Frequently Asked Questions

Currently, we are continuing the same approach to teaching and assessment that we have been following for the whole of the semester. We will keep this under review and let students know if things change, but as of now, teaching will continue to be delivered in person (except for the large teaching sessions which are taking place online), and that any 'event' assessments such as exams will take place as currently planned. If you have personal circumstances which mean that you are unable to take your assessments, you can apply for an allowance under the Exceptional Circumstances procedure, but you will need to provide evidence to demonstrate why you cannot attend.

As above, we are not currently planning to make any changes to our teaching or assessments. Therefore if you choose to leave the UK at this point, you may miss exams or other 'event' assessments. 

If your travel situation is such that you have no choice but to leave early, you can apply for Exceptional Circumstances, but you will need to provide evidence to show why this is the case.

We will keep this situation under review, and if it becomes necessary to make any changes to our plans for Semester 2, we will let students know as soon as possible. As things stand, you should expect to return to campus for Semester 2. 

If you do find yourself in a position where you are unable to return, you should contact isat@brookes.ac.uk if you are an international student, or your Student Support Co-ordinator if you are a home student.

As above, we are currently planning that our on-campus programmes will take place in person in Semester 2. We will let our applicants know if this changes. 

If you think that you may be unable to join us in January, you may wish to consider deferring your place to a later entry point.

Yes, you may have visitors/guests to your University accommodation. Please refer to the hall rules for details.

We will do all that we can to support our students during this difficult time. The Government has provided the following health advice for people who live in the same accommodation as an individual being tested for Covid-19.

If someone in your accommodation is self-isolating, you will only need to self-isolate if:

• you have any symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
• you’ve tested positive for coronavirus - this means you have coronavirus
• you live with someone who has symptoms or tested positive and are over 18 years 6 months of age and are not double vaccinated
• someone in your support bubble has symptoms or tested positive
• you’re told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app
• you arrive in the UK from a country with a high coronavirus risk.

If a student is in self-isolation and has either had a positive Covid-19 test or is waiting for a PCR test result, they should inform the University via the Coronavirus reporting form and we will be able to offer support where needed. Please read this information on how to self-isolate. 

If someone you live with has a positive test, you must self-isolate for 10 days after the date of their first test or after their symptoms began (if earlier), unless: you are under 18 years 6 months of age; or are double vaccinated or are participating in the specific trial of regular testing for contacts. Anyone participating in the trial will be given specific instructions on what they can and cannot do during this period. 

If you display symptoms of Covid-19, follow the Government guidance to immediately self-isolate in your accommodation for 10 days and book a Covid-19 test.

Remember, if you have a positive Covid-19 test, please tell the University by using the Coronavirus reporting form. Do not come on to campus - follow government guidance on self-isolating.

If you have coronavirus symptoms, please visit the NHS Coronavirus website for information on booking a test and stay in your accommodation.

If you experience financial hardship because of a need to self-isolate and are unable to participate in paid work, please contact the Financial Aid team by email at finaid@brookes.ac.uk. 

If you are facing financial difficulties, we would encourage you to speak to us as soon as possible. Where applicable, you will still be able to use your maintenance loan and any Oxford Brookes bursaries you receive in full to support living costs. The University will also be able to set up a payment plan if you wish to pay any remaining rent over a longer period - our Student Finance team will be able to advise further. Please contact the Accommodation team via accommodation.query@brookes.ac.uk.

Student Finance England has answered this question on its website. 

We anticipate that placements for Health and Social Care students should be operating according to the normal placement schedule. Some schedules have been adjusted to allow students to catch up on missed placement time: where this is the case you will have been informed by your placement lead.

Our placement partners expect all students (except those except for medical reasons) to be vaccinated. It is becoming a legal requirement for all staff in residential settings to be vaccinated.

