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Guidance: Which process should I use?

Published for 2024-25


 The following guidance aims to help you understand the different types of support available to you.
 

Reminder: Delayed Assessment Passes can be submitted to gain flexibility for your assessments for any reason, there are no minimum grounds, your DAPs are limited. However, if you are experiencing circumstances that are sudden, unexpected, significantly disruptive and beyond your control then you should submit an EC. For further information on circumstances normally grounds for Extenuating Circumstances please see the EC Grounds Table.

Other support such as a SoRA is available to support longer term conditions and difficulties.

 This list is not definitive - there may be times when you are eligible for another type of support that is not listed here, or you might be struggling with something which doesn’t quite fit into a category, or you may need help with more than one thing.
 If you want to talk to someone about which process to use, please refer to our Help and Advice pages.

What do you need help with? 

Which process to use 

A shorter-term physical condition 

  • Temporary medical conditions 
  • Accidents and injuries 
  • Delayed Assessment Permit for minor illness or injury to access flexibility such as a short extension or deferral
  • Extenuating Circumstances for circumstances that are sudden, unexpected, significantly disruptive and beyond your control. Evidence required
  • Exam Adjustments if you need physical support to sit an exam or take-home paper

A longer-term physical condition 

  • Mobility differences, such as wheelchair users or individuals with musculoskeletal conditions 
  • Sensory differences, such as individuals certified as blind or partially sighted and those who are D/deaf 
  • Long-term medical conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, cancer, HIV or autoimmune conditions 
  • Progressive physical conditions, such as motor neurone disease or muscular dystrophy 
  • Fluctuating or recurring physical conditions, such as epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, myalgic encephalitis (ME), or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) 

A shorter-term mental health difficulty 

  • Shorter-term mental health conditions, such as mild anxiety 
  • Delayed Assessment Permit for minor mental health/wellbeing difficulties to access flexibility such as a short extension or deferral
  • Extenuating Circumstances for major, significantly disruptive, mental health/wellbeing difficulties to access an extension or deferral
  • Exam Adjustments if you need support to sit an exam or take-home paper 

A longer-term mental health condition 

  • Longer-term mental health conditions, such as depressive disorders, generalised anxiety disorder, eating disorders 
  • Progressive mental health conditions such as forms of dementia 
  • Fluctuating or recurring mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder, psychotic episodes or seasonal affective disorder 

A learning, social or communication difference  

  • Specific learning differences (SpLD) such as dyslexia or dyspraxia 
  • Social and communication differences such as an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) 

Pregnancy and adoption 

  • Pregnant students and their partners 
  • Maternity, paternity, parental and adoption leave  
  • Feeding a young baby 

Parenting and Caring 

  • Parenting 
  • Childcare 
  • Caring for a vulnerable adult 

Religion and belief 

  • Observing holy days and festivals such the Sabbath, Ramadan or Eid 
  • Daily religious or cultural practices including prayer, fasting, diet and dress 

Trauma 

  • Bereavement 
  • If you are affected by physical or sexual assault 
  • If you are affected by traumatic world events such as war, natural disasters or terrorist incidents 
  • If you are affected by any form of harassment or discrimination  

A personal difficulty 

  • Family difficulties such as family break up or divorce 
  • Financial difficulties such as problems with tuition fees or rent 
  • Housing difficulties such as homelessness or problems with your landlord 
  • Work and other commitments, such as professional emergencies