Industrial action at Sussex

Some staff at the University of Sussex and many other universities are taking part in ongoing industrial action since February 2023. This included a marking and assessment boycott, which ended on 6 September 2023. 

• Latest marking and boycott FAQs

  Now the boycott is over, when will I get my marks?

  Students will receive their outstanding marks, and where relevant, news of any change to their level of study on the following dates:

  • Continuing students: Wednesday 18 October
  • Finalists: Thursday 26 October
  • Postgraduate taught: Thursday 9 November
  • Postgraduate research: ad hoc based on their dates for progression reviews or vivas which are now being scheduled.
    
    

  I’ve not been affected by the boycott at all, but I’ve had a letter from the Pro Vice-Chancellor saying that my marks are going to be temporarily hidden from Sussex Direct. Why is this happening?

  For the administrative processing of the missing marks, it is necessary to temporarily close the student view of the system for all students. It will be restored after the above results dates.

  We are sorry about the inconvenience but can reassure all students that although temporarily unavailable to view, the data is still secure on the student records system. Should you require the missing information during this period then please contact your School Office or the Exams and Assessment team via SPA-assessment@sussex.ac.uk.

  Why am I still being asked to confirm a decision about what I want to do at the start of the academic year by 22 September, even though I have missing marks?

  Where you had missing marks, the exam boards that met whilst the boycott was in place were only able to make decisions based on the information available to them at the time. The timing of the end of the boycott means that whilst marking and other associated quality assurance processes are now taking place, we are unable to confirm individual module marks and final stage results before the start of term. The date of the 22 September has been set to ensure that eligible students can continue to access student funding, where they are eligible to do so, (e.g. from the Student Loans Company (SLC)) and where they have re-registered for the 2023/24 academic year.

  It is possible, that when all marking is complete, and subject to you attaining sufficient credit, your overall result could change. This could be a change from either repeat year or temporary withdrawal to progress to the next year of study. Where this is the case and you are in receipt of funding from the Student Loans Company (SLC), the University will directly notify the SLC of your change of circumstances to ensure your funding is uninterrupted.

  Additional academic support, suitable for your course and subject area will be available to ensure that no-one is disadvantaged by starting their next level of course a little later than originally expected. Please contact your Academic Advisor, Student Wellbeing Advocate or Student Success Advisor for more information. Your School of study academic support teams will be able to advise about this as appropriate to your subject.

  Why will it take another month to get my marks?

  Throughout this challenging time the University has maintained robust academic standards and quality assurance processes. These take time to conduct. It is important to ensure your work is marked fairly and accurately and that the necessary moderation processes and ratification by an Examination Board takes place. We are undertaking this work quickly and thoroughly, to ensure you are able to commence the correct pattern of study with your full marks, as soon as possible during Semester one.

  If I was required to repeat the year, in part because of missing marks, will I now be able to progress?

  Yes, providing you have attained sufficient credit, confirmed by the Exam Board, then you should be able to progress to the next level of your course at the start of week 4, Monday 23 October. Additional academic support, suitable for your course and subject area will be available to ensure that no-one is disadvantaged by starting their next level of course a little later than originally expected. Please contact your Academic Advisor, Academic Success Advisor or School of study for more information.

  What happens if I am still not allowed to progress, once my marks are in?

  If you were repeating the year and you still do not meet the criteria to progress, once all marks are in, then you will remain at the current level of study. The Exam Board will require you to remain at the same stage of study in order to resubmit any failed assessments.

  I elected to temporarily withdraw recently due to having missing marks. If I find that I have been progressed by the Exam Board, can I re-register now and return this academic year?

  Yes, you will be able to re-register and re-join your studies at the start of week 4, Monday 23 October. If you are in this position, we will notify you directly and let you know what you will need to do. If you are ordinarily in receipt of funding from the Student Loans Company (SLC), the University will notify the SLC of your change of circumstances. You may wish to seek money advice from the Student Centre as there may be a delay before any funding you are eligible to receive comes through.

  The Exam Board has already told me I can progress, will this be amended if I have failed some of my missing modules?

  No. The Exam Board progressed you because, under our Interim Regulations, you have already achieved enough credits based on the known marks for your modules. If the missing marks, once known, show that you have failed one or more modules then you can trail these modules and (re)submit the assessments this academic year.

  How will I be supported to make up module failures from 22-23 alongside new modules for 23-24?

  We appreciate that some students will be concerned about their workload this coming academic year. As always, it is important to regularly access all the support available to you. Academically this means meeting with your Academic Advisor or Academic Success Advisor and making use of office hours with your module tutor.

  Pastorally, each School has their Student Experience team, who can be contacted via the School Office as well as the Student Advice service and Wellbeing services, accessible via the Student Centre.

  We strongly encourage you to talk to these teams to help you put together a plan for the year to manage your studies.

  Can I submit an academic appeal when my marks are confirmed?

  Yes. Students with missing marks were not eligible to appeal. When all marks are fully assured and ratified by an Exam Board, an appeal can be submitted. The academic appeals team will ensure that students with a valid appeal will not be disadvantaged.

What’s happening

A trade union representing some University staff (University and College Union or UCU) is currently taking industrial action in universities across the country, including Sussex.

