We will do everything possible to ensure that industrial action does not impact on your studies, including your ability to progress from one year of study to the next (or from a pre-sessional or foundation course onto your main degree) and your ability to graduate as expected, as long as the requirements of your course are met.
The impact of any industrial action on assessment will vary from exam to exam and module to module, so each assessment will be considered individually.
King’s guiding principles are that no student should experience any detriment as a result of the boycott, and that academic standards are fully maintained.
Faculties and departments will closely monitor the assessment process and mitigation will be applied accordingly.
In this article you will find information in relation to:
- Postgraduate taught students due to complete their studies later in 2023
- Taught students progressing to the next year of studies
- Students who have graduated
- Marking and results
- Progression, graduation and applying for jobs or further study
- Visas
- Taking exams and assessments
This article was last updated on 21 September 2023.
I'm a postgraduate taught student finishing my studies later this year, when will I receive my marks?
The marking and assessment boycott has now been called off, but some work remains unmarked. This may mean that some students experience delays in receiving marks or feedback on exams and assessments. We are doing everything possible to ensure exams, assessments and coursework are marked in good time and minimise any delays.
I'm a postgraduate taught student finishing my studies later this year, will there be any impact on my ability to finish my studies and graduate?
We will take all available steps to minimise any disruption and ensure that you can graduate at the end of your degree as normal, as long as you meet the requirements of your programme.
We may put in place mitigations such as re-weighting of assessment or granting of condoned credit if required to enable you to graduate.
Any programme with Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body progression regulations will be subject to specific focus to ensure we continue to meet their requirements.
I'm a postgraduate taught student finishing my studies later this year, will I still be able to attend my graduation ceremony?
We are looking forward to our January and July 2024 graduation ceremonies, which are all taking place as planned.
As in any year, all students who have been awarded their degree will be able to participate in a ceremony. We are doing everything possible to ensure exams, assessments and coursework are marked in good time to allow students to attend their graduation ceremony, as long as they have met the requirements of their programme.
If students have failed or not completed the final year for reasons not directly related to the marking and assessment boycott, they would not participate in the ceremony. Your department will provide you with details about the next steps should this be the case.
I'm progressing from one year of study to the next but I'm still missing marks, when will I receive these?
If you have been progressed from one year of study to the next but still have missing marks as a result of the boycott, please rest assured we are working hard to complete outstanding marking as soon as possible, now that the boycott has been called off. Timeframes for marking will vary across programmes.
If I get an academic fail when I receive missing marks, will I be able to attempt assessments again?
In recognition of the added challenges the boycott has presented, we will offer an extra re-assessment opportunity (in addition to any already allowed under our academic regulations) for any students who receive an academic fail, when outstanding marking for assessments affected by the boycott has been completed. Academic fails are rare, however, and we expect the vast majority of students will not require this additional assessment attempt.
I’ve now graduated, but some of my work wasn’t marked by the module leader, will it be remarked now that the boycott has been called off?
No, assessments which have already been marked, where your overall results and final degree classification were ratified, will not be re-marked.
If you were made aware that your module was affected by the boycott but your assessment was marked, please be assured that this will mean that another appropriately qualified subject matter expert marked your assessment, in line with the affected assessment’s marking scheme. To assure and monitor the quality of the education we provide to you and ensure that marking and assessment reflects your academic achievements and success in meeting programme learning outcomes, this marking by other qualified subject matter experts would have been overseen by senior academics in the faculty.
I’ve now graduated, but some of my work wasn’t marked and I had assessments re-weighted or I was granted condoned credit, will my work be marked now that the boycott has been called off?
No, assessments which were not marked, where your overall results and final degree classification were ratified, will not now be marked.
For more information on re-weighting and awarding of condoned credit due to the marking and assessment boycott, please see the questions below.
Will my marks be affected by the marking and assessment boycott?
King's has extensive regulations in place to assure and monitor the quality of the education we provide to you and ensure that marking and assessment reflects your academic achievements and success in meeting programme learning outcomes. This includes ensuring that your work is marked and assessed by appropriately qualified subject matter experts. The impact of any industrial action on assessment will vary from assessment to assessment and module to module, so each will be considered individually.
Who marked my work?
If you were made aware that your module was affected by the boycott but you can see that your assessment has been marked, please be assured that this will mean that an appropriately qualified subject matter expert marked your assessment, in line with the affected assessment’s marking scheme. To assure and monitor the quality of the education we provide to you and ensure that marking and assessment reflects your academic achievements and success in meeting programme learning outcomes, any marking completed by qualified subject matter experts other than the usual markers would have been overseen by senior academics in the faculty.
Will I receive all my marks on time?
