2020 has been nothing if not unusual. The pandemic which will forever be associated with this year has brought abrupt changes to every facet of our lives; including academically. Put simply, the student experience in 2020 has no precedent. Students have had to contend with radical shifts to how and where they learn, revise and are assessed. And for some, sadly, this has posed more challenges than for others.
If you’ve had factors – COVID-related or otherwise – which you feel have negatively disadvantaged you around the time of your assessments then 16 November marks the opening of a window where you can do something about it. But you’ll have to hurry, the window is only open for 10 working days.
Option 1 – Appeal
The first option available to you is to appeal. There is one major caveat, however – you cannot appeal just because you are unhappy with your grade or classification. If you want to submit an appeal it has to be based on one of two reasons:
- You have new information about ‘exceptional circumstances’ (ECs) that the School has not already considered
- You want to report a ‘procedural error’
Further information on both processes, including the other criteria you must adhere to and details of how to apply, can be found on our appeals information page.
The deadline by which the School must receive your appeal is 11.59pm on Monday 30 November.
Option 2 – Submit an administrative mark check
If you suspect there may have been an error that led to the wrong grade appearing on your transcript, you might also be able to apply for an administrative mark check.
As with appeals, there are certain criteria you need to meet and the deadline for submission is 11.59pm on Monday 30 November. Unlike appeals, there is a financial cost to this process – £10 per course grade check.
You can find more information on this process here.
Who can help me navigate these processes?
In short, we can!
Our independence from LSE means that, not only can we talk through your options, we can tailor our advice to your individual situation. And if you approach us sufficiently in advance of the deadline, we can even look over a copy of your appeal form before you submit it to provide you with tips and suggestions for improvement. And all of this for… free!
Sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not. Check out our website for details of how you can access the Service.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Blog written by Ricardo Visinho.
Ricardo is the Advice Manager in the LSE Students’ Union (LSESU) and a member of the LSESU Advice Service.
The LSESU Advice Service
Impartial. Supportive. Confidential.
The LSESU Advice Service is based on the 3rd floor of the Saw Swee Hock Building and we provide free, independent and confidential advice to all LSE students on academic and housing matters. We also administer the Hardship Fund, the Childcare Fund and the Graduation Gown Support Fund (GGSF).
Due to the ongoing Coronavirus situation we are currently not on campus. However, we are still open and can instead be accessed by emailing su.advice@lse.ac.uk. You can also book a telephone or Zoom appointment with an adviser through Student Hub.