what happens if you submit an assignment late uni

What Happens If You Submit Coursework Late?

Everything you need to know about late submissions.

There’s nothing worse than working really hard on a piece of coursework and accidentally missing the deadline, especially if you’re just a few minutes late. Universities have strict rules around coursework deadlines and turnitin submissions and if you do submit a piece of coursework late, you will have to deal with the penalties, which can be really scary if the coursework makes up a large part of your degree.

Whether you’ve actually submitted a piece of coursework late, or you just want to know what to expect in case you ever find yourself in that situation, here’s what you need to know about late submissions.

What’s the reason for the late submission?

Ok, so you’ve known about this piece of coursework for weeks but when it comes to the deadline, you’re late. There could be a few reasons why you’re submitting coursework late, and some of them are more acceptable than others.

Universities are pretty strict when it comes to deadlines, but let’s say there were genuine factors that prevented you from handing your work in on time. For example, your wifi cut out meaning you missed the deadline by a minute, or there was traffic on the way to hand in your coursework in person, or there’s been a genuine emergency involving you or a family member. These reasons are obviously, much more valid than you just simply woke up late, forgot the time, or hadn’t finished your coursework in time.

If you do have a genuine reason for late submission, you’re going to need some form of evidence to back up your claims and some lecturers may be more forgiving than others. In-person late submissions may be accepted, but turnitin normally shuts off from accepting submissions after the deadline, which could land you in trouble.

Lecturers have probably heard every excuse in the book when it comes to late coursework, but if you do have a genuine and valid reason it’s best to talk to them straight away to explain what happened. If you don’t have a genuine reason, you can still attempt to hand in your coursework late, but you will have to face the penalties.

In-person vs. online submission rules

The golden rule of coursework, check whether it needs to be submitted in person as well as online.

Unfortunately, if you submit your coursework online but fail to do it in person and visa versa, many universities will still consider this as a late submission and may automatically fail you. Some universities aren’t too bothered about in-person submissions anymore and only want you to do it online, whereas others want both a physical and digital copy. This is normally because the digital copy submitted on turnitin is scanned for plagiarism , and the physical copy may be marked and annotated and given back to you afterwards.

Online and in-person submissions may have different rules and be due at different times, so on submission day you’re going to want to make sure you’re prepared. If you do need to do a in-person submission, it’s probably best to print it out the day before (lecturers won’t care if you ran out of printing credits or the printers weren’t working) on the day, and to get to the submission desk bright and early to avoid oversleeping or traffic.

If you need to submit online, it’s best not to leave it until the last minute. You can normally submit coursework as soon as it’s done, so as soon as you’ve completed a piece and you’re happy with it, upload it before you forget. Yes, your wifi could genuinely cut out 30 seconds before the deadline, but your lecturers will just ask you why you left it until the last minute or didn’t go to the library to use the public and more reliable wifi there.

Triple check deadline dates and times

You might have multiple pieces of coursework due in the same week that all require physical and digital submissions, so the only way to make sure you’re sticking to deadlines is to triple check.

Unfortunately, it is easy to accidentally mess up the days or misread the time but as easy as it is, universities probably aren’t going to be very lenient if you miss a deadline purely because you thought it was due at 1pm and it was actually 12pm. Being a student is all about being accountable for yourself, and if you do mix up the deadline date it will be your own fault even if it is a super easy mistake. So, we can’t stress enough double and triple check your deadlines! Write them on post it notes on your wall, set timers on your phone an hour before, and don’t leave it until the last half an hour to try and get everything done.

Speak to your tutors or university

If you do submit a piece of coursework late, the first thing you need to do is email your tutors or go and speak to them in person. If you’re too late to submit via turnitin, you need to email them as soon as possible to let them know what’s happened and with a copy of your work in case they’re willing to accept it late and they will be able to advise on next steps.

Sometimes, genuine emergencies can come up last minute which are definitely more important than a coursework deadline. If on the day before, or the day of your submission something comes up, for example a family member is rushed to hospital, email your tutors as soon as possible before the deadline to let them know what’s happening and to ask for an extension. Your tutors are much more likely to be lenient about late submissions if you’ve already told them in advance that it’s going to be late.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your coursework and don’t think you’ll make the deadline or are really struggling with your mental health, try and let them know a few days in advance and request a possible deadline. Your tutors want you to do well and if they know there’s something going on, they will be much more likely to grant an extension or hold off on penalties for late submission if you’ve given them a heads up in advance.

What’s the penalty for late submission?

Unfortunately, late submissions are treated quite seriously by universities. The penalty will depend on your university, your reason for late submission and by how late you were at submitting, eg. were you one minute late to your in-person hand in or are you 4 hours late? It’s best to check on your universities website to find out the exact penalties for late submission, but some universities will deduct marks.

Your work could be reduced by anywhere from 5-10%, or if you’re really late capped at the pass mark, so you won’t receive a grade higher than 40. You might also fail the whole module. Penalties and mark deductions are normally based on how late you submitted your work, so if you leave it a few days you’re much more likely to have your work capped at a pass mark, but if you’re only a few minutes behind your mark might just be reduced by 5%. This is why it’s best to let your tutors know as soon as possible that you need an extension or that your coursework is going to be late, as the longer you leave it to submit the more severe the penalty will be.

Your tutors and Students’ Union should be able to help you out and offer advice on what to do based on your personal circumstances if you do submit a piece of coursework late.

For more uni advice, check out how to avoid plagiarism here.

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Late Submission and Extension Policy and Procedure

Staff, Student and Academic

Introduction

1.1 Students are expected to meet the published deadlines for the submission of assessments.

1.2 The University recognises that, on occasion, students may encounter circumstances which prevent them from meeting assessment deadlines.

1.3 This aim of this policy is to enable students to submit up to 7 calendar days after the published submission date. For students who have a Student Support and Wellbeing approved automatic 7 day extension, the deadlines in this policy are applicable after the automatically extended deadline.

1.4 Coursework submitted later than 7 days after the published submission deadline or extended deadline will be awarded a non-submission grade (0NS).

1.5 Students wishing to submit late or claim an extension should also read the Guidance for Students on Extenuating Circumstances, Fit to Sit, Extensions and Late Submission.

2.1 This policy is applicable to all registered students submitting assessments on a University of Wolverhampton award at undergraduate and postgraduate taught levels. This includes students in UK and international partnerships and distance learners.

2.2 Where this policy is incompatible with courses which adhere to professional body regulations the professional body regulations and procedures will take precedence. Where this applies further information will be published in the Course Guide.

2.3 This policy does not apply to examinations, tests, group work and practicals. For these assessments students should refer to the Fit to Sit and Extenuating Circumstances Policy and Procedures.

University of Wolverhampton Guidance for Students on Extenuating Circumstances, Fit to Sit, Extensions and Late submission, available at  https://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/governance/legal-information/regulations-codes-of-conduct-and-bye-laws/

Fit to Sit and Extenuating Circumstances Policy and Procedures. Available at:  https://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/corporate-information/wlv-policies/fit-to-sit-and-extenuating-circumstances-policy-and-procedure/

2.4 This policy does not apply where a student requires longer than 7 calendar days after the published assessment date to submit their assessment. In these circumstances students should refer to the Fit to Sit and Extenuating Circumstances Policy and Procedures.

2.5 This policy does not apply to assessments taken during a published resit period.

3.1 Coursework submitted after the published submission deadline but within 7 calendar days of that deadline, without an approved extension, will be marked.

3.2 Grades for late submissions will be subject to the following sanctions:

a) Up to 2 days3 after the published deadline A deduction of 10% of the maximum mark available from the actual mark achieved by the student.

b) More than 2 days and up to 7 days after the published deadline A deduction of 20% of the maximum mark available from the actual mark achieved by the student.

c) More than 7 days after the published deadline A non-submission grade (0NS)

3.3 Where the submitted work has met the learning outcomes for the assessment the mark will not be reduced lower than the minimum pass grade.  

3.4 Where multiple versions of an assessment have been submitted it will be the last valid submission before the published deadline that will be marked. If no work is submitted before the published deadline the first assessment submitted after the deadline will be marked in accordance with section 3 of this policy.  

4.1 The purpose of the extensions procedure is to enable an extension to an assessment deadline where exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond a student’s control will prevent them from submitting an assessment by the published deadline.

