Academic Appeals

Academic Appeals


If you would like to appeal an academic decision made by the University, the UCSA Advocacy & Welfare team is here to help.

This page is all about submitting appeals of academic decisions. This includes decisions about:

  • Admissions and enrolment;
  • Assessment grades;
  • Outcomes of formal Reconsiderations of Grade;
  • Some decisions related to doctoral degrees; and
  • Other academic decisions.

You can also submit appeals about other decisions at UC, but we have included information about those appeals on the relevant pages, as they have special processes that apply to them. This includes:

For all other sorts of academic decisions that you would like to appeal, please use the information on this page.

There are a few different stages to the appeals process at UC, which we have outlined below.

If you are not sure what to do, please contact us HERE and we can support you.

How Can the UCSA Student Advocates Help?

There are lots of ways that the UCSA Student Advocates can help you through the appeals processes at UC. Our team is very experienced with assisting students through appeals, and with understanding and explaining UC policy and regulations.


The UCSA Student Advocates can help you understand the University’s appeal process, including the range of possible outcomes. Contact them here.


The UCSA Student Advocates can review your draft appeal letter and other written submission, and provide feedback on ways to improve them.


The UCSA Student Advocates can assist you to identify relevant pieces of evidence to present with your appeal, and relevant people to call as witnesses in the appeal hearing.


The UCSA Student Advocates can support you through the hearing process, which includes attending the hearing with you as your advocate.

What are the Stages of the Academic Appeal Process?

There are a few different steps in the appeals process at UC, with increasing levels of formality. These are:


  • Request the original decision maker to review and reconsider their decision.
  • Request that the relevant UC Dean review the decision, and determine whether it should be changed (unless the original decision maker was the Dean).
  • Submit a formal appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee (AAC).

In general, you will need to follow each of these steps in turn, though there are some circumstances in which you might jump ahead to a more formal part of the appeal process.


Reconsideration by the original decision maker

The first step is to contact the person who made the original decision, and request that they reconsider the decision. It is best to do this in writing via email.


In your request, you should provide any additional information that you have that might assist them in their decision making, and explain why you believe that the original decision was incorrect or unfair and should be changed.


If you would like some help making this request, then please contact us here.


There may be situations where it would be inappropriate to contact the original decision maker. If that is the case, then you can simply proceed to the next step in the process. Likewise, if they refuse to reconsider their decision, or do reconsider the decision but come to the same decision or a different decision you are still unhappy with, you should proceed to the next step of the process.

Request a review by the Dean

If a request to the original decision maker to reconsider their decision is unsuccessful or inappropriate, then the next step is to request a review by the relevant UC Dean.


You must request this review by the Dean before you can lodge a formal academic appeal.


The only circumstance in which you do not request a review by the relevant Dean is where the original decision itself was made by a Dean. In that situation, you should proceed immediately to the next stage of the appeal process.


To request a review by the Dean, you should contact the Dean by email, state that you are requesting a review of an academic decision, and explain your reasons for requesting the review in as much detail as possible. If you have any additional evidence that supports your argument, then you should provide this with your request to the Dean.


If you would like some help making this request, then please contact us here.


You should request a review as soon as possible after the previous decision was made. In general, it is best to do so within ten working days of being notified of the decision. The Dean can refuse to consider your request if they think the delay is unreasonable.


If you are unhappy with the outcome of a review by a Dean, or if the original decision was itself made by a Dean, then you can submit a formal appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee.

Formal appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee

Formal Academic Appeals are heard by the Academic Appeals Committee (AAC).


Please note that while you have a right to apply to the AAC to appeal a Dean’s decision, this does not mean that the application will be automatically accepted by the AAC.


In almost all cases, you will first need to apply for leave (permission) to appeal to the AAC. To be granted leave to appeal, you must show that:

  1. There has been a breach of process in relation to the decision;
  2. You have new evidence or information that has not yet been considered and was not available to you at the time of the decision; or
  3. The decision was manifestly unjust. A decision is considered manifestly unjust if it is clearly and obviously unjust, e.g., the decision is out of proportion to the reasons why the decision was made.

In order to submit an appeal, you should write a formal appeal letter, and send it along with all the relevant evidence to the UC Kairuruku Nawe, Tukanga Akoranga – Grievance and Academic Processes Advisor at concerns@canterbury.ac.nz.


If you would like some help with drafting your letter and compiling your evidence, then please contact us here.

What Should I Put in My Appeal Letter?

Your appeal letter must include the following:


  • Details of the original decision and the review/s of the decision that have already happened;
  • The academic disadvantage the decision has caused you;
  • The reason you are submitting the appeal, including why you believe the decision is incorrect;
  • How the situation satisfies at least one of the three requirements for leave to appeal (listed in the tab above); and
  • A summary of any evidence that you are providing that supports your position.

Your appeal letter should present as a formal letter, and should be written in formal language, and with correct spelling and grammar.


You will also need to include evidence with your appeal. In general, it is best to provide as much evidence as you have available that supports your appeal. If you have witnesses who you think would be able to provide evidence, it is good to get them to write and sign a statement that you can include with your appeal letter.


If you would like some help with drafting your letter and compiling your evidence, then please contact us here.

Is there a Deadline on Submitting My Appeal Letter?

Yes.


There is a strict formal deadline of ten working days from the date of the previous decision, in which you can submit your appeal. This is taken from the date the decision is sent to your UC student email inbox, not from the date you happen to open and read the decision.