We know that some students, for medical reasons, cannot be vaccinated: for these students, placements may be restricted, this is also the case for those students who are vaccinated but for other reasons remain vulnerable to the Covid-19 virus. We are working with our local providers of placements, Occupational Health, and national bodies to clarify the type of placement activity that students in these 'at risk' groups can engage with

Please talk to your tutors about your situation in the first instance. If you feel that you will not be able to meet the deadlines or prepare for assessments, please refer to our Exceptional Circumstances policy. You may also find these resources useful:

• Managing your wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak - from the Wellbeing team
• Studying online during Covid-19 - from the Centre for Academic Development team
• Togetherall - online courses and peer support available free, 24/7 to all Brookes students.
  

Since the move to remote working, teams across the University have been using different technologies to keep in touch, such as Google Hangout/Meet and Zoom. As a Brookes student you have access to a free Zoom Pro account, which you also use for personal Zoom meetings with friends and family. There are also other software applications available to keep in touch, such as FaceTime (Apple devices), Skype, WhatsApp. These are all available to use over an internet connection and therefore don’t require the use of your international minutes on your mobile phone.

The Wellbeing team has produced a Google site full of useful content to help you manage your wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak. This includes a section on how to stay connected. Brookes Union has also put together some useful resources and information.

Visit our health and wellbeing webpage for more resources, tips and ideas, as well as checking your weekly Student News email. Follow the University's and Brookes Union's social media channels for details of online activities that you can take part in. 

• Oxford Brookes Facebook
• Oxford Brookes Instagram
• Oxford Brookes Twitter
• Brookes Union Facebook
• Brookes Union Instagram
• Brookes Union Twitter

Please see the Test and trace, reporting and self-isolate webpage for more information and advice for this situation.

Claims under the travel insurance are managed at faculty/directorate level. Student travel claims must be submitted by faculty staff. Faculty travel insurance claims are managed by:

• Faculty of Technology, Design & Environment: Sally Wells
• Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences: David McPhee
• Faculty of Health & Life Sciences: Alison Blair
• Oxford Brookes Business School: Emma Coles

Due to the uncertainty around student placement and exchange travel during 2021-22, and changing government travel advice, please contact the Global Exchanges Team for further information

The University has confirmed that it will offer the following adjustments for students who had assessments in Semester 1:

If a student failed any assessments on Semester 1 module(s) the University will:

• waive the requirement for students to have attempted an assessment in order to be eligible for a resit
• offer capped resits (where the maximum mark you can achieve is the minimum pass mark for the module or assignment in question) for the failed component (unless Exceptional Circumstances were awarded, in which case the resit mark will be uncapped), unless the student has already passed the module via their performance on other assessments.
• for students with Semester 3 resits only, ‘compensated pass’ rules can be applied by Exam Committees (up to a maximum of two module credits at Level 4 and a maximum of one module credit at Level 5).
• Please note: in some programmes, Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body regulations may apply and these adjustments may not be possible.

If you have questions about these arrangements, please contact your Student Support Coordinator to discuss. 

For students who are due to graduate at the end of Semester 1, we will also look at final marks to validate that all of the adjustments that we have made to programme delivery, and the additional support provided, have been effective in ensuring that the distribution of marks achieved is consistent with our expectations based on the pattern of marks achieved by previous cohorts. 

If you fail the module(s) at resit, you will need to retake the module. You may be able to ‘trail’ failed modules into the next academic year, depending on your particular circumstances, including any Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body requirements. Your Academic Adviser or Student Support Coordinator can advise you on the detail of your individual situation. 

Yes. As part of our allowances for Covid-19, we have removed the requirement for a student to attempt a module assessment in order to be eligible for a resit. This means that you will be able to take the resit assessment. Your resit mark will be ‘capped’ at 40 unless you have had an Exceptional Circumstances application accepted for the assessment task in question. If you fail the module(s) at resit, you will need to retake the module. You may be able to ‘trail’ failed modules into the next academic year, depending on your particular circumstances. Your Academic Adviser or Student Support Coordinator can advise you on the detail of your individual situation. 