4.2 The maximum extension that can be granted is 7 calendar days. If the new submission date falls on a day when the University is closed i.e. Christmas and Easter, this will be extended to the next day the University is open.

4.3 Students should apply for an extension at least 7 calendar days before the original assessment submission date. Claims submitted after this deadline will not normally be accepted unless there is evidence that the reasons for applying for an extension were not known at the time.

4.4 Extension claims submitted after the assessment deadline will not be accepted.

4.5 Extension claims must be made through eVision for each affected assessment.

4.6 Students have a maximum of 7 calendar days to submit electronic copies of the supporting evidence via eVision or to provide these to their Faculty Student Services Office.

4.7 An extension can be granted where there is evidence to demonstrate that exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances have affected the student’s ability to submit the assessment by the published assessment deadline.

4.8 Where no evidence is provided within the deadline the claim will be rejected, unless the student provides evidence of good reason for the delay and keeps the Faculty Student Services Office informed of the situation.

4.9 The standard required both in terms of the extent and seriousness of the circumstances and the supporting evidence is at a slightly lower level, than that required for extenuating circumstances, recognising that the possible outcomes of a successful extenuating circumstances claim are more far-ranging than the granting of an extension request. Further guidance is provided in the Guidance for Students on Extenuating Circumstances, Fit to Sit, Extensions and Late Submission.

4.10 Incomplete claims will be rejected.

5.1 Claims will be reviewed by the Faculty Student Records Coordinator or their nominee.

5.2 Students should not wait for confirmation of the outcome of their claim before submitting their work and should submit the assessment no later than 7 calendar days after the published assessment deadline.

5.3 Where a claim is successful the student and the module leader will be notified by email of the new submission date.

5.4 Where a claim is unsuccessful the student will be notified by email. If their assessment was submitted no later than 7 calendar days after the published assessment deadline, it will be marked as a late submission (see Section 3 above).

University of Wolverhampton Guidance for Students on Extenuating Circumstances, Fit to Sit, Extensions and Late Submission – available at https://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/governance/legalinformation/policies-and-regulations/

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Student Handbook 2023/24

12. extenuating circumstances, 12.6. late submission policy, important to note.

• No extensions are permitted under any circumstances for any assessment.
• Essays and dissertations can be submitted up to 7 days after the specified deadline, but will be recorded as late, and a late penalty will be applied – see the Mark Deduction section below.
• No late submissions are permitted under any circumstances for online exams or FAEs.  

Late Submission EC claim

(For essays and dissertations only)

If you have extenuating circumstances to explain your late submission of an essay or dissertation, you should submit an EC claim in line with the following procedure to request for the late penalty to be revoked.

When submitting your EC claim in MySIS, please select ' late submission ' as the EC Impact and include the date you submitted work as the Late Date. Although you may see the option to request an extension in MySIS, you must still select ‘late submission’ as  the School does not permit extensions .

If you wish to submit a late submission EC claim, you must first submit your work up to 7 days late, then submit your EC claim before the EC deadline. The School cannot process your late submission EC claim until we know when you have submitted your work late.   If you submit a late submission EC claim before you have submitted your work late, your claim will be declined - you can submit another claim once you have submitted your work late.

Mark Deduction

If an essay or dissertation is submitted up to 7 days after the specified deadline, it will be recorded as late, and a late penalty will be applied. For every period of 24 hours or part thereof that an essay or dissertation is overdue, there shall be a deduction of 5% of the total marks available (i.e. 5 marks for an assessment marked out of 100).

A late penalty may be revoked where a student provides good reason for the late submission under the extenuating circumstances policy. A student must submit a l ate submission EC claim with supporting evidence in line with that policy in order for the circumstances to be considered.

A student may submit work of passing standard but fail the module because of the late submission penalty. Where the student is eligible for a resit attempt in such a case, the student shall not be required to resubmit the assessment; instead, the minimum pass mark of 50 will be entered for the resit. Where a student is not eligible for a resit, this provision does not apply.

If a student does not submit their work within the 7-day late submission period, they will receive a mark of 0-NS (Non Submission) and will have to resit at the next opportunity. However, extenuating circumstances may apply for non-submission – please refer to the non-submission EC claim guidance for further information if appropriate.

Certain assessments may cease to be a valid measure of a module’s learning outcomes prior to the seven working day cut-off. For example, where feedback has been provided to the class, any submission made after that point would not be an accurate measure of attainment. In such cases, the late submission policy shall apply as normal up to the day on which feedback is given; at that point, a mark of zero (0FL) shall be applied, even if this is within seven calendar days of the deadline. Schools and Institutes must make clear to students in advance where this variant policy applies, or else the general policy shall be applied.

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Assignments and late submission

What happens if i submit an assignment late do i receive a penalty on my grade.

Penalties for late submission may include:

• reduction of your mark by 5% per working day (or part working day) after the submission date
• not being permitted to submit the assignment
• assignment not being marked if it is submitted five working days after the original submission date without an approved extension or beyond the five working days after any approved extension (including those granted under any Learning Access Plan or Special Consideration application)

For more information see the Assessment Procedure - Adjustments to Assessments .

Speak with your academic as early as possible if you are having difficulties completing an assessment task. Your academic will clarify your options and the penalties for late submission.

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Guidance on late submission (to accompany the Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment)

Please note : this Guidance was updated in November 2023 to clarify the example scenarios relating to the procedure for cases where a student receives a pass mark for an assignment (including dissertations) but then fails the unit due to the deduction of marks as a penalty of late submission. New wording has been added under paragraph B 9 in the revised document, with example scenarios 9.2 and 9.3 being slightly revised to provide clarification. A new paragraph (A 5) has also been provided to confirm the aims of the Guidance.

This Guidance accompanies the Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment.

For a full PDF version of the Guidance, please see below:

• Guidance on late submission (PDF)

A. Background

B. Guidance

C. Communications to students

A.      Background

• The Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment was revised and approved in June 2015 for implementation from September 2015. It sets out the University’s policy on the process of submission and sets out the penalties associated with late submission. Updates were also made to the Policy in February 2019 for implementation from September 2019.
• As noted in paragraph 4.5 of the Policy, there is a standard University penalty for all work that is submitted late. This must be used by Schools in relation to large pieces of work (e.g. dissertations/projects) [1] ). It is also the default penalty for all other pieces of work, unless alternative arrangements are agreed by the relevant Faculty. Schools are required to make a case to their Faculty for any exceptions to the standard penalty and, if agreed, any variation must be made clear on each piece of assessment. Faculties should review any variations annually.
• For small pieces of work, in exceptional circumstances a Unit Lead may decide not to accept late submission of assessed summative work. These circumstances must be approved by the Faculty and be detailed within Unit Specifications, and the rationale and consequences must also be clearly articulated in Assignment briefs (see paragraph 4.10 in the Policy on Submission of Work for Summative Assessment).
• The following guidance is provided for Schools to assist in their implementation of these aspects of the Policy. Reference should also be made to the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Degree Regulations , which provide more information in relation to assessment and progression, including compensation and referrals.
• This guidance aims to avoid unnecessary resits/referrals where that is appropriate. The application of the guidance should not lead to exclusion/early exit of students on the basis of a single assessment attempt being subject to a late penalty, unless the student’s total resit allowance has been exceeded.

B.      Guidance

6. Definition of late submission

Any work that has been submitted after a deadline has passed is classed as late except in cases where an extension has already been agreed via mitigating circumstances procedures and DASS extensions.  There should be no discretionary periods or periods of grace.  A student who submits work at 1 minute past a deadline or later will therefore be subject to a penalty for late submission.

This guidance relates to first attempts/first sits only (including deferrals).  Students who submit referral assignments (including carried forward failed credit) after the deadline will be automatically subject to a mark of zero. There should be no sliding scale in operations for resits/referrals and there are no further resit opportunities for referred assignments that are submitted late.

7. Application of penalties for late submission

In cases where a piece of work does not represent an entire assessment or unit, the penalty applies to the individual piece of work , not the total assessment or unit.