The ongoing impacts of the marking and assessment boycott may mean that some students experience delays in receiving marks or feedback on exams and assessments. We are doing everything possible to ensure exams, assessments and coursework are marked in good time.
The impact of any industrial action on assessment will vary from exam to exam and module to module, so each assessment will be considered individually.
What is being done to ensure I receive my marks on time?
Most of King’s academic staff will have carried out marking and assessment as usual and we expect many of our students will be unaffected by this action. Where staff participated in the boycott and did not originally carry out marking and assessment, these staff are expected to return to marking as usual now that the boycott has been called off.
My results show an assessment has been 're-weighted', what does this mean?
Adjustments to the weighting of assessments (for example, changing an assessment from a weighting of 75% to 100% of the overall module mark) have been used only for a very limited number of modules where one or more of the students' marks are missing. Any changes to the weighting of assessments were applied only once it was assured that learning outcomes were still being met and that they appropriately reflect your academic achievement. Adjustments were scrutinised and overseen by King's via the Academic Standards Sub-Committee (ASSC) and applied to the cohort. All individual cases have been carefully considered to ensure consistency and fairness to our students.
The two key principles for King’s are that no student should experience any detriment as a result of the boycott, and that academic standards are fully maintained.
My results show I have 'condoned' credit or a 'condoned fail' because of the boycott, what does this mean?
King’s regulations allow the classification and award of a degree when there are a small number of modules where marks are unavailable. This is only to a maximum of 30 credits (out of the 360 credits that you typically study on a 3-year programme) and can only apply to non-core modules and where the work has been completed and submitted satisfactorily. Where condoned credit has been granted, King's has assured itself that the learning outcomes for the programme have been met and that the overall average mark reflects your academic achievement.
The credits are awarded to you on the basis of your performance in all other modules. Although you are awarded the credit, those credits are not counted in the calculation of the overall average. The fact that your results show "zero" for a particular module does not reduce your average mark. This has the same effect as applying the average of your performance in all other modules to those with missing marks.
The two key principles for King’s are that no student should experience any detriment as a result of the boycott, and that academic standards are fully maintained
If your final transcript or Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) states that you have a condoned fail or condoned credit, and you believe this is a result of the marking and assessment boycott, we can produce a letter to provide further explanation to potential employers or other universities. Please get in contact with us to request this.
Can I submit an academic appeal in relation to the boycott?
As stated within the Academic Regulations, you may appeal on either or both of the following grounds:
- Where there is evidence that assessment(s) may have been adversely affected by mitigating circumstances which the student was unable, or for valid reasons unwilling, to make known before the original decision was reached.
- Where there is clear evidence that assessment(s) may have been adversely affected by a significant administrative error on the part of the College or in the conduct of the assessment.
It is not possible to appeal the academic judgement leading to your marks or your overall degree classification.
For more information, please see our article How can I make an academic appeal?
Can I make a complaint in relation to the boycott?
Full information on how to make a complaint in relation to the marking and assessment boycott can be found in our article How can I make a complaint to the university?
What are learning outcomes?
Learning outcomes describe the result of a learning process, and what students will learn and be able to do if they successfully complete the programme or module of study.
Where can I go for support?
We understand that the marking and assessment boycott and its impacts may cause additional stress and pressure on top of your studies. You may wish to speak to your department or the following services:
- Immigration, money and housing advice services
- Faculty Wellbeing Advisors – you can book an appointment with our team of advisors to discuss and support your personal wellbeing.
- Chaplaincy – emotional support and practised listeners for students of all faiths and none.
- Togetherall – 24/7 external and confidential online support and wellbeing service.
- KCLSU Advice – impartial academic advice for students with issues affecting their studies.
If you are struggling with your mental health, you can may also wish to seek support from our Counselling & Mental Health Support Service. A range of support is available outside King's usual working hours (9.00-17.00, Monday to Friday). For more information, including our King's Counselling Online service, please visit our article on Mental health support during evenings, weekends & vacation periods.
Important to know: The services listed above are not able to answer questions about industrial action.
Will there be any impact on my ability to progress from one year of study to the next?
We will take all available steps to minimise any disruption and ensure that you can progress from one year of study to the next (or from a pre-sessional or foundation course onto your main degree programme). You will still be able to progress pending completion of marking and/or ratification of results at a later date if required.
Any programme with Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body progression regulations will be subject to specific focus to ensure we continue to meet their requirements.
Will there be any impact on my ability to finish my studies and graduate?
We will take all available steps to minimise any disruption and ensure that you can graduate at the end of your degree as normal, as long as you meet the requirements of your programme.
We may put in place mitigations such as re-weighting of assessment or granting of condoned credit if required to enable you to graduate.
