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Appeals, complaints and discipline

The University is committed to ensuring as high a quality student experience as possible while studying at St Andrews. Occasionally things may go wrong and if you are experiencing a difficulty, or are dissatisfied with your academic experience, you should raise concerns as soon as possible. This allows effective resolutions to be worked out quickly.

Difficulties or dissatisfaction normally fall into one of three categories:

• Appeals against academic judgements - where, for example, the University has made a judgement about your assessed work or academic progression;
• Complaints - where you are dissatisfied with the provision, whether academic or non-academic, that you have received from any part of the University;
• Disciplinary cases - where the University has grounds to believe that you have conducted yourself in an unacceptable manner in an academic or non-academic context.

If there are exceptional personal circumstances that may affect your academic performance or impact on your progression you must bring these to the attention of an appropriate member of staff (for example your Academic Adviser, module coordinator or the appropriate Pro Dean) as soon as possible and normally prior to completing any assessment. If you base a subsequent academic appeal on such exceptional personal circumstances, you will be asked to provide valid reasons to explain why you failed to notify the examiners or other relevant persons of these circumstances prior to completing the assessment.

You can obtain guidance on the procedures relating to Appeals, Complaints and Discipline from the Students' Association, the Court & Senate Office, or Student Services.

Further guidance and support

The Students' Association provides independent and confidential help and advice for students who are contemplating a complaint or appeal or are having discipline proceedings taken against them. The Students' Association employs Iain Cupples, the Student Advocate (Education), whose job it is to ensure that you receive help with writing and submitting your complaint/appeal and will even accompany you to any hearing. He should be your first point of contact as soon as you feel you need help.

For the policy itself see Student academic appeals and academic complaints.