No calculations should be made for part-days.  Any work submitted at any time within the first 24 hours following the published submission deadline will receive a penalty of 10% of the maximum amount of marks available.  Any work submitted at any time between 24 hours and up to 48 hours late will receive a deduction of 20% of the marks available, and so on, at the rate of an additional 10% of available marks deducted per 24 hours, until the assignment is submitted, or no marks remain.

If a piece of work is not marked out of 100, the deduction per day is proportional to that for work marked out of 100. For example, for a piece of work marked out of 60, the deduction would be 6 marks per day/24 hours. The reduction is therefore 10% of the total assessment value , rather than 10% of the mark awarded for the piece of work. 

The Policy relates to 24 hours/ calendar days , so includes weekends and weekdays, as well as bank holidays and University closure days. If an assessment deadline is at noon on a Friday and the student submits it just before noon on the following Monday, their penalty would be a 30% mark deduction, based on being late by three days/72 hours.  Schools are therefore advised to consider the implications of deadlines (particularly for hard copy submissions) and are encouraged to avoid deadlines on a Friday.

Schools must make it clear to students that submission dates and times are in UK local time and it is the responsibility of students to ensure that they check the relevant time zone. (This may be of particular relevance to distance learning students).  

Should Schools require both online and hard copy submission of an assignment, the late submission penalty would apply to the piece of work with the earliest submission date.

8. Professionally accredited programmes

The requirements of Professional and Statutory Bodies can take precedence over the requirements of the Policy. Therefore, PSRB accredited programmes which have a deadline/time related Intended Learning Outcome (ILO), for example related to professionalism, are permitted to apply a zero tolerance approach and issue a penalty of zero marks for late submission.

Conversely, in areas where students need a mark/credit for PSRB purposes, they should still be given a mark for work submitted late, if that is a PSRB requirement.

9. Procedure for the handling of cases where a student receives a pass mark for an assignment (including dissertations) but then fails the unit due to the deduction of marks as a penalty of late submission

Students whose assignment mark falls below a pass as a result of a late penalty should not be asked to resubmit the assignment; instead, the original assignment will be used in lieu of a referral, and normal resit/referral procedures will apply*, with unit marks receiving a suffix of ‘C’ or ‘R’, as described below.  If a student’s original unit mark before the application of the penalty was a pass , the mark recorded for the unit will not fall below the minimum compensatable pass mark for the programme.

*If a student has exhausted all their resit credit allowance, the standard regulations (as contained within the Degree Regulations) will apply, in terms of students being required to repeat the level, be issued with an exit award, etc., as appropriate. For students in the final year (level 6) of a UG programme, as reassessment is not permitted in the final year other than for PSRB requirements, if a student’s original mark was a pass before the application of a late penalty, arrangements for dealing with the reduced mark would be carried out via the standard regulations for special compensation in final year.

Example scenarios :

9.1          In cases where a student’s overall unit mark is in the compensation zone (following application of a late submission penalty) and the student has compensation credit remaining, normal compensation procedures will apply. For example, UG marks after the penalty of between 30 and 39 are recorded as 30-39C. PGT marks after the penalty of between 40 and 49 are recorded as 40-49C.

9.2          In cases where a student’s overall unit mark is in the compensation zone (following application of a late submission penalty) but the student has exhausted all their compensation allowance or the unit is a core/compulsory unit which does not permit compensation , the original assignment submission is treated as a referral and the mark is capped, with the final unit mark recorded with a suffix of ‘R’ to denote its treatment as a referral.*

9.3          In cases where a student’s overall unit mark falls below the compensation zone , (following application of a late submission penalty), and has resit allowance remaining the original assignment submission is treated as a referral and the mark is capped, with the final unit mark recorded with a suffix of ‘R’ to denote its treatment as a referral. For example, UG course unit marks that were pass marks before the penalty but that after the penalty fell to below 30 are recorded as 30R (i.e. the minimum compensatable pass mark). PGT course unit marks that were pass marks before the penalty but that after the penalty fell to below 40 are recorded as 40R.

Programmes with minimum compensatable pass marks that are different from the above should adopt an approach that is equivalent but that reflects their pass mark.

10. Procedure for the handling of cases where a student’s original mark was in the compensation zone before the deduction of marks as a penalty of late submission

Students whose assignment mark was in the compensation zone should not be routinely asked to resubmit the assignment*; instead the student’s original mark will be used in lieu of a referral with the students’ unit marks being capped at the lowest compensatable mark (normally 30 for UG and 40 for PGT programmes) and the mark receiving a suffix of ‘R’ to signify that it is being used in lieu of a referral. For example, a UG student whose assignment makes up 100% of the unit and whose original assignment mark was 35, and receives a mark of 5 for the unit as a result of late submission penalties, would have their unit mark recorded as 30R.

*However, if the student has exhausted all their compensation allowance or the unit is a core/compulsory unit which does not permit compensation , the student would need to take a referral of the unit for progression purposes, and would receive an ‘R’ suffix.

11.    Shared units/students undertaking units from another School

In the case of shared units/students undertaking units from another School, it would be good practice for the application of any late submission penalties to be clearly communicated to the student’s programme owning School.

12.    Work submitted more than 9 calendar days late

If work is submitted more than 9 but less than 10 calendar days late, this is considered as a  late submission and a penalty will be applied that results in the mark being reduced to zero. The work should still be marked and feedback given.

If the work is submitted more than 10 calendar days late, then it is considered as a non-submission and a mark of zero applied.

13.   Providing feedback in relation to work submitted late

Work submitted within 10 calendar days of the deadline should be marked and feedback provided; the feedback should reflect the mark achieved before the penalty was imposed. If a student submits work more than 10 calendar days late, there is not a requirement for the work to be marked or feedback provided. However, Schools may choose to mark and provide feedback.

C.      Communications to students

14. Schools should ensure that they make clear to students the deadlines for submission of work and how the students are expected to submit (i.e. the format – online or hard copy, etc.)  Students should be advised via the handbook of the penalties that will be applied if they submit late and the implications for feedback. 

15. Students should also be advised that if they submit referred assignments late, a mark of zero will automatically be given.

[1] Large pieces of work, for this purpose, are defined as being single pieces of assessed work carrying a credit weighting of 30 credits or more.

Version 1.5, November 2023

• Policy and guidance
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Late Submissions

Guidance on the penalties for late work submission.

For every assignment you will be given a deadline for submission of the work. It is important that you submit your coursework by the deadlines stated.  

We adhere rigidly to deadlines, because we are committed to returning your work (and marks) to you in a timely manner. You should aim to submit coursework by the published deadline.  

There are penalties for late submission of work. 

If you submit an assignment late, you are advised to discuss the circumstances with your Student Adviser.  

If you are submitting a late hard copy (most courses do not require hard copies):

• Complete a “Late Submission of Assessed Work” form (found in the BTO reception). (Note that this form is not the same as the “Extension Request” form.)
• Attach the form to your work and post in to the “late box” in the BTO reception.

If an assignment is submitted late online, you may still complete a late form to tell us the reason and post it in the “late box”, but Learn and other online assessment systems will also automatically time-stamp the late work.  

Penalties for Late Work 

There is a 5% penalty per day the course work is late, up to 7 days (for example, a mark of 65% on the common marking scale would be reduced to 60% up to 24 hours later) .  Note that this includes weekends.

Beyond 7 days the mark given will be 0. 

Once feedback has been provided to the class, late submissions will generally not be accepted. Feedback may be given sooner than 7 days.

Extensions and Special Circumstances

While we hope that your studies will go smoothly, we recognise that sometimes you may be affected by circumstances beyond your control, such as injury, illness or mental health. There are support systems and processes, such as course work extensions and special circumstances, in place to help.

If you know in advance that you will struggle to get your coursework in on time you can apply for an extension.

If you have already submitted the assessment you may be able to apply for special circumstances.

Special Circumstances Guidance

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• Learning Tips
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I Forgot to Submit my Assignment: Here are 6 things to do

• by Joseph Kenas
• November 21, 2023

Forgetting to submit assignments is common in schools today due to many preoccupations affecting the students. In this guide, we will explain the options you have if you forget to submit your homework in order to avoid the effects of tardiness.

Sometimes, it is possible to just forget to hand in your homework or submit your essays and papers. Some schools have no leniency to entertain any lateness. However, some students have to try their best when they get late. Here is what to do.

What to Do If You Forgot to Submit Your Assignment

1. submit it anyway.

