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Undergraduate Examination Appeals

The information on the following pages relates to:

  • Cambridge University students taking University examinations that do not fall under the authority of the Board of Graduate Studies
  • NOT prelims or College exams
  • NOT professional exams such as M.B., B.Chir., Vet.M.B. or LL.M. exams

Examination Appeals relate solely to the conduct of the exam(s). If you want to appeal on the grounds of illness or grave cause, you need to follow a separate procedure for Examination Allowances.

For an overview of "What happens if I don't do as well in my exams as hoped?" click here.

  1. Exam Appeals before results come out: Technical problems
  2. Exam Appeals after results have come out: Exam Review
  3. Appeal against the outcome of an Exam Review ('Review of the Review')
  4. Appeal for progression to the M.Eng., M.Math. or M.Sci.
  5. FAQ - Examination Appeals
  6. Further information

Examination Appeals – complaints about the conduct of the exam

Before results come out: Technical problems

If you want to alert the examiners to technical problems which occurred during the exam, such as mistakes in the question paper or a disturbance in an examination room, your Tutor will need to contact the Registrary within three days (excluding Saturday and Sunday) following your final examination, by 4pm.

The Examiners will be asked to take the matter into account before drawing up the results and completing the Class List. You and your Tutor will be informed within one week of class list publication of the action taken by the Examiners in response to your appeal.

If your notification about the technical problems reaches the Chairman of Examiners after their final meeting the same process as for the Examination Review will be followed.

Regulations: Ordinances, Chapter III, Examinations – Regulation 3 (timing) and 5, p.239

Key facts:

What: technical problems

When: within three days after your final exam, by 4pm.

Who: your Tutor to the Registrary

What next?

If you are concerned about technical problems that arose during the exam you should tell your Tutor as soon as possible in order to ensure that the examiners can take this into account before drawing up the class list.

After results have come out: Exam Review

If you think that you didn't do as well as hoped in your exam or failed because of the way the exam was conducted, you (or your Tutor on your behalf) can request a review (= 'appeal') of your exam result. Such appeals will only be considered if they relate to the conduct of the exam, excluding circumstances relating to your course of study, and are usually based on one or more of the following three appeals criteria:

a. that material circumstances existed about the conduct of the exam of which the Examiners were unaware; (e.g. errors on the question paper)

b. that procedural irregularities occurred in the conduct of the exam, which casts reasonable doubt as to whether the Examiners would have reached the same conclusion had the irregularities not occurred; (for example, if your course handbook states that where the marks given on a particular script by two examiners differ by more than 10% a third examiner should look at the script, and you can show that this wasn't the case, this would constitute a procedural irregularity.)

c. that there is evidence of prejudice, bias or inadequate assessment in the examinations process

Requests for review not relating to one of the three criteria above will usually be dismissed. Note that you cannot appeal against academic judgment.

What is Academic Judgement?

Academic judgment is a judgment that is made by an academic about a matter where only the opinion of an academic expert will suffice; for example, a judgment about the validity or strength of your argument, your eventual class mark, or research methodology. Note that an appeal based solely on your own estimation of your work, even where this is supported by your DoS or supervisor, is unlikely to be successful.

You or your Tutor will need to make a request for an Examination Review to the Registrary within one month after the class list is posted outside Senate House.

What will happen after my appeal for an Exam Review?

Your appeal will be considered by the Chairman of Examiners and at least two other examiners. Usually this will involve merely a 'clerical check': checking that the marks indicated by the examiners correspond to those in the mark book and add up to the mark listed in the classlist. Note that it is very unlikely that your scripts will be remarked.

What next?

Get help as soon as possible. Usually, this will be your Tutor, who can request an Examination Review on your behalf. Your Tutor will normally be able to advise you on University procedures and can explore your options with you. If you don't feel comfortable raising your concerns with your own Tutor, you can also speak to any other Tutor or Senior Tutor in your college. You can also submit a request for an Examination Review yourself, without the support of a Tutor, but you may find it helpful to discuss your situation with someone and have a second pair of eyes look over it. If you encounter any problems or are in any doubt, get in touch with the Student Advice Service.

Regulations: Ordinances, Chapter III, Examinations – Regulations 4 (timing) and 6, p.239-240

Key facts about the Exam Review:

What: material circumstances, procedural irregularities or prejudice, bias or inadequate assessment

When: address this within one month of the class list being published

Who: you or your Tutor to the Registrary

Appeal against the outcome of an Examination Review ('Review of the Review')

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of an Examination Review, you can submit a full statement of complaint to the Registrary within three months of the date on which the report from the Chairman of Examiners was communicated. A Review Committee consisting of members not previously involved with your exam will then consider your case. These will not usually be experts in that subject and their decision will not override the original academic judgment. They will cross-reference your appeal against the three appeals criteria mentioned above.

If the Review Committee is satisfied that you have grounds for appeal it can invite you and other persons concerned to a hearing, to which you can be accompanied by a representative.

If your case is upheld, then your work can be re-assessed by the original or new examiners (or, in the case of progression to the M.Eng., M.Math., or M.Sci the Faculty Board).

Should you remain to be dissatisfied with the outcome after this you can appeal to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA). This is an external body set up to review student complaints in England and Wales.

Regulations: Ordinances, Chapter III, Examinations – Regulations 7-20, p.240-242

Key facts about the 'Review of the Review':

What: dissatisfied with the outcome of the Exam Review

When: within three months after you have been sent the report from the Chairman of Examiners

Who: you to the Registrary

Appeal for progression to the M.Eng., M.Math. or M.Sci.

If you want to progress to do an M.Eng., M.Math. or M.Sci Degree (usually your fourth year) you need permission from your Faculty Board or comparable authority. If you have not received permission to do so, you can appeal against that decision. In such a case you need to follow the procedure of the Examination Review.

FAQ – Examination Appeals

When will I find out whether my appeal has been successful?

Technical problems: If your Tutor notified the Registrary of technical problems before the results were published, you and your Tutor will be informed within one week of class list publication of the action taken by the Examiners in response to your appeal.

Examination Review: The request ('representation') for an Examination Review that you or your Tutor submitted to the Registrary will be passed on to the Chairman of the Examiners. Within one month after that the Chairman will submit a report to the Registrary explaining what action has been taken as a result of your request. The Registrary will then pass on this report to you and your Tutor and Senior Tutor.

How likely is it that my request for an Exam Review is going to be upheld?

Each request is considered on its individual merits. It can be helpful to gain the support of the College when making the request, but this is not essential. Thorough evidence and a well-presented case, related to at least one of the three appeals criteria, are key to a successful appeal.

Who will decide over my request for an Examination Review?

The Registrary will pass on your request for an Examination Review to the Chairman of Examiners, who – together with at least two other Examiners – will reconsider your exam in the light of the arguments set out in your request.

What if my request for an Examination Review is unsuccessful?

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your request for an Exam Review you can ask for a 'review of the review'. For this please refer to the section Appeal against the outcome of an Examination Review ('Review of the Review').

Further Information

You can download a pdf version of the information about Exam Appeals and Exam Allowances here.

For further information and advice, please contact the CUSU/ GU Student Advice Service or a Tutor of your College. The Student Advice Service offers free, confidential and independent support and advice to all students at the University of Cambridge.