Any programme with Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body progression regulations will be subject to specific focus to ensure we continue to meet their requirements.
If I’m impacted by the boycott, can I still attend my graduation ceremony?
We are looking forward to our January and July 2024 graduation ceremonies, which are all taking place as planned.
As in any year, all students who have been awarded their degree will be able to participate in a ceremony. We are doing everything possible to ensure exams, assessments and coursework are marked in good time to allow students to attend their graduation ceremony, as long as they have met the requirements of their programme.
If students have failed or not completed the final year for reasons not directly related to the marking and assessment boycott, they would not participate in the ceremony. Your department will provide you with details about the next steps should this be the case.
I have a job offer, will the boycott impact that?
We are taking all available steps to minimise disruption and ensure you can graduate and receive degree classification as normal. We do not expect there to be any significant impact on jobs offers as a result of the boycott.
My prospective employer is concerned about the boycott, what should I tell them?
We are doing everything possible to ensure students who are affected can graduate on time and our extensive regulations will ensure our students' degrees are an accurate reflection of academic achievement.
King's has extensive regulations in place to assure and monitor the quality of the education we provide and ensure that marking and assessment reflects academic achievements and success in meeting programme learning outcomes. This includes ensuring that work is marked and assessed by subject matter experts. The impact of any industrial action on assessment will vary from assessment to assessment and module to module, so each will be considered individually.
If you are applying for a job and your prospective employer has concerns, you may wish to refer them to these FAQs or our recent update.
For more information on support available to you, please see our article How can King's Careers & Employability help me?
If your final transcript or Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) states that you have a condoned fail or condoned credit, and you believe this is a result of the marking and assessment boycott, we can produce a letter to provide further explanation to potential employers or other universities. Please get in contact with us to request this.
Will I still be able to apply for a Graduate visa if my results are delayed?
UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) has introduced concessions for students who may be impacted by the marking and assessment boycott and have announced that they will hold Graduate route applications made before the applicant’s results have been received, provided that the results are received within 8 weeks of the application being made.
Students who do not know when they will receive their results due to the boycott will be able to apply to extend their permission whilst they wait for their results. They will be exceptionally exempt from meeting the academic progression requirements. King's will include a note on the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that the extension is due to the marking and assessment boycott.
If your department has confirmed that your results are going to be delayed due to the marking boycott, or if you believe you may be affected and you want to explore your options, please contact our Visa & International Student Advice team with the information you have been given and your visa expiry date.
Will I be able to go on to my postgraduate taught or research course if I need the results for my visa?
For Student visa holders who aim to be progressing to further study with King’s or elsewhere in the UK, under UKVI rules, universities have the option to accept provisional certificates or transcripts when students are unable to provide evidence of their completed degree. We recommend that you can reach out to the Visa & International Student Advice team for further advice and information as to how this may affect your eligibility to apply for a new visa.
Will exams still go ahead?
Exam Period 1 of the 2023/24 academic year will take place in early January 2024 (please note that not all students will have exams or assessments during Exam Period 1 – your faculty or department will communicate this to you in advance). King’s is prepared and we have put arrangements in place to ensure that all your exams will take place as planned.
Please note that some faculties organise exams locally, separate from the central exam timetable; these will also still go ahead as planned.
Faculties and departments are working hard to minimise any disruption due to industrial action and we will inform you in the unlikely event that your exam is disrupted for any reason.
Will I be entitled to an extension for coursework, dissertations, or other submissions of work due to industrial action?
Deadlines set for submitting work, including dissertations, still apply as normal. Your faculty or department will aim to maintain assessment deadlines but will also look at whether there are any instances in which revised deadlines may be appropriate for you.
You should continue to submit your assessments in line with existing deadlines. You will be notified if there are any changes to assessment submission arrangements.
If my teaching and learning sessions were disrupted and not rescheduled due to industrial action, will I be assessed on those topics in examinations or assessments?
For your examinations and assessments, we have ensured that you are not disadvantaged if any learning or teaching was missed due to strike action. We have also ensured that we have maintained our academic quality and high standards.
What if an in-class assessment (including oral examinations and presentations) does not take place because of industrial action?
If an in-class assessment is unable to take place because of strike action or action short of a strike (ASOS), including the marking and assessment boycott, faculties or departments will try to ensure that the assessment is rescheduled or assessed by other means where possible.
I'm a postgraduate research student. What if the oral examination for my thesis is disrupted?
It is unlikely that oral examinations will be affected and we will do our best to ensure that these take place at the appropriate time. If you have any concerns, please contact your supervisor in the first instance, who will be able to work with other staff members and central services if necessary.
For more information on how industrial action may affect you generally and for dates of any industrial action currently scheduled, please read our article How might students be affected by industrial action?