If you are done with the assignment, and you forgot to submit it, submitting it as soon as possible is the best option you have. The more you keep delaying with it, the more the chances of your assignment not being accepted increase.

Submitting it a few hours after the deadline can make the instructor understand any excuses for late assignments you give other than submitting it days after the deadline passed.

2. Alert the Professor of the Lateness

The best thing to do if you forget to submit your assignment is to alert the professor. He or she sets the deadline and requires you to follow it.

Alert the professor immediately after you realize you missed the deadline, and make sure you give reasons for the deadline miss.

Submitting an assignment without the consent of the professor can decrease the chances of the assignment getting accepted.

Contacting the professor through email is the best way of alerting the professor that you missed the deadline. The email should be short and straight to the point. Read my guide on this and see the late assignment email examples that I provided on that post.

Polite language should be used when writing the email. Use the full name of the professor and words such as “dear” at the beginning and a complimentary close at the end, such as “sincerely.”

3. Request an Extension

This varies from one institution to the other. One will always have to provide proper reasons as to why they need an extension.

In some schools, all you have to do is write to the professor explaining why you need an extension.

The discretion lies with the professor. In other institutions, you will have to write to the examination body to request an extension.

This body then analyses your reasons as to why you need the extension.

They decide whether you deserve it or not and then communicate with your professor on the decision made.

Before requesting an extension, apologize for your lateness. Try to show that you regret not being able to submit your paper on time. 

4. Giving Excuses

Whenever your assignment is late, you will have to give proper excuses as to why it is late. Good excuses can easily get you off the hook.

Unavoidable events and conditions such as illnesses can be good excuses as to why you forgot to submit your assignment.

Every excuse must be backed up with evidence to make it look true. Illness, for example, should be supported by doctor reports showing the days that you were attended to and the severity or type of illness that you had.

In most institutions, the examination body is tasked with determining whether the excuses are genuine or not. 

5. Take responsibility for the lateness

Deadlines are always established by professors for a reason. Professors hate it when students don’t take deadlines seriously because the older the students get, the more responsible they become.

Always take responsibility for missing the deadline and do your best to resolve the problem.

Avoid blame games. Teachers or your institution are not responsible for your lack of time or opportunity to beat deadlines. Always present yourself as a mature person, aware that studying is a major responsibility. 

6. Submit the Assignment Late

They say better late than never. Even if your assignment will be late, always put an effort to make sure that you complete and submit it. You can get lucky and get partial crediting for your work for submitting your assignment after a deadline.

This is better than getting a zero for not submitting the assignment just because you thought that your work will not be accepted.

Always remember you have nothing to lose and finish the assignment. Some professors can be understanding and even accept to mark your work. Don’t accept to fail just because you have not used your chance.

Reasons for Late Assignment Submissions

Mixing up the deadline date.

Students who did not get the deadline dates correctly are likely to submit their assignments late. This can work as a brilliant excuse sometimes if several students miss the deadline due to the same.

If you are the only student in your class who didn’t get the deadline correctly, you are likely to be punished. This can be avoided by being attentive when the instructor is giving deadlines.

Asking other students and the instructor about the deadline if you did not get it correctly can also help meet it. 

Family Emergencies

These also can lead to late assignment submissions. Family emergencies include all the unexpected events that affect the health and safety of your family.

These include accidents and other unavoidable events. Students whose parents are sick can lack enough time to concentrate on assignments while attending to their ill parents.

When the babysitter fails to show up, and the student has to look after his siblings, he or she may not get enough time to do assignments.

These reasons work as proper excuses in school, and one can get an extension to finish the assignment.

Power Outage

When you complete an assignment early, do not wait for the eve of the deadline or the deadline day to print it. Print it immediately after you are done doing it.

When there is no power to type and print the assignment when hardcopies are needed, then the student is likely to miss the deadline. This reason works as a good excuse for assignments with short deadlines. It may or not work in assignments with long deadlines.

Personal Illness

It is hard for students feeling unwell to finish their assignments before the deadline day. Illness is an unforeseen circumstance, and students can’t control it.

It is good to inform your professor that you are ill and won’t meet the deadline before the deadline is reached. Ensure that you provide evidence from the doctor when you do back to school as proof that you were sick.

Lost Your Glasses

Students who have eye problems can submit their assignments late if they lose their eyeglasses. They will not be able to conduct research and type the assignment. This is only applicable for short-term deadlines.

in long-term deadlines, a student is expected to find a solution to complete the assignment before the deadline. One can buy new glasses or pay for the assignment to be typed. 

Another Important Paper is Due 

A student can submit a paper late if there is another important paper that is due in the same time frame. In this case, the student has to write to the instructor and request a late submission. It is a valid reason but you must inform your instructor about the circumstances first. 

Job Interviews

If a student has a job interview that is related to the area of study they specialize in, he or she can submit an assignment late.

One may spend a lot of time preparing for the interview and lose concentration on the assignment in the process. Informing your instructor about this can get you permission for the submission of late work.

Effects of Late Assignment Submissions

Poor grades .

Many institutions are usually very serious when it comes to assignment deadlines.

Some institutions will mark the work, but a percentage of the total marks will be deducted.

Instructors are usually instructed not to accept late work. In this case, the students get a zero.

Students mostly fail in these assignments hence contributing to poor grades overall.

Lack of Fairness

Institutions that accept late assignments from students create a feeling of unfairness among the students.

Those students who hurried up and did the assignment limiting themselves to beat the deadline, will feel that they have been treated unfairly if some students get their deadlines extended. Not accepting late work creates a fairground for all the students in the class. 

Undermines Course Pacing

Late assignments will not help in cases where students need to cover a lot of work in very little time. Even a day or two missed in these circumstances is a big loss. Once a student gets late with the assignment, catching up becomes very hard.

Instructors are forced to set deadlines that all the students must adhere to. Students who can’t cope with course pacing because of submitting late assignments are likely to be kicked out of class. 

Promotes Laziness

When students are allowed to submit their assignments late, the sense and responsibility of finishing assignments on time are reduced.

Students will submit assignments whenever they want to know that they can give excuses for late homework submission and get their assignments accepted by the instructor.

Schools should always strive to prepare students for the outside world. When schools train students that submitting late assignments is right, they are not preparing them well for the real world.

There are situations in real life, such as job interviews, that cannot be postponed. Therefore, to instill this value, it makes sense to penalize students for late homework so that they can learn.

Even in higher learning levels such as master’s and Ph.D. programs, late submissions are not allowed because professors at this level are very busy and try to avoid inconveniences as much as possible.

Joseph is a freelance journalist and a part-time writer with a particular interest in the gig economy. He writes about schooling, college life, and changing trends in education. When not writing, Joseph is hiking or playing chess.

Assessments

There are several types of assessment that are used at the University and these differ between programmes and modules.

Essays, seminar performance, individual and group projects, presentations, practicals and labs.

In-semester tests

Written and timed assessments designed to provide an evaluation of your understanding at that point in the module. These are held during the semester.

Examinations

Written or computer based, take place during exam weeks towards the end of each semester and in the late summer re-sit period in August/September.

Your programme handbook and modules in SurreyLearn will give you further information about the assessments on your programme.

On SurreyLearn you will find details of the deadlines and when and how you can expect to receive feedback . 

Early in the module, you will be provided with full details of the nature and the timing of the assessments so you will have time to plan your work during the semester. You will also receive information about how marks will be allocated between different assignments and for different aspects of an assignment.

The mode of assessment will have been selected to suit the nature of the learning outcomes and can identified in the online module description .

Please note that where there is more than one element of assessment, weightings will vary e.g. 50%/50% or 20%/60%/20%. This is also identified in the module description.

You must achieve a minimum mark to pass a module, which are as follows:

• Foundation year studies (FHEQ Level 3 modules) – 50%
• Undergraduate (FHEQ Level 4, 5 and 6 modules) – 40%
• BVMSci Veterinary Medicine and Science (FHEQ Level 4, 5, 6 and 7 modules) – 50%
• Postgraduate (FHEQ Level 7 modules) – 50%

Modules are normally worth 15 credits (except extended project/dissertation modules).

University grade descriptors are generic statements that describe achievement in terms of the range and breadth of knowledge and abilities a student is required to achieve.