If your results show that you need to take one or more resits, there is support available for you.

The Centre for Academic Development has 1-2-1 tutorial appointments available for students who have resits and want advice and support.

You can also contact your Faculty Student Support Coordinators, your Module Leader or Academic Adviser for advice.

The Wellbeing team is also available throughout the summer.

You can also access the free and confidential Togetherall platform 24/7 for short courses and useful resources (use your Brookes ID to login).  

The exact adjustment will depend on your situation, and any programme-specific or professional body rules which may apply, but the possibilities, which are dependent on your degree programme and your stage within it, are:

If you have passed a module, but your mark is lower than your standard mark of the previous semester:

• You can do nothing and accept the result. You might want to do this if your mark is only slightly lower than your previous standard.
• You can have an adjustment which means that your marks for these modules will not count towards your final classification average or Grade Point Average: this is called an ungraded pass. You might want to do this if your marks are significantly lower than your previous standard. You can have ungraded passes applied to a maximum of two module credits in your programme (i.e. two single modules or one double module). When these modules appear on your transcript, it will be clear that you’ve passed the module, but no mark or grade will be listed.
• You can re-sit these assessments during the Semester 2 resit period (11 - 18 July), for an uncapped mark. This may not be an attractive option for students who are still affected by Covid-19 (students at any Level) or those who will be able to recover their marks in future study (Level 4 or 5 students) or those who can progress to their next level of study with the pass marks they've already achieved (Level 3 students). Therefore you might want to opt for the ungraded passes as described above. Re-sits will take place during the Semester 2 resit period (11 - 18 July), for an uncapped mark.

If you have failed a module:

• You can re-sit any failed assessment during the Semester 2 resit period (11 - 18 July 2020), for an uncapped mark.
• In certain limited and specific circumstances, a “compensated pass” can be applied to a module that you may have narrowly failed.

This process will offer you, the student, some control over the decisions for your particular modules.

This diagram will help you understand the process. Please contact your Student Support Coordinator if you require more help to discuss your options.

All students whose marks this semester are lower than their standard of performance for their previous semester will receive an email from the University (sent by AAP@ec.brookes.ac.uk) to explain their options. If you receive this email, it is very important that you pay careful attention to the detail of the information in the message that you receive, especially the deadline by which you need to respond. 

You cannot change your mind once you have submitted the form. If there has been a genuine mistake, you should contact your Student Support Coordinator who will help if they can. 

Some students did receive an email informing them they were eligible for adjustment by mistake due to a technical error. Those students will now no longer be able to access the portal. We apologise for the confusion and inconvenience.

We cannot extend the deadline to request a resit. You can now either accept your marks as they stand, or you can accept an ungraded pass. You have until 12 noon on 10 July 2020 to do this. If you do not do anything, your marks will stand. You can have ungraded passes applied to a maximum of two module credits in your programme (i.e. two single modules or one double module). When these modules appear on your transcript, it will be clear that you’ve passed the module, but no mark or grade will be listed.

Once you have read the email and considered the adjustment(s) that you have been offered, you will need to decide which of the adjustments available you would like to accept - if any. 

Please bear in mind that Level 4 modules do not contribute to your final degree classification, and that a limited number of Level 5 modules contribute to your final degree classification: your two lowest marks at Level 5 are still discounted from the calculation of your final average even if you elect to take ungraded passes at this point.

Level 4 and 5 students - we recommend that you consider carefully whether you wish to select a resit adjustment during the current continued disruption. You may be able to recover your marks during your next year(s) of study. Taking a resit is a significant amount of work, which you should only commit yourself to if you think it could make a significant difference to your final award.

Graduating students - please think carefully about whether a resit is likely to make any significant difference to your final degree classification. If you are close to a grade boundary, you may want to talk to your Student Support Co-ordinator about whether ungraded passes are a better option.

