Assessment Access Arrangements
If you're disabled or become ill at the time of your assessments, then special assessment access arrangements may be made for you.
An Assessment Access Arrangement is the name given to any alteration to the standard assessment. They are put in place to ensure that all students have access to a fair and equal assessment.
They might include things like:
rest breaks
use of a computer
a support worker to assist you, such as a reader, scribe or prompter. Download the Examinations Assistants (Word document) for more information.
Assessment access arrangements are made on an individual basis. Please note, any arrangements you may have had at school will not automatically be transferred to your studies at Leeds and you should reapply for them once at university. Your assessment access arrangements at University may be different to those you had at school or college.
Covid-19 update: whilst there have been restrictions on access to campus, many assessments have transferred online. The University has agreed a set of Principles for the assessment of disabled students in online assessments (PDF). You should read these Principles and contact your School or Module Leader if you feel the appropriate adjustments have not been made.
Marking consideration and inclusive feedback
If you have a disability (such as dyslexia) which impacts on your written work, you may want the people who are marking your work to be aware of this. All schools operate a system for students to "flag" their work, either through a cover sheet or electronic sticker.
You need to register with Disability Services to be eligible for this, and contact your School disability contact for further information about your school's system. Contact details can be found on the Disability Contacts in School webpage.
If you choose to "flag" your work, the same marking criteria will still apply to all students, but the feedback will be tailored more sensitively.
Applying for assessment access arrangements
To request arrangements for your exams:
1. Complete the Disability Services sign-up form (available through the Setting Up Your Support webpage)
2. Provide suitable evidence of your disability (see the Providing Your Evidence webpage for information)
You must have provided both your sign-up form and evidence by the following deadlines to have exam arrangements in place:
For 2022-23:
Friday 28 October 2022 (to be in place for January 2023 assessments)
Friday 24 February 2023 (to be in place for May/June 2023 assessments)
Please note, if your requested exam arrangements involve:
The time of day of your exams
The number of exams you have in one day
The number of consecutive days that you have exams
Please inform us by emailing disability@leeds.ac.uk. We require this information to allow sufficient time to reschedule any examinations.
Once you have successfully submitted your evidence and sign up form, the Disability Team will email you to confirm your arrangements.
Please note that there may be a delay in processing your information at peak times, but if you signed up and submitted appropriate evidence before the deadline, we will ensure you assessment access arrangements are in place for the main University assessment periods in January and May/June.
Checking your exam arrangements
Once your exam arrangements have been confirmed, you can view them via Minerva:
Log into Student Services
Click on "Examinations"
Select "Examination Arrangements".
Download our checking your assessment access arrangements document (Word document) for an in-depth guide on assessment access arrangements.
Unless you are advised otherwise, your exam arrangements will remain in place throughout your course.
Late notice
If you have not signed up with Disability Services and sent sufficient evidence by the published deadline, you will not have arrangements in place for the upcoming set of assessments. However, they will be in place for all future assessments. For example, if you miss the October deadline, you will not have arrangements in place for the January assessments, but you will for the May/June assessments.
Your assessment access recommendations will still be visible via Minerva, but you will see an entry entitled 'not current exam session' along with the rest of your assessment access recommendations. If you feel you will be disadvantaged by not having arrangements in place, you should talk to your School about the possibility of applying for mitigating circumstances. Please see the Mitigating Circumstances Guidance webpage for more information.
If you're absent from an assessment or believe that your performance in an assessment has been affected by illness or other adverse circumstances, you must provide a written explanation to your School(s) within five working days of the assessment. In the case of illness, this must be accompanied by a full medical certificate from a doctor.
Please check your School's individual mitigating circumstances policy, including deadlines for each semester and where to submit the claim.
Temporary assessment arrangements due to short-term illness or temporary impairment
If you require temporary assessment arrangements due to a short-term illness or impairment (e.g. a broken arm), you should submit a request to your School with a medical note dated within four weeks before the start of the assessment period.
You will receive an email from the Assessment & Progress Team once your assessment arrangements have been made.
Queries about your assessment arrangements
Please contact the Assessment & Progress Team via the email address scexams@leeds.ac.uk with any queries about your confirmed assessment arrangements.
Make sure to include your student ID number and the module code of your assessment in the email.
Personalised Examination Arrangements
If you're disabled, ill, taking assessments abroad or unable to take an assessment due to religious observance, then special arrangements may be made for you. Find out what kind of adjustments can be made in order to enable you to sit your assessments, and how to notify us if you need to have special arrangements put in place.
Mitigating Circumstances
Mitigating circumstances are normally exceptional, short term, unforeseen and unpreventable events that may have a significantly disruptive effect on your ability to take assessments.
On Campus Examinations Preparation and Arrangements
For examinations that take place on campus make sure you're familiar with all the important information so that you can do your best on the day and avoid any problems.
Who to tell when you are ill
Being ill when you're away from home can be a difficult time. Make sure you know what to do and how to inform the University if you're not able to attend.
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