The University’s generic grade descriptors can be found in the  Code of Practice for Assessment and Feedback  in Appendix 1. These generic descriptors are used as a basis to create discipline-specific descriptors and sometimes specific descriptors for particular types of assessment.

Students following taught programmes may be required to submit coursework (e.g. assignments, projects and other reports) in accordance with the relevant arrangements.

The submission deadline for all coursework, including resubmissions, will be a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday by 4pm.

It is recommended that you submit earlier than this.If you have lectures or other commitments on the day your work is due you are expected to plan ahead so you do not miss any timetabled sessions or your deadline.

Work should be submitted in the requested format and the quality of the presentation is important. Your work should be:

• Double spaced
• Page numbered
• Within the word allowance
• In an Arial font, size 12 point.

If a hard-copy is required please follow the arrangement given in your programme handbook and on your SurreyLearn module.

For online submissions you must submit by   4pm on the set deadline date. Work must be submitted in the relevant module assessment within SurreyLearn (not through the Similarity Checker in SurreyLearn).

Where students submit multiple versions of their assessment, the latest version submitted before the deadline is the one that will be marked.

Alternatively, if the assessment is submitted late, the earliest version submitted after the deadline will be the one that is marked.

Only work submitted as a Word or PDF document can be accepted, unless an alternative digital file type is specifically required for a module. Please note that if you submit to the wrong module page your work will be considered a non-submission and will result in a mark of 0% being awarded. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with SurreyLearn in good time of submission deadlines.

Students can avoid plagiarism  by following good academic practice.

You must keep a copy of all submitted work and an additional copy must be made available should it be requested.

If you have an issue submitting your assignment over the weekend (Saturday, Sunday or a Bank Holiday): please email your assignment to your module leader and Faculty assessment team [feps][fass][fhms] [email protected] . Submissions past the deadline will mean they are late and the late penalty regulations (PDF)  apply.

When submitting assignments you are required to confirm that your work is original by completing a declaration – either online or hard copy. When submitting through SurreyLearn you will be presented with the declaration of originality and by submitting your assessment you confirm the statements in the declaration.

Please note that you do not need to declare advice received from University professional/study support services, the accessing of which is encouraged.

The wording of this declaration is as follows:

"I confirm that the submitted work is my own work. No element has been previously submitted for assessment, or where it has, it has been correctly referenced. I have clearly identified and fully acknowledged all material that is entitled to be attributed to others (whether published or unpublished) using the referencing system set out in the programme handbook. 

I agree that the University may submit my work to means of checking this, such as the plagiarism detection service Turnitin® UK and the Turnitin® Authorship Investigate service.  I confirm that I understand that assessed work that has been shown to have been plagiarised will be penalised.

If in completing this work I have been assisted with its presentation by another person, I will state their name and contact details of the assistant in the ‘Comments’ text box below. In addition, if requested, I agree to submit the draft material that was completed solely by me prior to its presentational improvement."

Note for students : you do not need to declare advice received from Academic Skills and Development or other University professional/study advisory service (eg Disability and Neurodiversity, English Language Support), the accessing of which is encouraged .

Students are expected to submit assignments on time.

Submission times are strictly enforced (i.e. a submission at one-minute past is defined as late) therefore it is advisable to submit your assignment well before the deadline in case of any problems.

It is your responsibility to check the submission requirements for each assignment. Students are solely responsible for checking they have submitted the correct document and to the correct folder on SurreyLearn.

Where a student has not submitted a coursework unit of assessment by the deadline specified, and there are no confirmed extenuating circumstances, from 4.01pm the mark given for that unit of assessment will be reduced by 10 percentage points for work submitted in the first 48-hour period after the deadline. Where the actual assessment mark is above or at the Pass mark until the Pass mark is reached. If the assessment is failed, then the actual failed mark will stand without deduction for the late submission.

If the late work is submitted at any point between 48 hours (2 calendar days) and 120 hours (5 calendar days) after the specified submission deadline and there are no confirmed extenuating circumstances, the mark given for that unit of assessment will be the Pass mark (where the actual assessment mark is above or at the Pass mark) or the actual failed mark.

Penalties are applied after the assessed work is marked. The mark recorded for assessed work submitted from 4.01pm on the fifth day after the deadline (120 hours), or not submitted at all, is zero and will not be marked.

Failure to submit coursework, without confirmed extenuating circumstances, will not only result in 0% being awarded but it may also be deemed as failure to make progress with your studies and/or ceasing to participate in the programme. This may result in termination of registration.

Students should also be made aware, that where a unit of assessment has not been submitted at first attempt, and there are no confirmed extenuating circumstances, compensation may not be available at that point for that module.  In such cases compensation will only be available after resubmission.

For further information see the University's  Regulations for Taught Programmes .

When it comes to marking assessments here at Surrey, we’ve been able to respond to your feedback by talking more about how we ensure our process is fair and consistent.  

The animation below explains our 13-step process that we follow for every piece of summative work that you submit. You can find out more in on our  exams and assessments pages . 

Exams and assessment

Late or non-submission of work

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Guidance on penalties for late and non-submission of work for assessment.

The University has a uniform policy for the late submission penalty for a piece of summative assessed work.

Assessment deadlines

The deadline for submitted work is on the hour, for example, where the deadline is 12.00pm, work submitted at 12:00:01 is considered late.

This is to ensure clarity and consistency for students, and the continued effective management of the University's academic standards. Applying discretion beyond the deadline does not constitute a fair and transparent approach.

Students are advised to submit their work at least 1 hour before the deadline.

Penalties for late or non-submitted work

The penalty for late submission of an assessment marked on a pass/fail basis is a failure. Failures in pass/fail modules cannot be condoned or compensated but can normally be reassessed if failed at first attempt, except where the programme or module specification does not automatically permit a reassessment, for example PGCE placement reassessment.

Penalties applied for a first attempt

Use the dropdown below to see details of situations where the following penalties are applied for an assessment first attempt.

Please note that:

• '24 hours' runs for the 24 hour period following the deadline. For example, for a submission on Friday at 12.00pm noon the 24 hour period is until 12.00pm noon on Saturday.
• A 'working day' runs from 12.00pm noon to 12.00pm noon, excluding weekends, bank holidays, and University closure days at Christmas, but including Monday to Friday through vacation periods.

In the following cases, an assessment component will receive no penalty and will be eligible for a full mark:

• Work submitted by the published deadline for submission, or approved extension deadline – i.e. through the exceptional circumstances or LSP processes.

In the following cases, an assessment component will be deducted 5 marks, or applied a capped pass if deducting 5 marks reduces a passing mark to a failure mark. If the raw mark is a failure, then a late penalty is not applied.

• Work submitted after the assessment deadline but within 1 hour of the published deadline or approved extension deadline.

In the following cases, an assessment component will be deducted 10 marks, or applied a capped pass if deducting 10 marks reduces a passing mark to a failure mark. If the raw mark is a failure, then a late penalty is not applied.

• Work submitted between 1 hour and 24 hours after the assessment deadline or approved extension deadline.
• Arriving up to 1 hour late for a scheduled assessment without exceptional circumstances. For example, attending a presentation, viva or so on, on the same day after the allotted time. This does not apply to examinations. Note: it may not always be possible to reschedule an assessment if a student is late.
• Work for a 'timed assessment' submitted after the assessment deadline but within 1 hour of the published deadline.

In the following cases, an assessment component will be eligible for a maximum of a capped pass. If the raw mark is a failure, then a late penalty is not applied.

• Work submitted 24 hours after the assessment deadline but within 5 working days of the published deadline or approved extension deadline.
• Work for a 'timed assessment' submitted after the assessment deadline but within 1 to 3 hours of the published deadline.

In the following cases, an assessment component will receive a mark of zero:

• Work submitted after 5 working days of the published deadline or approved extension deadline.
• Work not submitted after 5 working days of the published deadline or approved extension deadline.
• Work not submitted, or submitted after 3 hours of the published deadline for a 'timed assessment'.
• Non-attendance for an examination without approved exceptional circumstances.
• Non-attendance for a scheduled assessment without exceptional circumstances, for example a presentation, viva and so on.

Penalties applied for a reassessment attempt

Use the dropdown below to see details of situations where the following penalties are applied for a reassessment attempt.

