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Complaints and Reconsideration (For Exam Matters)

Discussion with Faculty Members

If you have questions about the grading of an exam or if you feel that the grade given is inappropriate, you should always contact the instructor first. The best way to do this is during office hours. This is a simple way to resolve the vast majority of questions.

Advice from the Program Coordinator

If an agreement cannot be reached through this process, you should contact the program coordinator for your degree program to discuss how to proceed. The best way to do this is to visit the office hours of the relevant program coordinator. There, you can discuss the possible grounds for and prospects of an appeal to the Examination Board.

Objection to the Examination Committee

The objection must be submitted in writing, with a statement of reasons, to the chair of the Examination Committee within one year of notification. Please note that the Examination Committee reviews instructors’ grading decisions only to determine whether the instructor:

  • failed to comply with applicable regulations,
  • based their assessment on incorrect facts,
  • misapplied generally accepted grading principles,
  • or took irrelevant factors into account.

This means that there will be no review of the disputed grade based on academic content—such as through a re-evaluation! The Examination Board’s decision will be communicated in writing via a formal notice.

Objection to the University’s Appeals Committee

If the examination committee’s decision does not resolve the appeal or does not resolve it in full, the appellant must decide within four weeks whether to withdraw the appeal or to forward it to the University Appeals Committee. From that point on, the appeals process is subject to a fee.

Further information on appeal procedures can be found in a guide published by the Office of Quality and Legal Affairs, which is specifically intended for students. Please pay particular attention to section 3.3, “Appeals in Examination Matters.”