Providing evidence

Find out what evidence you need to provide for your Exceptional Circumstances application.

Do I need to provide evidence?

All Exceptional Circumstances applications need to be supported by evidence, unless you are applying for the following reasons:

Please make sure that you provide sufficient evidence to support your application. Each case is assessed individually, and we rely on your documents to determine the impact of your circumstances on your assessments.

What evidence should I provide?

The type of evidence we expect you to provide depends on the situation your application relates to. In general, evidence must be:

  • From a relevant professional, including staff at the University (e.g. Student Advisers, Wellbeing Advisers). Evidence need not necessarily be on headed paper, but should contain clear details of the individual's organisation, position and contact information.
  • Signed, dated and legible.
  • Evidence should include your name, or the name of the affected person if different (e.g. a family member)
  • Current, and relevant to the period in which the affected assessment(s) took place.
  • In English if possible. If your evidence is in a different language, please provide a translation or description of what the document says. You can provide your own translation; we don't require official or paid services.
  • In any of the following formats: docx, eml, html, jpeg, jpg, msg, odt, png, pdf, pptx, rtf, txt, xlsx, xps and with a maximum file size of 4MB.
  • Please do not upload graphic photographs such as pictures of illnesses or injuries in support of your application. The only photographs we are able to accept are photographs of documents.
Type of situationSuitable evidence
Bereavement of a pet
  • a signed and dated letter from a veterinary practitioner
  • a statement from your Student Adviser confirming their awareness of your circumstances
Serious short-term illness (physical or mental)
  • a signed and dated letter from a medical practitioner
  • appointment or referral letters, hospital reports or discharge letters
  • a statement from your Student Adviser confirming their awareness of your circumstances
A flare-up or sudden worsening of a chronic health condition
  • a signed and dated letter from a medical practitioner (GP or clinical specialist) or the Disability and Learning Support Service (DLSS) that states the nature of the condition and how flare-ups or a sudden worsening are likely to affect your ability to prepare, submit or attend for an assessment or other event. Once this evidence has been provided on the first occasion there is no need to obtain new evidence on subsequent occasions although you will still need to submit a request on each occasion
Serious accident or injury
  • a copy of an accident report provided by a police officer or other public official, or a signed and dated letter from a medical practitioner (GP or clinical specialist)
  • in all cases where a letter is provided it must state the dates when the accident or injury affected the student, the position and qualification(s) of the person providing the letter and their contact details
Significant adverse personal or family circumstances
  • a signed and dated letter or appropriate proforma from one or more of the following: University staff member e.g. Student Counsellor, Student Adviser, Student Wellbeing Adviser; an adviser at the EUSA Advice Place; a medical practitioner (GP or clinical specialist), a social worker (stating their position with respect to you), an officer of the law, a teacher outside the University
​​Exceptional and significant change in employment responsibilities​ 
  • If you are employed, please provide a signed and dated letter from your employer stating that your work has changed unexpectedly.
  • If you are self-employed, please provide evidence from your client stating that they required you to carry out work that was unexpected.  The letter must contain dates and times when you were needed to work towards this.
  • If you are unable to provide the evidence listed above, please provide screenshots of your correspondence with your employer/client or shift schedules. If you are unable to provide this, you should contact your Student Adviser notifying them of these changes and impacts to your studies so that they can provide a statement.
Adjustments for a disability have not been made in time for a course assessment, and where the student can demonstrate that the delay is not their responsibility
  • Confirmation from the Disability and Learning Support Service of the diagnosis and the date it was made, and details of any delays to the implementation of the required reasonable adjustments.

What evidence is not accepted?

We are unable to accept the following as evidence:

  • Photographs, unless they are photographs of documents
  • Self-certification of illness
  • Letters from friends or family members.
  • Screenshots of text message conversations, WhatsApp messages, etc.
  • Documents that are not in English, where no translation is provided
  • Evidence that is not current, or does not relate to the period in which the assessment(s) took place

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