you are experiencing some difficulties during your studies which mean that completing the remainder of your degree is not possible, you may want to consider a withdrawal from your course.

Students considering a withdrawal from their studies should meet with their Academic Advisor, Programme Director and/or the Student Support and Wellbeing Team (soss.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk) to discuss this.

To request a withdrawal, you will need to complete this online form.

To ensure that you have understood the potential impact of a withdrawal, we would ask that you follow the links below for specific information on:

• Accommodation
• Tuition Fees
• Student Finance
• Tier 4/Student Visa

The outcome of your application will be communicated to you by email from the Student Support and Wellbeing Team.

The notice of submission form should be completed and submitted along with your dissertation.

Please ensure that you provide an address that is currently valid and still will be in January. If you do not know what your address will be between these dates, leave it blank – it is your responsibility to inform us of your contact details as soon as they are available. 

It is also your responsibility to keep the online student system updated with your contact details. You should provide a personal email address if possible, as your University account will become inactive after the end of your registration.  

• Dissertation notice of submission form
• MA dissertation resubmission charge form

The QRM module choice form should be completed and returned to the SoSS Reception Desk on the Ground floor of the Arthur Lewis Building or emailed to soss.hub@manchester.ac.uk

• QRM Module Choice Form

You must make sure that you are in compliance with UKVI requirements before applying for a change to your study.

• Immigration and visas - MyManchester