Part V - Fit to Sit

These regulations apply to students enrolled on MBChB Medicine and Medicine with Foundation Year programmes from September 2026. 

1 Introduction 

1.1 The University operates a fit to sit process, meaning students are given the opportunity to declare when they are not fit to sit or submit assessments and to seek further consideration of their circumstances.  

 

1.2 Having this approach also maintains the credibility of our awards by ensuring that assessment reflects a student’s actual performance under agreed conditions. 

 

1.3 Students are responsible for deciding whether they are well enough to sit an exam or submit coursework.  

 

1.4 The University will remind students of these regulations at relevant points during the year. 

 

2 Fit to Sit 

2.1 If a student sits/submits an assessment, they are declaring themselves fit to sit. 

 

2.2 This means the student will accept the mark they receive for the assessment as legitimate and cannot claim there were mitigating circumstances which affected their performance.  

 

2.3 Where a student sits/submits an assessment and then makes a mitigating circumstances claim in relation to that assessment, the claim will be rejected and the mark achieved in the assessment will stand. The only exceptions are as set out under ‘Withdrawing a Fit to Sit Declaration’. 

 

3 Not Fit to Sit 

3.1 If a student feels there are significant, unexpected and unpreventable events, beyond their control, which could have a serious and adverse effect upon their assessed work they should consider whether to declare themself not fit to sit. Students can access advice and support from their Personal Academic Tutor, Student Support and Advice or the Students’ Union Advice Centre when considering their options. 

 

3.2 If unexpected short-term circumstances arise in the lead up to coursework submission, it is more appropriate for a student to apply for a short extension to the deadline as per the Extensions Policy. 

 

3.3 If a student decides they are not fit to sit, they must not sit/submit the assessment and instead must apply for Mitigating Circumstances. They have up to 10 working days after the assessment date or submission deadline to submit a claim. Students must refer to the Mitigating Circumstances Regulations, Section 2: Examples of Mitigating Circumstances, which sets out the circumstances which, when supported by relevant, corroborating evidence, are normally accepted as mitigating (and therefore impair a student’s fitness to sit) and those circumstances which are not normally accepted. 

 

3.4 If a student declares themselves not fit to sit, and the Mitigating Circumstances Panel deems the circumstances not valid (including after reconsideration) the assessment will be considered a non-submission.  

 

4 Withdrawing a Fit to Sit Declaration 

4.1 Students can only ‘withdraw’ a fit to sit declaration in specific circumstances. This being: 

 

4.1.i They student was taken unwell partway through an exam or live assessment; or, 

4.1.ii The student can provide evidence their judgment was impaired at the time of declaration and they were unable to make a rational decision about whether they were actually fit to sit; or, 

4.1.iii The student knew they were unwell but reasonably believed they would not be able to sit the exam/submit assessment at the next potential opportunity (i.e. they were pregnant, have a deteriorating health condition), or might have faced serious financial or employment consequences if they delayed completing their course. 

 

4.2. To withdraw a fit to sit declaration, a student must apply for Mitigating Circumstances within 10 working days after the assessment date or submission deadline. The application must be supported by time-relevant, independent, and corroborating documentary evidence which clearly demonstrates the impact on studies at the time of the submission dates. The Mitigating Circumstances Regulations set out further information about evidence requirements. 

 

5. Clinical Assessments 

5.1 Students on programmes subject to additional professional practise requirements have an ethical obligation to protect the public. 

 

5.2 Where a student is aware of a pre-existing issue that may adversely affect their performance, the professional requirement is that they do not practise until well enough to do so.  

 

5.3 A student who attends a clinical assessment will therefore be declaring themselves fit to sit, and the lodging of a retrospective Mitigating Circumstances claim will be referred to the student’s programme team and the nature of the declaration may subsequently be considered either a Fitness to Practise or Fitness to Study matter.  

 

5.4 However, where 4.1.i and/or 4.1.ii applies to a clinical assessment, students should use the Mitigating Circumstances procedures to withdraw a Fit to Sit declaration. Such matters will not normally be referred to the student’s programme team.