In the following cases, a reassessment component receives no penalty, but the reassessment capping rule applies, so the maximum module mark that can be achieved is a pass mark.

• Work resubmitted by the published reassessment deadline or approved extended deadline.

In the following cases, a reassessment component receives a mark of zero.

• Work resubmitted after a published deadline or approved extended deadline. Reassessments submitted late are not eligible for capped marks.
• Work not resubmitted after a published deadline or approved extended deadline.
• Work not resubmitted for a 'timed assessment' after the published deadline.
• Non-attendance for a resit examination without approved exceptional circumstances.
• Non-attendance or lateness for a scheduled reassessment without exceptional circumstances, for example a presentation, viva and so on.

Penalty examples

An undergraduate or postgraduate first-attempt submission submitted at 12.45pm on the submission date given a raw mark of 64, would have 5 marks deducted.

An undergraduate or postgraduate first attempt submission submitted at 4.00pm on the submission date and given a raw mark of 64 would have a penalty of 10 marks deducted, giving a final mark of 54 for the assessment.

An undergraduate first attempt submission submitted at 4.00pm on the submission date and given a raw mark of 44 would have a penalty of 10 marks deducted, but as the work is of passing standard the penalty applied is a capped final mark of 40 for the assessment (rather than a failure mark of 34).

A postgraduate first attempt submission submitted at 4.00pm on the submission date and given a raw mark of 56 would have a penalty of 10 marks deducted, but as the work is of passing standard the penalty applied is a capped final mark of 50 for the assessment (rather than a failure mark of 46).

An undergraduate first-attempt submission submitted 32 hours after the submission date given a raw mark of 48, would have a penalty of 10 marks deducted, but as the work is of passing standard the penalty applied is a capped final mark of 40 for the assessment (rather than a failure mark of 38).

A resubmission resubmitted at 12.01pm would be given a final mark of zero for the assessment.

If you have any queries, please contact the Assessment team: [email protected] .

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• Current location: Submitting an assessment

Submitting an assessment

Find out how to submit your work so you deliver it on time and to the right place.

When and how to submit

You’ll find out where to submit work from your:

• Canvas module, or
• module handbook.

You will need to submit online or hand in work to your school office or tutor.

Your official due date and method of submission for each assessment is listed in your timetable in Sussex Direct .

Assessment submission deadlines may be during the winter or spring vacation or during the revision week, as listed in our term dates .

Online submission

To submit work online, you should be told which system to use. You must double-check this on Sussex Direct .

The systems you see on Sussex Direct are:

• Turnitin , shown as “Canvas Turnitin”
• Canvas , shown as “Canvas Online”

Check how to submit through Canvas or Turnitin .

Late submission

You can submit work electronically as many times as you like up until the submission deadline.

If the initial deadline has passed and you have not submitted, you may be able to submit during a late period.

Check your timetable in Sussex Direct to see if you’re allowed to submit an assessment late. Sussex Direct shows times in Greenwich Mean Time or British Summer Time, depending on the time of year.

The length of a late period depends on the assessment. The late periods are:

• up to 24 hours after your deadline, or
• up to seven days after your deadline.

Sometimes an assessment doesn’t have a late period beyond your deadline. There is no late submission on group written submissions or take-away papers.

You can’t submit work for any assessment after the late period has passed.

Under our regulations, if you submit work up to 24 hours late you will get 5 percentage points taken off your mark. Work submitted up to seven days late will have 10 percentage points taken off.

Example: A percentage point is not the same as a percentage of your mark. For instance, if you scored 65% for an assessment but submitted your work 12 hours late, your adjusted mark would be 60%.

Resubmission during the late penalty period

Before your due date, you’re allowed to resubmit your work.

Once the final deadline passes, the marking process begins and you cannot resubmit your work.

You cannot replace your submission during a late period – even if you submitted your work within your deadline the first time.

You should tell your school office if you submitted:

• the wrong file through the system
• a file in the wrong format
• a file that was too large.

Regulations

Find out about regulations around exams and assessments .

These cover academic misconduct , including plagiarism .

What are the penalties for late assessment submission?

If an assessment item is submitted after the published deadline without an approved extension of time, the available mark will be reduced consequently.

Please refer to Section 4.3.4 Penalties for late submission  of the Assessment Procedure for further details. 

Is this answer helpful?

Student Administration

Extenuating circumstances and exemption from late penalties.

This section explains extenuating circumstances, guidance on how to report extenuating circumstances, how cases are considered, and what action might be taken should your circumstances be accepted.

What help is available if my assessments are impacted by circumstances outside my control?  

  During your studies at the University of Liverpool, you may experience circumstances outside your control which impact on your ability to complete assessments.  We encourage you to contact your School Department’s Learning and Teaching Support Officer (LTSO) or wellbeing team, or to make use of our other support services.  

In addition to these support services, we also have the following processes in place to help you:  

• If you feel like your performance on an already submitted assessment has been impacted – applying for Extenuating Circumstances may allow you to resit and/or retake part or all of your relevant modules and associated exams/assessments and/or have your degree classification reviewed. Speak to your local LTSO, wellbeing team or other support staff in your School to clarify what your outcomes may be.  
• If you are unable to submit your coursework by the deadline – Exemption from late penalties may prevent you from having marks deducted from your work. 

If you feel that both Extenuating Circumstances and Exemption from late penalties have impacted your studies, you may be able to apply for both processes separately. Speak to your local LTSO, wellbeing team, or other support staff in your school to find out more. 

If you are unsure which approach to follow you should contact your Student Experience Team as soon as possible to discuss who can provide you with relevant support and guidance.    

What are Extenuating Circumstances?  

Extenuating circumstances (ecs) are circumstances or situations which are:  .

• Unforeseen  
• Outside of your control  
• Likely to substantially impact your ability to:  
• study prior to an assessment, exam and/or practical  
• sit your exams and/or submit coursework  

Extenuating Circumstances can include but are not limited to:  

• the death of a family member or loved one  
• issues with your physical or mental health  
• accidents  
• serious medical problems  

Extenuating Circumstances do not include:  

• Errors with your computer close to a submission deadline   
• Sleeping in and missing the start of an exam   

This is not an exhaustive list. For more information, read the Unive r sity’s policy on extenuating circumstances in relation to performance in assessments and ex aminations.   

How do I apply for Extenuating Circumstances?  

If you feel your performance has been impacted by Extenuating Circumstances, you should submit an Extenuating Circumstances application as soon as possible, providing relevant evidence and supporting documentation where appropriate, as described in our Extenuating Circumstances policy  

You can submit a request online: here .  A paper form is available , but you should check with your department/school which format you should use.  

What if I cannot get evidence in time?  

You can submit your Extenuating Circumstances claim and supply evidence at a later date. Speak to your School’s LTSO or wellbeing team to find out your deadline for submitting evidence.  

What happens if my Extenuating Circumstances are approved?  

If approved, the Board of Examiners will take your Extenuating Circumstances into consideration, and you may:  

• be able to resit and/or retake part or all of your relevant modules and associated exams/assessments. Any re-sit marks will be uncapped  
• have the Board of Examiners consider the fact that your performance in the module was affected by Extenuating Circumstances when determining your degree classification at the end of your final year  

Please note: final year students may be required to reject their given classification in order to resit if their Extenuating Circumstances are upheld. Speak to your local LTSO, wellbeing team or other support staff in your school to find out more. 

When will I find out if my application has been approved?  

Each department/school will initially consider requests at an Extenuating Circumstances committee, followed by the Board of Examiners. Dates of these meetings vary by department/school, but you will be told the outcome of your request after the Board of Examiners via email.  

What is Exemption from Late Penalties?  

Coursework submitted after an agreed submission deadline will be subject to ‘late penalties’. Typically, this means that 5% of the total marks available will be deducted for each day (or part of the day) after the deadline, up to a maximum of five days.  If your application for exemption from late penalties is accepted you will not have marks deducted for late submission up to your school’s agreed timeframe. Speak to your local LTSO, wellbeing team or other support staff in your school to find out more. 

For more information, read the University’s policy on Extenuating Circumstances in relation to performance in assessments and examinations. 

How do I apply for Exemption from Late Penalties?

Before completing the application form you should check with your school/department the process you should follow.

