Surprised by your grade? You can contest it!
Studying at university comes with a lot of new experiences, including your course convenors expectations of you and how you will be assessed. Amongst all this, it can be especially jarring to get back an exam or an essay with a grade that just feels.. wrong.
If this has happened to you, or if it happens to you in the future, there’s a silver lining: in UK universities, you are allowed to question and contest your grades. Contesting your grade is your right as a student and it does not make you difficult, dramatic, or ungrateful. It is a system that exists to ensure assessment is fair.
So, how does it work and who do you need to talk to?
First things first: what you can and cannot appeal
Remember, you can’t appeal just because you don’t like the grade you got. However, there are situations in which you can appeal:
⚬ Administrative or marking error – the marks were added up incorrectly, pages were missed, or the wrong rubric was used
⚬ The mark doesn’t match the feedback – the written or verbal feedback is broadly positive, but the grade is unexpectedly low
⚬ Inconsistency across markers – You and your classmates got very different marks for very similar work
⚬ Procedural irregularities – the assessment rules were not followed properly
⚬ Incorrect penalties were applied – late penalties were applied despite an extension being granted or word count penalties were applied incorrectly
Step 1: Ask for feedback
Before you jump straight to a formal process, start by asking for feedback on your work.
This usually includes:
⚬ Checking for written feedback from your marker (this is usually uploaded into the online system your university uses)
⚬ Attending a feedback question
⚬ Emailing your tutor or course convenor politely to ask for clarification
Students may not realise these issues do happen despite the markers’ best efforts.
Feedback helps you understand:
⚬ Where marks were gained or lost
⚬ Whether there might be an error
⚬ Whether the mark aligns with the feedback given
Often this will help clear things up. Sometimes, however, it doesn’t.
Step 2: Speak to the right people
Here’s who to contact, and the rough order in which to do so:
1. Your Tutor or Course Convenor
They can:
⚬ Explain how your work was marked
⚬ Check for obvious mistakes
⚬ Advise whether a formal process is appropriate
Remember: You’re not accusing them of wrongdoing. You’re asking for clarity.
2. Your Academic Advisor
Their role is to support you, not just your grades. They can:
⚬ Talk through your options
⚬ Help you decide whether it’s worth escalating
⚬ Support you during the process, if needed
3. Your Student Union’s Advice Service
Student Union Advisers:
⚬ Know your university’s regulations inside and out
⚬ Can tell you if you have grounds to contest a grade
⚬ Help you write an appeal or request for review
⚬ Support you during the process, if needed
They are independent from your academic department and are completely on your side.
Step 3: Request a review or appeal (if appropriate)
Every university has its own process, but it will typically start with something like:
⚬ A mark review – This can be undertaken by emailing your course convenor, explaining your grounds clearly, and providing any evidence you have that is relevant
⚬ A formal academic appeal – This may require filling out a form, but will also require you to explain your grounds clearly and provide relevant evidence
Note: There may be a deadline for how long you have to contest a grade, so if something doesn’t feel right, don’t wait too long.
Things to Reassure You
⚬ Contesting your grade will not make staff thing less of you
⚬ You won’t be ‘blacklisted’ or treated unfairly later on
⚬ Universities are used to this and created a process to handle it
⚬ Even if your grade doesn’t change, you’ve got peace of mind about it
If a mistake has been made.. you deserve to have it corrected
Final Thoughts
University is about learning. One of the things you should learn is how to advocate for yourself. As a child and young adult, you were accustomed to having others advocate for you, but as you develop into a fully fledged adult, it’s best if you can learn to advocate for yourself.
If something feels off about a grade, trust that feeling enough to ask questions. These supports and processes exist for a reason and you are allowed to and expected to use them. Remember, you’re not causing trouble, you’re taking your education seriously.
