Attendance and engagement appeals

What is an attendance and engagement appeal?

An attendance and engagement appeal is a process that supports students to request a reconsideration of a decision to either withdraw or suspend a student, made by an Attendance and Engagement Review Panel.

Who can I get help from?

We strongly recommend that you contact the Students’ Union who can support you with your appeal. Their trained advisors can offer independent advice and can be contacted by emailing [email protected]; or telephone 01274 233300. 

The Student Casework Team can also provide support to help you to understand the procedure, but they cannot support you to submit your appeal. You can contact them by emailing [email protected] or telephone 01274 235108. 

When can I submit my appeal?

You will receive an outcome letter, informing you of the decision made by the Attendance and Engagement Review Panel. You can submit your appeal by completing and submitting the Attendance and Engagement Withdrawal / Suspension Appeal Form, within two weeks of receiving this letter.

What do I submit?

You need to complete a Attendance and Engagement Withdrawal / Suspension Appeal Form. The form will ask you to list the evidence that you are providing that supports your appeal. Once you have submitted the form, you will be sent an email, asking you to reply with your evidence. 

Make sure you include all your evidence and documentation to support your case, such as a fit note or a letter from other healthcare professionals. Please see our Supporting Evidence Guide for what types of evidence is likely to be accepted.

If you are appealing on the basis of extenuating circumstances, as well as providing evidence to support the challenging circumstances you were experiencing, you will also need to evidence why you were not able to provide this information to the Attendance and Engagement Review Panel.

We cannot consider your form if you do not state the grounds and explain the reasons why you are appealing and you should try to complete all sections of the form so that the Investigating Officer can fully understand why you are appealing and what you are unhappy with.

How do I submit my appeal?

You will need to wait until you receive your outcome letter which confirms the decision made by the Attendance and Engagement Review Panel. Once you receive this letter you should submit an appeal within two weeks by completing this form - Attendance and Engagement Withdrawal / Suspension Appeal Form.

What can I do if my appeal is late?

Late appeals will not be accepted without good reason. If the appeal is late, you must explain why and provide relevant evidence to support why your appeal is late, otherwise it could be rejected for being out of time. You should provide an explanation and evidence to support your reason for delay. For example, if you were ill during the timescale to submit an appeal.

What if I am on a studying visa?

​​If you are studying on a student visa, you must declare this when completing the appeal form. Make sure you answer ‘yes’ to the question ‘Are you studying on a student visa?’. By doing so we will contact the Visa Support Team to request they place a hold on revoking your student visa until the appeal procedure is concluded. 

If the appeal is not submitted within the two-week timeframe, the University will automatically inform UKVI. This means that if you are studying on a Student Visa and submit your appeal late, the University will have already notified UKVI that you have been withdrawn or suspended from the course. 

What about attendance, progression or examination whilst my appeal is being considered?

As you are withdrawn or suspended from study, you are not permitted to attend classes, progress to the next stage of your course or take any examinations whilst your appeal is being considered.

What if I want someone else to appeal for me?

Someone else is not permitted to handle your appeal for you (for example; parents, sponsors, or employers). However, if you have a mental health issue or disability which might impinge on your ability to make an appeal, a third party may be nominated to progress the appeal on your behalf. 

You must confirm in writing that you authorise a third party to represent you by emailing [email protected] and request a Third Party Consent Form. 

What if my appeal is upheld (is successful)?

If your appeal is upheld (is successful) you will receive a completion of procedures letter, normally within one calendar month after we receive your appeal form. A copy will also be sent to relevant staff to inform them of the decision. 

Possible outcomes may mean your case will be reconsidered (in light of the new information) by the Attendance and Engagement Review Panel or that you are permitted to re-join your course.

What happens if my appeal is not upheld (is not successful)?

If your appeal is not upheld (not successful), you will receive a completion of procedures letter, normally within one calendar month after we receive your appeal form. A copy will also be sent to relevant staff to inform them of the decision. This means that the original decision made by the Attendance and Engagement Review Panel will remain in place.

There is no further internal procedure that you can follow, as this decision is final. 

However, if you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the appeal, you may able to apply for a review of the appeal decision, to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), providing the appeal is eligible under their rules. 

Normally, you can only escalate your case to the OIA if you have exhausted all the stages in this procedure and have received a completion of procedures letter.  

Please note that you must raise a complaint with the OIA within 12 months of receiving the completion of procedures letter. 

We strongly recommend that you contact the Students’ Union who can support you if you wish to escalate your case to the OIA. Their trained advisors can offer independent advice and can be contacted by emailing [email protected] or telephone 01274 233300.