The email will contain a link to a simple form where you can indicate which of the adjustments you would like to take. You can also use that form to tell us that you would like to accept the mark that you’ve already achieved.

Your responses will then be processed on our system, and any adjustments will appear on your Student Information page within a few working days. We will process the responses as quickly as we can, but please be patient if there is a short delay between your submission of the form and the updates appearing on your Student Information page. You will only be offered adjustments which are automatically available to you, so if you have selected an adjustment then you can be reassured that your student record will be updated accordingly. 

“Previous standard of performance” is your recent standard of performance, which we will compare your Semester 2 results against to determine whether you’ve been disadvantaged by the COVID-19 disruption. See “What marks will count in the calculation of my recent standard?” for information about how this will be calculated.

The grade point average (GPA) is a score which is calculated from your attainment over all the modules you take. More details here.

“Final average” is the figure that is used to determine the degree classification for graduating students. It will be calculated based on the regulations for your programme. Graduating students who are eligible for AAP will want to refer to this figure to consider which option(s) to take. Your Student Support Co-ordinator can help you if you’ve got any questions about this.  

Your marks will appear on your transcript as they are published on your Student Information page. If any of your marks are replaced with ungraded passes via this process, then they will appear as ungraded passes on your transcript - no marks will be shown, but it will be clear that you’ve passed the modules.

If any ungraded passes are added to your programme, the marks for those modules won’t count towards the calculation of your final degree average: which is the figure that determines the classification of your degree. This means that the number of modules on which your final average is calculated will be reduced by the number of modules on which you have an ungraded pass.

If any ungraded passes are added to your programme, the marks for those modules won’t count towards your Grade Point Average. Otherwise, it will be calculated in the usual way.

Yes, it will be online and event assessments (exam resits) will take place between 11 and 18 July.

If you had resits on any Semester 1 modules, then we recognise that your preparation and focus on these will also have been affected by the current situation.

If you had capped resits on Semester 1 modules, and you pass those resits, then there’s no need to adjust anything, because any pass will be an improvement on what you previously achieved.

If you had uncapped resits which you pass, but your marks for those modules are lower than your previous standard performance, you can have an adjustment applied under this procedure: i.e., for those marks to be replaced by an ungraded pass so that they don’t negatively affect the calculation of your final average.

If you had Semester 1 resits (capped or uncapped) which you fail, you can, in certain limited circumstances, have a “compensated pass” applied to the module(s) in question (see below for an explanation of the limitations on compensated passes), or you can have a further opportunity to submit or take the assessment during the Semester 2 resit period (11 - 18 July). Please note that this exceptional allowance is only available for resits which were failed in April 2020, in recognition of the sudden disruption that students were faced with at that time. Any Semester 1 resits which were previously capped will remain capped; resits which were previously uncapped will remain uncapped.

If you have a capped resit, we will be comparing this semester’s marks against the original mark, as this is the fairest and most accurate measure of previous performance. However, if your resit is uncapped (i.e., you were affected by exceptional circumstances at the time of the original assessment) we will discount the previous mark from the calculation.

This information refers to the academic year 2019/20. For information on academic year 2020/21 please see Assessment Adjustment - Semester 2 2020/21. 

We have adjusted our assessments to make sure that - within a changed timeframe - we’re still giving students the chance to show that they can meet all the Learning Outcomes which are required to pass your modules and your course. In recognition of the disruption that everyone is currently experiencing, any students who fail Semester 2 modules will be entitled to an uncapped resit, without having to apply for Exceptional Circumstances.

However, it is important for the value of your award that - even in these disrupted circumstances - you can say with confidence that you have met all of the required Learning Outcomes for your programme. We also recognise that resits may not be an attractive option for students who are still experiencing disruption as a result of the current situation.

