How can I appeal the outcome of an academic misconduct process?

You have the right to appeal the findings, outcome or penalty of an academic misconduct process provided you do so within 10 University working days of the date you were notified of the outcome.There is guidance available if you are nearing the deadline to submit an appeal. When making an appeal it is for you to show that one or more of the grounds below apply:

• That staff or bodies have failed to follow regulations and/or procedures or have failed to follow them with due care 

• That staff or bodies have shown bias or prejudice towards you in the way they have made the relevant decision 

• That relevant new evidence has become available that should be considered and there are valid reasons why it was not provided earlier 

• That the decision was unreasonable and/or the penalty imposed was not proportionate in all of the circumstances. 

 The standard of proof is that of the balance of probability; that it is more likely than not that something was or was not the case. 

The University will not consider an appeal in the following situations: 

1. Academic Judgement: an appeal against a decision where only the opinion of academic expert(s) will suffice is deemed to be a challenge to academic judgement and will not be considered. 

2. Decision Not Yet Made or Confirmed: the University will not consider an appeal where it can be shown, at any stage that the decision against which the appeal is directed has yet to be made or, if made, has yet to be confirmed.  

3. Duplicate Appeals: an appeal will not be considered where the substance of the appeal can be shown to relate to a matter that has already been the subject of an appeal by you that is in progress or has been decided. 

4. Dishonest or Unreasonable Appeals: if, at any stage during the appeal process, it is found that the evidence put forward to support the appeal can be shown to have been acquired dishonestly or is itself dishonest and/or can be shown to be an unreasonable demand or an unreasonable persistence the appeal will be closed and the evidence submitted to the University's disciplinary procedures. 

The same approach will be taken if it can be shown that you have tried to mislead the University about your case. For more information on the academic misconduct appeals process and to obtain an Academic Misconduct Appeal form, visit our academic misconduct page.