Delayed Assessment Scheme now in operation

Background

The new Delayed Assessment Scheme is now in operation. The policy was created in collaboration with Faculties, Departments, Student Registry Services, Students’ Union UCL and education teams across UCL.

• What is the Delayed Assessment Scheme? 

The Delayed Assessment Scheme is a policy that allows students to use a maximum of 3 permits per year to get automatic mitigation on a chosen assessment, such as a 5-working day extension or a deferral. 

• How is the Delayed Assessment Scheme different from Extenuating Circumstances? 

Extenuating Circumstances are designed for emergencies, in circumstances that are sudden, unexpected, significantly disruptive and beyond the student’s control. If students have such circumstances, it is important they engage with the EC process to receive appropriate support.  

EC submissions require evidence and can result in different types of mitigation. The Delayed Assessment Scheme does not require evidence or minimum grounds and has fixed mitigation for each assessment. 

• Why was the scheme developed? 

The Delayed Assessment Scheme was developed to support students in balancing their studies, student life and wellbeing. It also aims to reduce the frustration and administrative burden of the previous self-certification policy, which had a high workload, high approval rate but varied mitigation for different students and questionable authenticity. 

• What are the limitations of the scheme? 

Whilst there are no minimum grounds, the Delayed Assessment Scheme is more restrictive in its use than self-certification. Not only is the mitigation fixed for each assessment, but the scheme does not apply to group work, and other assessments can be exceptionally excluded from the scheme. Students can also only defer up to 30 credits of exams.  

• How do students use the scheme? 

Students can see the eligible assessments and the predetermined flexibility for each one on Portico. They can notify UCL via Portico that they are using one of their 3 Delayed Assessment Permits (DAPs) before the assessment deadline and no more than two weeks in advance. They will also be asked to give a reason for using a permit so they can be signposted to relevant support. 

Information and guidance for staff and students

Staff information and guidance

Visit our staff Delayed Assessment Scheme webpages for:

• A recording of the Delayed Assessment Scheme staff townhall, hosted by Zak Liddell and Kirsten Hamilton on 18 Sept, to introduce the scheme, system and answer questions
• Template slides to use when communicating to students about the Delayed Assessment Scheme
• Staff guidance
• Frequently Asked Questions and answers

We will monitor staff and student feedback on the Delayed Assessment Scheme to help us identify any improvements we can make. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know via your EC / DAPs Faculty Champion.

Student information and guidance

• Delayed Assessment Scheme student webpages including “how-to” guidance for submitting a Delayed Assessment Permit on Portico and FAQs.

(Existing EC student guidance and FAQs have also been updated to reflect changes to self-certified ECs).

A Delayed Assessment Scheme awareness campaign will run 17-23 October, including a student news article, social media story and “explainer video” covering FAQs, the importance of the Delayed Assessment Scheme and how it will help students.

Contact email for further information: apqs@ucl.ac.uk