So, if you do fail any Semester 2 modules, or any Semester 2 resits, then in certain very limited circumstances we may be able to award you a “compensated pass” on a limited number of modules (up to a maximum of 2 module credits at Levels 3 and 4, and a maximum of 1 module credit at Level 5), but this will depend on how close you have come to passing the module in question, and whether you have passed everything else required to progress.

Where applicable, compensated passes will be applied by the Examination Committee considering your results, and will be published with the rest of your results. If you would rather take an uncapped resit than have the compensated pass, you will need to let us know by responding to the email that we send you when your results are published. Please note that this only applies to compensated passes which are applied to your first sitting of these assessments: if compensated passes are applied to any Semester 2 resits, you will not be able to request a further resit. See also ‘What happens if I fail a resit/get a lower mark in a resit?’

In relation to second resit attempts on Semester 1 modules and resits on Semester 2 modules, if a student:

a) Fails a resit (capped or uncapped), they may be entitled to a compensated pass by the Subject Exam Committee (SEC) (within PSRB restrictions and existing limits on compensated passes), but no further adjustment would be possible;

b) Passes a capped resit, the capped mark will stand;

c) Passes an uncapped resit but at a lower mark than their previous Semester 1 average, then they can apply for an ungraded pass, provided they have previously not used the maximum allocation of two credits of ungraded passes on their programme. If they have fully utilised either of these allocations (compensated passes or ungraded passes), no further adjustment is possible.

d) Passes an uncapped resit at a lower mark than the previous attempt, the previous (higher) mark will stand, unless an ungraded pass is applied as described above.

The post-resit Assessment Adjustment Process will commence the week beginning Monday 17 August.

If you don’t have enough marks from previous semesters for us to be able to measure your previous standard of performance (e.g. because you started your course in January 2020, or because you started in September 2019 and are in the first year of a programme which consists of ‘long thin’ modules that run over Semester 1 and Semester 2), then we can’t make any definitive judgement on whether you were disadvantaged by COVID-related disruption. However, we have said that we acknowledge that all students will have been affected in some way, so in these instances, we will offer students the opportunity of an ungraded pass or an uncapped resit, which you can choose to take if you think that your performance was of a lower standard than you would have been able to achieve without the COVID disruption. 

If you don’t think you’ve been offered the appropriate adjustments, or you haven’t been offered any adjustments and you think you should have been, you should contact your Student Support Coordinator in the first instance.

If you think that there has been an error in the way we have calculated your marks and eligibility for adjustment, please contact your Student Support Coordinator in the first instance.

The Academic Adjustment Process should not become a means of circumventing or nullifying any penalty which has been applied following an Academic Conduct investigation. However, the exact relationship between an Academic Conduct penalty and AAP will vary greatly between different cases and we will cross-reference the penalties which have been awarded with a student’s eligibility for AAP. If you’ve had your marks reduced as a penalty from an Academic Conduct investigation, you may not be eligible for AAP even though your Semester 2 mark is lower than your previous average. If that’s the case then you won’t receive the email about your options. If one or more of your module results is ineligible for AAP because of an Academic Conduct outcome, but other modules are eligible for adjustment under AAP, you’ll be contacted separately to explain your options.  

For the full details of the grounds that are eligible for an appeal and the process of how to appeal, please see this document. 

We’re putting measures in place to ensure that students aren’t academically disadvantaged by the changes that we’ve made to teaching and assessment, and we think that the fairest way to do this is on a case-by-case basis, applying consistent measures and mechanisms. We’re not able to make any universal guarantees, however, because many of our courses carry professional accreditation, including nursing and other health care professions. We have to apply specific, rather than ‘blanket’ considerations to those courses, so that we don’t risk the integrity of the professional qualifications or the safety of the public.

We recognise that you may be feeling anxious about whether you’re able to give enough focus to this semester’s assessments to perform to the best of your ability. For that reason, as communicated in an email on Monday 6 April, we are introducing additional measures for all taught programmes, to make sure that you are not academically disadvantaged by the changes to the learning materials and assessment methods that have been introduced, or by the disruption that all students are experiencing as a result of COVID-19.

