Further update on national Marking and Assessment Boycott

Ahead of Results Day on Thursday 6 July, we are providing you with the latest update on what students can expect. This update expands on the information published in May.  

Results Day – Thursday 6 July  

The vast majority of students will be unaffected by the marking and assessment boycott and will receive their marks to their UCL email address from Thursday 6 July and be able to view them on Portico from Monday 10 July.  

UCL has been working hard to minimise the impact on students and doing everything possible to ensure that all available marks are released on this day.  

However, unfortunately, some students may experience delays in receiving some or all marks.

Additional Results day – Thursday 27 July  

To ensure that as many students as possible can progress and complete their studies, we have scheduled an additional Results Day on Thursday 27 July. This will allow additional time to support departments whilst they process outstanding marks.  

It is important to note that, as with any release of results, there may be individual instances where students could experience a delay in receiving their results, unrelated to the marking and assessment boycott. This will also be communicated directly to these students. 

Outstanding marks 

For all students 

Once the outstanding marks are received, if these improve the original classification, the new classification will stand and the award reissued. Degree classifications cannot be downgraded. 

For progressing students 

Once the outstanding marks are received, where students have not achieved a pass, they will be given the opportunity to re-sit modules or be condoned as normal.  

Celebrating your time at UCL through 2023 Graduation Ceremonies  

We know that our students value celebrating their achievements and time at UCL with their friends and family, and we will go ahead with July and September graduation ceremonies as planned. 

For those of you expecting to graduate this year, you will have already received your invitation in March to register your attendance on Portico. Our July ceremonies are nearly here, and we look forward to seeing those of you attending these events in a couple of weeks. For our September ceremonies, we will be opening the portal soon for you to confirm your place, book your guest tickets and arrange your gown. For those who registered their interest in March, we will contact you directly to invite you onto the portal in the second half of July and will also provide more details about your celebrations.  

All students who have been awarded their degree, final or provisional, or who are awaiting a final decision on their degree outcome, will be able to participate in a ceremony. So, even if you have missing marks because of the marking and assessment boycott, you will still be able to don your cap and gown to cross the stage as planned. The ceremonies are a joyous occasion, and we know they are a rite of passage for so many of you. It is important to us that you are able to celebrate completing your studies alongside your course-mates, friends and supporters, although we will also give any students who do not yet have an award an option to defer to a ceremony in 2024 if preferred.  

As in any year, if students have failed or not completed the final year for reasons not directly related to the marking and assessment boycott, they would not participate in the ceremony. Your department will provide you with details about the next steps should this be the case.  

Raising employer awareness nationally 

On 19 June, President & Provost, Dr Michael Spence AC, together with UCL’s Director of UCL Careers Karen Barnard, wrote to a wide range of employers to raise awareness about the national marking and assessment boycott and to ask for understanding to students who are impacted through no fault of their own. 

We do not expect the marking and assessment boycott to affect offers of employment that have been made to students. However, it is recommended that students contact their future employer to make them aware of their situation and seek advice.  

Employability support  

No matter what position students are in, our UCL Careers professionals are available to offer guidance and practical advice.  All students will have full access to UCL Careers support and myUCLCareers as a UCL student and for up to three years after graduating.  

UCL Careers are supporting finalists who may be concerned about the impact of the marketing and assessment boycott on their employment opportunities. Further information can be found here. 

Students will be able to request an e-transcript which contains a full record of confirmed academic results and can be used for third-party verification purposes, such as job applications and visa requirements.  

We will keep updating you with more information to help you understand how you may be impacted and what support is available to you from UCL. Our FAQs for students on industrial action are being updated regularly with the latest information.