Postgraduate Taught Reassessment

Reassessments is the collective term for any time a student takes a module or assessment again, i.e. whether a resit or following a valid Mitigating Circumstances claim and as either a first or second attempt.

The three types of reassessment are:

  1. A Resit is typically when a student fails their first attempt and retakes a module or assessment with capped marks.  Resits are second attempts which means they are the final chances if there are no valid Mitigating Circumstances claims. This term also applies where a student has not passed the Part so retakes an assessment even when they have credit in the module.  All module marks awarded for Resit modules will be capped at 50 for the purpose of calculating a student's programme mark.
  2. A Repeat First Attempt is when a student gets another first chance (with uncapped marks) following a valid Mitigating Circumstances claim.
  3. A Repeat Second Attempt is when a student gets another second chance at a Resit following a valid Mitigating Circumstances claim. Module marks for Repeat Second Attempts are capped at 50 and are last chances if there are no further Mitigating Circumstances

It is possible for a student to have a mixture of reassessment types.  Your School will advise which, if any, of these apply when your results are published after Semester 2 or the Special Assessment Period (SAP).

Reassessment may have to wait until the next time the module is taught but sometimes a School will arrange for the reassessment to be available earlier. 

The advice on this page is for general use only; you will receive personalised guidance from your School if you need to consider taking reassessments. You can also get in touch with your Programme Administrator if you have any further questions.  All guidance should be read in conjunction with Regulation XXI. 

Information for Student visa holders and other students with ATAS clearance

How will choosing to take my reassessments in SAP or the NAY affect my visa?

Reassessment in the Special Assessment Period (SAP)

If you choose to take reassessments in SAP whilst continuing with Semester 3 modules or your project/dissertation, your visa will not be affected.  

Reassessment in the Next Academic Year (NAY)

If you choose to take reassessment without attendance in the next academic year, the University will not be able to issue you with a CAS to support a new visa application.  Depending on the start date for the academic year, you may have sufficient wrap-up time (additional months after the programme end date stated on your CAS) to remain in the UK to take reassessment without attendance in Semester 1.  However, you must check your visa expiry date and the dates of the exams period to ensure that you have permission to stay in the UK.

If you choose to take reassessment without attendance in Semester 2 of the next academic year, you will be expected to return to your home country.  It may be possible to sit exams overseas; you should discuss this with your School.  Alternatively you may request a letter from the Student Records and Operations to support a Visitor visa application to return for the exams period. 

If you take reassessment with attendance in at least one module in any semester, the University will continue to sponsor you under the Student visa route for that period.  If you are required to apply for a new visa, you will be able to do so within the UK or in your home country.  You should contact the Student Records and Operations to request a new CAS.  If you are only retaking your project or dissertation module, we may need to consider CAS requests on a case by case basis, depending on the attendance/supervision requirements for the module.

You are encouraged to contact the Student Advice and Support Service for specialist immigration advice.

How will reassessment affect my ATAS clearance?

If you are being reassessed in SAP, alongside Semester 3 modules or your project/dissertation your ATAS clearance will not be affected.

If you hold a Student or other type of visa requiring ATAS clearance and are taking reassessment within the UK in the next academic year, you will be postponing your course end date by more than three months and will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate within 28 days of registering for reassessment. You should send evidence of your application to the Student Records and Operations. Please also forward your new ATAS certificate as soon as you receive it.

For further information and to check whether your programme needs ATAS clearance, please see the University's ATAS webpage for continuing students.

I want to apply for a Graduate visa when I complete my programme; how will my reassessment choices affect my eligibility?

In order to apply for the Graduate Route, you must have a valid Student visa when your final degree results are confirmed by the programme board, and apply from within the UK.  In order to be sponsored for reassessments in any semester, you must be registered for at least one module with attendance.  Students who are granted an extension for their project or dissertation module will not be issued with a new CAS. 

If you require specialist advice about the Graduate route, you can contact the Student Advice and Support Service.  If you have any questions about your reassessment options, or when you will receive your final results, please contact your School Administrator.

September/October starters

Programme boards are normally held in October/November, with a further board in June/July for students taking reassessment in the next academic year (NAY).  If you opt to take reassessments in SAP alongside your Semester 3 modules, you should not be affected.  If you decide to take your reassessments in the NAY, you will need to think carefully about your choices. 

If you are taking reassessments with attendance in Semester 1 and 2, or Semester 2 only, the University can issue you with a new CAS and you should remain eligible for the Graduate Route.  If you are taking reassessments without attendance, or will not be registered for any tuition in Semester 2, you are unlikely to be eligible, because your previous visa will have expired before your results are released and/or the University cannot continue to sponsor you.

If you are retaking taught modules with attendance Semester 3 of the NAY, it may be possible to issue you with a CAS to cover this period, depending on the nature of the module(s).  If you are only retaking your project or dissertation, we may need to consider CAS requests on a case by case basis, depending on the attendance/supervision meeting requirements for the module.

You can ask your School for more details about the likely date for the release of your results.

January starters

Programme boards are normally held in March, with further boards in June/July for students taking reassessment in Semesters 1 and 2 of the following academic year, and in October/November for students retaking modules in SAP or Semester 3 of the following academic year.  If you opt to take reassessments in SAP alongside your initial Semester 3 modules (during your first year of study), you should not be affected.  If you decide to take your reassessments in the following academic year, you will need to think carefully about your choices.  The University can normally issue you with a new CAS to cover any semester in which you are taking reassessments with attendance, although if you are only retaking your project or dissertation, we may need to consider CAS requests on a case by case basis, depending on the attendance/supervision meeting requirements for the module. 

If you are taking reassessments without attendance in your final semester before your results are released, you will not be issued with a new CAS for that period and are therefore unlikely to be eligible for the Graduate visa because your previous visa will have expired before your results are released and/or the University cannot continue to sponsor you.  

You can ask your School for more details about the likely date for the release of your results.