This is in addition to the the measures that were already in place, including:

• Creating alternative event assessments (exams, timed tests) that will be held online, adjusting assessment schedules, and where possible, reducing the amount of assessment tasks.
• Adjusting planned teaching to deliver it online rather than face-to-face, and reviewing it against learning outcomes to ensure we’re not over-burdening students.
• Extending the self-certification period for Exceptional Circumstances to 14 days.

We know and appreciate, however, that all students are affected by the current situation - particularly those with personal health concerns, those who are unexpectedly having to balance study with childcare, and those who may be caring for loved ones who are especially vulnerable at this time.

For that reason, in addition to the measures listed above, we’ve introduced an Assessment Adjustment Process in recognition of the current situation and its effects on students. These measures will mean that we can make some adjustments if this semester's marks are lower than your previous semester marks.

Please note: Oxford Brookes students studying at one of our partner institutions may have different arrangements and should refer to guidance issued by their teaching provider. The same principles of ensuring that students are not disadvantaged by the current situation will apply, but the arrangements may vary depending on the partner institution and the course.

We will look at your recent standard mark from Semester 1 of the current academic year (or the most recent semester for which you have assessment results), and compare that mark with your Semester 2 results, to identify whether you may have been disadvantaged by the changes to teaching and assessment that we’ve introduced in order to complete Semester 2.

If any of your marks for modules concluding in Semester 2 are lower than your recent standard mark for Semester 1 (or the most recent semester for which you have assessment results), we can make an adjustment.

All modules passed during Semester 1 of the current academic year (or the most recent semester for which you have assessment results) will be counted towards the calculation of your recent standard mark.

If you’ve failed any Semester 1 modules and have been given a capped resit, then your original mark for that module will be included in the calculation of your recent standard mark.

If you’ve been given uncapped resits (via Exceptional Circumstances) for any Semester 1 modules, then your original mark won’t be counted in the calculation of your recent standard mark.

If you don’t have any marks from Semester 1 of the current academic year (perhaps because of the structure of your course, or because you were on temporary withdrawal during that semester), we will calculate your recent standard based on the previous semester for which assessment results are available. Failed modules will be included in the calculation.

Adjustments will be applied to individual modules, in the cases where your marks for those modules are lower than your recent standard mark. If some of your Semester 2 modules have a lower mark than your recent standard mark, and other modules are equal or higher than your recent standard mark, adjustments will only be applied to those modules where the marks are lower than your recent standard.

If you don’t have enough previous marks for us to make a comparison, we’ll contact you separately, when your results are released, to explain what’s available to you.

Once your Semester 2 results have been published, we will contact all students who are eligible for an adjustment. Please note that not all adjustments will be available to all students - it will depend on your programme situation, and any professional, statutory, or regulatory body requirements which apply to your programme - but we will apply whatever we can to make sure that you are not disadvantaged, without compromising the integrity of our programmes or - most importantly of all - the value and status of your degree.

You can respond through a simple form and you won’t have to provide evidence.

If you had resits on any Semester 1 modules, then we recognise that your preparation and focus on these will also have been affected by the current situation. They will be included in this process and we can make adjustments if you pass any uncapped resit with a lower mark than your previous standard mark, or if you fail any resits.

We will contact eligible students immediately when results are released.

No. Students will still need to pass modules to get the necessary academic credits to progress or to graduate, except in the very limited circumstances where we can apply a compensatory pass to modules which have been narrowly failed: more details on this will be published in June. Resits will take place from 11-18 July. Students who fail Semester 2 modules will be entitled to an uncapped resit without having to apply for Exceptional Circumstances.

We will look at placements individually - there is a lot of variation in the situations that students on placements find themselves in. If placements have been curtailed prematurely due to COVID-19, we are finding ways of providing opportunities for students to complete their placement requirements however we can.