If advised to complete the paper-based application form, a copy can be found here Exemption from Late Penalties Application Form .

When should I apply for Exemption from Late Penalties?  

If you are submitting coursework late due to unforeseen medical or exceptional circumstances, you should submit an Exemption from Late Penalties application at the same time as you submit your late coursework.  In most circumstances, your application should be supported by appropriate independent evidence, such as a doctor’s letter or record of online consultations, and police or insurance reports.

For the academic session 2023/24, you will be able to request Exemption from Late Penalties without supporting evidence on two occasions (an occasion relates to a single submission or assessment) across the academic year. If you require any further ELP’s you will need to provide supporting evidence in line with current procedure.  

Where you are requesting ELP’s on a ‘self-certification’ basis (i.e. without evidence) you will still need to formally request this by submitting an Exemption from Late Penalties Application Form  and provide details of the unforeseen circumstances that have impacted your submission.

You will need to submit your ELP request on a ‘self-certification’ basis (without supporting evidence) at the same time as the late coursework, or at the earliest opportunity thereafter.

The latest you can apply for an ELP is:

• After the feedback release date

       2. Two weeks after the original submission date

       3. The end of the Semester

If you have any questions about the ELP application process, please speak to your local LTSO, wellbeing team or other support staff in your school to find out more

Extenuating Circumstances or Exemption from Late Penalties – which is right for me?  

Scenario A  

Student A fell ill a few days before their coursework submission date. Although they were able to submit their work by the deadline, they were unable to dedicate the time to the coursework they would have otherwise and feel that the quality of the work suffered as a result.     In this scenario, Student A could apply for Extenuating Circumstances . Student A faced unforeseen circumstances outside of their control which impacted their ability to complete their coursework. Student A could apply for Extenuating Circumstances and provide a doctor’s note as appropriate independent evidence of their illness.  

Scenario B  

Student B was due to submit a piece of coursework, but break-in at their home resulted in their laptop being stolen. By the time the student was able to submit their coursework, the submission deadline had passed.  

In this scenario, an unforeseen event outside of their control has caused Student B to submit their work late, which in turn will cause a late penalty to be applied to their mark. Student B could apply for Exemption from Late Penalties using a police crime report as appropriate independent evidence.  

Scenario C  

Student C has experienced the death of a family member. As a result of this, Student C was unable to complete their coursework by the submission deadline and the content of their coursework suffered.   

In this scenario, Student C could potentially apply for both Extenuating Circumstances and Exemption from Late Penalties (depending on their school/department) as an unforeseen event outside of their control has caused a late submission as well as impacting upon their work. Student C should consult with their local LTSO, wellbeing team or other support staff in their school to find out more 

Scenario D  

Student D was due to sit an exam but they forgot to set their alarm and overslept, missing the exam.  

In this scenario, neither Extenuating Circumstances nor Exemption from Late Penalties apply.  

You have the right to appeal the Extenuating Circumstances Committee and/or a Board of Examiners decision but only on the following grounds:

Those extenuating circumstances were divulged but:

• There was a procedural error in the decision taken by an Extenuating Circumstances Committee or Board of Examiners when considering the circumstances; or
• You have new or additional material evidence, which, for a valid reason, you were unable to provide at the time of submitting the extenuating circumstances claim.

In addition, if you are at the end of your programme of studies and you consider that there are extenuating circumstances which for good reason you could not have submitted at the time, you may submit an appeal under Section two of the  assessment appeals procedure , but this will normally be limited to extenuating circumstances affecting your final year of study only.

If your ELP application is not approved you may be able to apply for Extenuating Circumstances, and should discuss this with your local LTSO, wellbeing team or other support staff in your school to find out more.

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Late submission of coursework

Meeting your deadlines, plan your workload.

You'll be given a deadline by which work is to be completed and handed in. You should always aim to submit work before the deadline. This ensures you should never have any problems with a late submission. A simple tactic is to set your own deadline, perhaps several days in advance of the last possible date for submission and to organise your work around that. 

You should familiarise yourself with the primary submission methods for coursework and online examinations of each department that you are taking a module with. Each assessment must be submitted by the deadline published in order to gain a mark. If you are concerned that you cannot complete an assessment by the deadline you should contact your department before the deadline or consider making a late submission claim.

If you have difficulty in managing your workload, you can seek advice from a number of sources, including from staff in your department including your personal tutor,  SU Advice  and your  Student Services Hub .

Missing a deadline

It is your responsibility to inform your department of any circumstances affecting your ability to submit on  time. It is at the discretion of the department to comment on work submitted later than the deadlines for formative feedback only (ie. no formal marks will be awarded).

Please  contact your department  for support and advice if you are concerned about your deadlines.

Late submission policy

There is a single  policy for the late submission of coursework and online examinations  (.pdf) for both undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes of study.

The policy states that all assessments submitted after the deadline will receive a mark of zero, unless there are valid circumstances resulting in your late submission.

Reasons you can't meet a deadline 

There may be times when you are unable to undertake, complete or submit a piece of coursework or an online examination on time due to circumstances beyond your control. You can still submit work late if you have submitted a valid late submission claim alongside evidence of your circumstances.

These guidance notes cover circumstances which affect your ability to submit coursework or online examinations by the deadline.

There are separate policies and guidance on  extenuating circumstances  concerning performance in coursework or online examination and your ability to submit at all .

Reasons accepted

These circumstances are defined as the inability to submit work by the deadline due to reasons beyond your control. Accepted circumstances include:

• medical reasons
• practical reasons
• reasons of a personal nature
• genuine emergencies which could not reasonably have been expected

This is not an exhaustive list of ‘accepted’ circumstances and our departments will consider all claims.

Reasons not accepted

The following are examples of circumstances which are not normally considered to be relevant for the instatement of marks due to failure to meet a deadline:

• minor ailments and illnesses on the day of coursework, such as colds, coughs, sprains, headaches
• personal disruptions or events which could have been anticipated, such as holidays, weddings, changing address or employment, religious holidays or festivals which are usually known in advance
• general pressure of work is not taken to be circumstances beyond your control, as you are expected to plan your work schedule
• excessive demands on time or pressure of employment which could have been anticipated
• financial constraints commonly experienced by students
• misreading/confusing the coursework or online examination deadline
• oversleeping on the day of the deadline
• transport problems, such as car breaking down or delayed public transport

It is not appropriate, nor possible, to list all of the potential circumstances that a student may encounter which would be accepted by the Extenuating Circumstances Committee. The list above should give you an indication of the types of circumstance that are not normally accepted by the Committee.

You should note that extenuating circumstances claims for marks instatement of work submitted after the relevant Late Submission deadline can only be considered under the Extenuating Circumstances Policy. This covers cases where you were unable to complete an assessment by the original deadline/the relevant Late Submission deadline due to a circumstance or event that could not reasonably have been anticipated and includes coursework, submitting an online examination or attendance at a coursework test/presentation.

If you miss your coursework deadline and believe that you have circumstances which have affected your ability to submit on time, then you should submit an  extenuating circumstances form  within seven calendar days (including weekends and/or holidays) of the deadline explaining those circumstances and providing any relevant evidence. You should also submit your coursework so that it can be marked if your claim is accepted. 

Online examinations over 23 hours 59 minutes or take-home exams

If you miss submitting your online examination, which is over 23 hours 59 minutes in length, or your take-home exam by the deadline and believe that you have circumstances which have affected your ability to submit by the deadline, then you should submit an  extenuating circumstances form  within 24 hours detailing those circumstances and any relevant evidence. You also need to submit your work within 24 hours so that it can be marked if your claim is accepted.

Online examinations under 23 hours 59 minutes

If you miss submitting your online examination which is less than 23 hours 59 minutes in length by the deadline, this will be treated as a missed assessment, for which you will be given a 0. You will need to submit an  extenuating circumstances claim  if circumstances outside of your control prevented you from submitting on time. 

Absence from in-class tests, practical assignment and presentations

If you have been unable to attend a coursework test, such as a timed in-class test, a presentation or a practical class, you should inform your department as soon as possible.

