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Complaints about exams

Students must submit an appeal no later than 14 days after the exam result has been announced.

In order to minimise the number of unfounded complaints, the Arts Studies Administration encourages students to discuss the objections with examiner if possible.

You may therefore be contacted by students who are considering submitting an appeal. You are not obliged to give the student feedback on the assessment. However, many students will be very pleased with the feedback they receive. Both because they better understand the basis for the grade, and because they can use the feedback in their next exams rather than initiating a complaint process.

  

Procedure for exam complaints and appeals

The rules regarding complaints and appeals in connection with exams are described in chapter 9 of the Examination Order.

When a student submits a complaint, this is the normal procedure:

1. Submission of a complaint

Students can complain about both oral and written exams. Complaints about exams may not concern supervision and/or teaching. 

A complaint may concern:

  • The basis of the exam (questions, assignments etc.) 
  • The examination process (the way the exam was conducted)
  • The assessment (the grade)
  • Legal issues (the exam was in contravention of ministerial orders and laws)
  • Defects and mistakes in connection with the exam (e.g. noise or technical problems)

2. Arts Studies Administration initiates the complaint procedure

When a student submits a complaint, Arts Studies Administration initiates the complaint procedure:

  • They will send the complaint to the original assessors, who have two weeks to issue a statement.
  • The statement is sent to the student, who has one week to comment on the statement. 
  • The university will then make a decision based on the complaint, the statement by the assessors and the student’s comments. There is no deadline for this decision, but it will be made as soon as possible. 

3. The university makes a decision

The student and the assessors will be informed about the university’s decision. 

The university will reach one of the following conclusions:

  • The student will be offered a re-assessment by new assessors (only possible for written exams)
  • The student will be offered a re-examination with new assessors
  • The complaint is rejected

A complaint may therefore result in either a higher or a lower grade. Re-assessment or re-examination may result in the grade being reduced, and the student may not complain about the new grade.

   

If the student appeals against the decision, this will typically be the procedure:

4. The student appeals against the decision

If a complaint is rejected, the student may choose to submit an appeal to the board of appeals. However, the board of appeals can only consider academic issues, not legal issues or issues relating to defects or mistakes in the exam concerned.

  • The deadline for submitting an appeal is two weeks after the student has received the decision about the complaint.
  • The board of appeals consists of two external co-examiners, a member of the teaching staff entitled to conduct exams and a student from the subject area concerned.
  • The board of appeals must make a decision no more than two months after the appeal has been submitted (not including July), and you will be informed as soon as possible.

5. The board of appeals makes a decision

The board of appeals will reach one of the following conclusions:

  • The student will be offered a re-assessment by new assessors (only possible for written exams)
  • The student will be offered a re-examination with new assessors
  • The student’s appeal is rejected

The decision of the board of appeals is final, so the student may not continue to complain about academic issues.

Revised 22.02.2024
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