Please note that the day you receive the decision is counted as “Day Zero”, so the ten working days starts on the next working day. For example, if you receive a decision on a Friday, then the first working day will be the following Monday (provided it is not a public holiday), and your appeal will be due by 5:00pm on the second Friday after you receive the original decision (again, provided that there are no public holidays between those dates, in which case you add one additional working day for each public holiday).


If you are applying to appeal after the 10 working day deadline, you will need to keep in mind that:


  • Late application to appeal will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances; and
  • A decision by the AAC to not accept a late appeal cannot itself be appealed.

What Happens After I Submit My Appeal Letter?

The Chair of the AAC, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, will then consider your appeal letter and the evidence you have provided to determine whether you should be given leave to appeal.


If the Chair is satisfied that your appeal sufficiently meets one of the required grounds for appeal, then you will be notified of this decision, and an actual AAC appeal hearing will be scheduled. This might take some time to arrange.


If the Chair is not satisfied that your appeal sufficiently meets one of the required grounds for appeal, then your request for leave will be declined. This will effectively bring your appeal to an end within the UC system, as a decision to not grant leave to appeal cannot itself be appealed.

What Happens at an AAC Appeal Hearing?

The Academic Appeals Committee will consist of four members:


  • Three senior UC academics from across the University, who are not connected with you or your study; and
  • A member of the UCSA Student Executive, usually the UCSA Vice-President.

These four people collectively make the decision on your appeal.


There will also normally be a number of other people present who are not part of the actual decision-making process:


  • You, so that you can explain your grounds for appeal and present your most compelling information and evidence;
  • The Dean who made the previous decision (either the original decision, or the review of the original decision, depending on your particular situation), so they can explain why they made the decision they did;
  • Any witnesses that you or the Dean asks to be present;
  • Any support people or advocates you wish to be present; and
  • A secretary who will take minutes and record and communicate the AAC’s decision, normally the Grievance and Academic Processes Advisor.

An AAC hearing is a semi-formal process, in which the AAC will:


  • Hear from you about your grounds of appeal, and any additional information or evidence that were not included in your original appeal documents;
  • Hear from the Dean who either made the original decision or conducted the review of the original decision, as to why they made the decision they did;
  • Hear from any witnesses requested either by you or by the Dean;
  • Ask questions of you, the Dean, or any witnesses; and
  • Then make a decision on your appeal, after you, the Dean, and any witnesses leave the room.

The hearing itself will normally take place on campus, but may take place by Zoom/video link, or a combination of the two.

Can I bring the UCSA Student Advocate or another support person with me to an AAC appeal hearing?

Yes, a UCSA Student Advocate can support you in the hearing. The UCSA Student Advocates have speaking rights in these hearings, and can assist you to explain your argument, or assist if there are any difficulties with communication between you and the AAC.


You must inform the secretary to the AAC that a UCSA Student Advocate will be supporting you in the hearing.


If you intend to have any UC staff member or any person involved in the appeal to act as your advocate in the hearing, you will need to obtain prior written approval of the Committee Chair.


You may also bring a support person with you to the hearing. This could be friend or family member. You will not normally be allowed to have a UC staff member or anyone who is involved in the appeal as your support person, unless prior written approval is granted by the Chair of the AAC.


Please note that support people do not have speaking rights in the hearing, i.e., they will not be allowed to speak on your behalf. Their role will be to provide you with emotional support.


You can ask witnesses to come to the hearing to present evidence in support of your appeal if you wish. They will be given a chance to present their evidence, and may also be asked questions by the AAC.


If you wish to bring any witnesses to the hearing, then you must inform the secretary to the AAC (at least two working days beforehand) of the names of all the witnesses you intend to bring to the hearing.

What Happens If I Do Not Attend the AAC Appeal Hearing?

If you do not attend the hearing in person, the hearing may proceed in your absence. The AAC will consider the written material you have provided and make their decision. Often, decisions that are made in the students’ absences do not result in good outcomes for the students.

How Will I Know the Outcome of an AAC Appeal?

The outcome of the process will be notified to you in writing via email, typically within 20 working days of the hearing. Please check your UC email account regularly.


After considering the evidence and information provided, the Academic Appeals Committee will deliberate and make a decision regarding the outcome of the appeal.


You will normally receive formal notification of the outcome of your appeal within 20 working days of the appeal. More complex cases may take longer for an appeal decision to be notified.


The possible outcomes of an academic appeal are:


  • That the original decision stands;
  • The original decision is changed in some way; or
  • The original decision is overturned.

Are There Any Further Avenues of Appeal at UC?

If you are unhappy with the decision of the Academic Appeals Committee, then it is best to first get in touch with us to discuss the situation (insert Advocacy online form here).


You can then seek leave to appeal to the University Appeals Committee (UAC). The outcome letter from the AAC will inform you of how to appeal the decision, but please note that the deadline to appeal the decision will be 10 working days from the date you received the decision of the AAC.


For leave to appeal to the UAC to be granted, you must show that:


  • There has been a breach of process in relation to the first appeal; or
  • You have substantial new evidence or information that was not available to you at the time of the first appeal.

If leave is granted by UAC, the appeal hearing will operate in a similar way to that of the AAC.


The decision of the University Appeals Committee is final. There are no further avenues of appeal within the University if the UAC declines leave for you to appeal, or makes a decision that you are unhappy with.

Are There Any Avenues of Appeal Outside of the University?

If you believe that the University’s appeal process has been conducted incorrectly or that the outcome is unreasonable, you have the right to raise the matter for external and independent review with:


Unfortunately, we are not able to advise or assist you with these external processes, as that is outside of the scope of our role in the UCSA Advocacy and Welfare team.

Relevant UC Regulation and Policy

Appeals Regulations

Academic Appeal Procedures Guide for students