Some types of assessment, such as certain in-class tests, practical assignments or presentations, may not be covered by this policy. Where it is deemed impossible to accept a late submission request due to the nature of the assessment, this information will be available from the school/department (eg. in the module outline or departmental handbook). In such cases, a student who is unable to undertake the assessment by the deadline due to extenuating circumstances should submit an Extenuating Circumstances claim instead of Late Submission.

Postgraduate dissertations 

Postgraduate taught dissertations or equivalent are not counted as coursework and are therefore not covered by the standard policy on the late submission of coursework. Students can request an extension for their postgraduate dissertation if they find that, due to extenuating circumstances, they will be unable to submit the dissertation by the published deadline.

You can only request an extension before the current deadline for your dissertation and should speak to your supervisor as soon as you begin to have concerns about the deadline. 

Informal extensions

You can request an informal extension from your  department or school  of up to four weeks.

Please write to your Department explaining the reasons for needing an extension and when you hope to submit your dissertation by. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis and your Department or School will notify you of their decision.

There are no registration fees for an informal extension.

Formal extensions

You will need to submit a formal extension request if:

• You require a longer extension than four weeks.
• You have had a formal extension granted to you previously.
• You have been given the opportunity to resubmit your dissertation by the Board of Examiners and need an extension to the resubmission deadline.

Formal extensions can be submitted via the  online form . Requests are will be considered by your Department or School, and final approval is granted by the Faculty Dean.

When an extension is approved, a registration fee of £100 for each term is payable.

Due to the time that it takes for a formal extension to be considered for approval, we recommend submitting your request as soon as you can, and preferably no later than 14 calendar days (including weekends and bank holidays) ahead of the deadline. A request submitted after your deadline has passed will not normally be approved.

What to do if you have missed the deadline

If the deadline for your dissertation has already passed and you have not been able to submit your work, you may be eligible to submit an  extenuating circumstances claim .

Dissertation marks and other results

If you are granted an extension, this date will be used to determine when your marks will be considered by Board of Examiners. If you submit your dissertation before the extended deadline, your results will still go to the next Board of Examiners based on the extension deadline given, not your submission date. 

Your Department or School can let you know when this will be but you should note that there could be a delay of several months between when you submit your dissertation and when your results are available.

What to include on your form

You should include on the  extenuating circumstances form  details of the specific piece(s) of coursework or online examination examinations that you are submitting late and describe the circumstances that prevented timely submission of the work. Make sure you explain the impact these circumstances had on your ability to submit your coursework or online examination by the deadline.

Documentary evidence

Where you are able, it is in your interest to submit independent and reliable supporting evidence as part of your extenuating circumstances application. Supporting evidence should be relevant to the circumstances described in both nature and timeframe. Without supporting evidence, the Extenuating Circumstances Committee/Board of Examiners may not be able to take action on your claim.

See our  guidance on documentary evidence .

Longer-term extenuating circumstances or non-submission of work

If you have experienced significant (longer term) extenuating circumstances that prevent you from either submitting your work at all, or submitting within the relevant late submission timeframe, you should  submit an  extenuating circumstances form . You should clearly explain how your extenuating circumstances affected your ability to submit your work on the form.

Processing your application

Late submission requests for coursework will be accepted for consideration by the relevant departmental Extenuating Circumstances Committee in line with the deadlines stated above, unless model answers have been released. It is at the discretion of the department to comment on work submitted later than the applicable late submission deadline for formative feedback only (that is, no formal marks will be awarded).

Each department has an Extenuating Circumstances Committee which will normally meet at least twice during the year. The Committee will decide whether your work should be marked and whether that mark will count towards your formal assessment (i.e. no formal marks will be instated). The department will advise you of the outcome.

Further information

If you need any further help and advice, please contact or visit the Student Services Hub or SU Advice who will be happy to assist you.

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What Happens If I Submit My Assignment Late?

Assignments are pretty vital in the academic life of every learner. They offer students an opportunity to learn, practice, and showcase to have attained their learning goals. However, some students, especially high school and college students, fail to notice the importance. They end up submitting their assignments late or not submitting them at all.

Some common reasons for late submission among these students include mixing up the deadline date, personal illnesses, family emergencies, and mostly mere laziness. Therefore, as a student, what happens if I submit my assignment late? Please stick around to answer this question and educate yourself more on this matter.

Different instructors give out assignments with varying deadlines. Some deadlines are hourly, while others offer students some days or weeks to work on various assignments. Failure to submit such assignments on time is punishable, although the degree of penalty is subject to the institution’s rules and policies regarding late submission of assessed work.

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So, what happens when students fail to observe the deadlines and submit their assignments late?

Consequences of Late Submission of Assignments

As earlier mentioned, penalties for late submission of assessed work depend on individual, institutional policies or the instructors’ views and beliefs. Below is a list of some of the most common consequences of late assignment submission.

• Failing the course

If an assessment is graded on a pass/fail criterion, the penalty for late submission is a fail. Failures in pass/fail packages cannot be excused or made up for. Still, they can typically be reassessed if unsuccessful on the first try unless the course specification specifically prohibits automatic re-evaluation.

• Deduction of Marks

A penalty of 5% of the total mark awarded for the assignment will be subtracted per day for the first seven days (counting public holidays and weekends) if you hand in your assessment beyond the due date or time. After that, your instructor may not accept your work.

Also see: Best places to do homework 

Unless a request for Special Consideration is granted, assessments turned in more than seven days after the deadline are given a score of 0. You must submit your Special Consideration application before the due date, or if there are aggravating factors, no later than three working days outside the due date if you think you qualify for an extension.

• Added Grace Periods

Professors allow for extensions in rare cases where a student has a legitimate reason for missing out on the submission deadline. For extended periods, professors consider cases to include family emergencies, for example, the death of a close family member, personal illness, stolen laptops, or accidents.

In such situations, the instructor will not deduct marks from your assignment or fail you the course. However, ensure that you complete the work and submit it within an extended period to avoid the possible consequences.

What to Do if You Submit an Assignment Late

So, if you find out that you will not meet the deadline for submitting a particular assignment or the deadline has already passed, what should you do? Do you just give up? Below are several tips to help you solve the issue and possibly avoid the consequences that may come with a late submission.

• Communicate with your instructor

You show that you are not waiting until the last minute to come up with an excuse by informing your professor that you won’t be able to turn in your work by the due date. If you let your lecturer know about any unexpected issues in advance, they’ll appreciate it and probably be more sympathetic than you think. You may call them, write them an email or visit them in their office.

If you can convince your professor of your issue, they might give you additional time. Give a justification for your need for more time to complete it, such as difficulties with your topic’s research or a pressing personal matter.

• Take Responsibility

If you find yourself in a circumstance where you believe you will skip your deadline, accept responsibility for it and make every effort to find a solution. Never accuse your professor or educational institution of not giving you enough time to achieve your deadline; your professor will not be pleased.

Teachers do not like it when students fail to take due dates seriously. What they even dislike more are unjustifiable excuses and lies. Make sure to present yourself as an adult who understands that your first obligation is to study. Personal accountability demonstrates maturity and responsibility for your deeds. Assure your professor that the situation won’t occur again and ensure that you follow through.

• Submit the assignment anyway

Remember, better late than never. The best course of action is to submit the homework as soon as you can if you finished it but forgot to submit it. The longer you delay finishing it, the greater the likelihood that the professor will not approve your assignment.

Nothing is lost if you do this. Your instructor might give you a reprieve if you approach them with a completed assignment; you won’t receive a failing grade. They may appreciate your persistence and effort as long as you strive. You don’t want to fail because you wasted your opportunity, do you?

• Present work that is of high quality

If a professor gives you an extended period to complete your assignment, make sure you use the added time to work hard on the homework. Remember, educators also pay close attention to which learners care about the assignments they submit.

• Be prepared for the possible consequence .

Instructors ought to be impartial to the students who submit their work on time. In order to avoid confusion regarding grading, late work policies are frequently included in the syllabus. Therefore, be prepared for whatever outcome may arise from your late submission. Avoid getting upset if your professor takes away some points.

So, what happens if I submit my assignment late? After reading this article, you are better positioned to understand the repercussions of late submission of assignments. Furthermore, you learn the necessary steps to take if you find yourself in such a situation.

Nevertheless, be aware of your due deadlines and observe them as a student. Meeting deadlines will help you have a smoother stay at school because you will have minimal collisions with your professors.