Strike action took place during November 2022, February and March 2023. In addition, some UCU members are now taking another form of action known as action short of a strike (ASOS). ASOS typically means staff carry out their core duties but do not take on any additional responsibilities (such as covering absent colleagues or taking part in voluntary activities). UCU called on their members to take ASOS in the form of a marking and assessment boycott from 20 April.

Staff who choose to take part in the marking and assessment boycott will not undertake marking and associated assessment activities, including invigilation and the processing of marks.

While the University respects union members’ right to take industrial action, we are doing everything possible to minimise the impact on your studies and graduation while also maintaining our academic standards.

We are continuing our discussions with local UCU representatives about this national action, as well as engaging with national processes, and we very much hope that there will soon be a resolution to this national dispute.

You can read the joint statement calling for national UCU, and UCEA (Universities and Colleges Employers Association) to reinstate talks and negotiate an end to this dispute.

Getting your results during the boycott

Results for:

• students with resits or updated outcomes will be published on Thursday 7 September for continuing students and Monday 11 September for finalists
• finalists were published on Wednesday 14 June
• continuing students were published on Monday 3 July
• taught postgraduate students were published on Wednesday 12 July
• postgraduate research students will vary as examinations are scheduled individually.

For some of you, these results may not be what you were expecting because of missing marks. You will know which marks are missing, and what the next steps are, from the information we will provide to you on results day. Where it is not currently possible for a piece of work to be marked, because of the boycott, we will seek to ensure, wherever possible, that finalists can receive an interim award. Our standard regulations allow students with at least 300 credits that include 60 credits at level 6 to graduate with an interim Ordinary award, where they either have outstanding resits, or in this case, marks outstanding.

Common questions

Get answers to the main questions students have at this time.

• See common questions and answers for all students

  How will I know if my work has been marked?

  Your module results page on Sussex Direct will show your results. Any questions about this information should be directed to your School office in the first instance.

  What happens if I fail my exams and assignments this year, but only find out once my work has been marked?

  If you have missing marks, it means we do not yet know if you have passed or failed your assessments. We will only know once the boycott is over, and work has been marked. We do not know when that will happen which means you have a pending result, and no further action can be taken at this stage. Depending on your particular circumstances, read the rest of this page and then get advice and guidance from your School office or our Student Centre.

  Can I submit an appeal about my results?

  The appeal window opens on your results day and closes after 21 days. Students who have either missing marks or provisional marks are not eligible to appeal until all marks are fully assured and the exam baord has made a final decision.

  If you have not been impacted by the boycott at all and have all your marks, fully assured by the board, you are eligible to appeal. You may need to speak to your School office to help you determine this.

  For specific deadlines, find out about making an academic appeal.

  What happens if my exceptional circumstances claim has been approved?

  Where your work has been marked and ratified, the examination board will offer you the opportunity for a resit in the A3 assessment period in August 2023. You will receive confirmation of submission/exam dates nearer the time.

  I have approved exceptional circumstances, but my marks are not yet confirmed – what does this mean?

  The exceptional circumstances process is separate from the marking process. So while your exceptional circumstances claim may have been approved, we are not yet able to apply this to your module, where your work has not been marked. Once your work is marked, and the normal quality assurance processes applied, an examination board will take a decision, such as to offer you a resit, where this is appropriate.

  What happens if I receive a confirmed fail grade?

  Where your work has been marked and we are able to confirm a fail grade you will be offered a resit opportunity in the A3 assessment period in August 2023. You will receive confirmation of submission and exam dates nearer the time.

  I know I have some resits – are those going ahead?

  Yes. The resit period is from Monday 7 August to Saturday 19 August, and exams and assessment submissions will be arranged as normal. If the exam board has already confirmed a resit for you then that will be included in your results information. If marks are missing then any resits that might be required, once marks have been fully ratified, will be scheduled at a later date.

  When will I get my result if I’ve not been affected by the marking and assessment boycott?

  All final year students received a result on 14 June. Continuing students received theirs on 3 July and Masters students received theirs on 12 July, regardless of the boycott. If you have not been affected, there are no missing marks for you.

  My marks are unaffected – what does that mean for me?

  If there is no impact from the marking and assessment boycott on your marks, you will be able to graduate as expected if you’re a finalist, subject to achieving the relevant grades. If you are a continuing student the exam board will review all your results and make an appropriate decision for you, in line with what the regulations permit.

  I’ve been progressed even though I have missing marks – what does this mean?

  There will be a number of students in this position, who have passed some modules but have missing marks for others. The exam board has utilised the Interim Regulations, which allow progression where marks are missing, when certain criteria are met. When the boycott has ended and your work has been marked and all quality assurance processes completed, the exam board will meet again. If you have then passed the modules where there were missing marks, this will be ratified by the board. If you have not passed the modules where marks were missing, you will be set resit or sits as appropriate at a future date. Your progression decision will not be reversed, even if you do have resits or sits.

  Do I have to take the resits or sits I’ve been given even though I have missing marks?

  Generally speaking, if the exam board has set re/sits for you, it means you have not yet met the criteria to progress to the next stage of your course. This might be because you have missing marks, giving the board less data on which to make its decision. The exam board made a determination, using its academic judgement, that it did not have enough information to make a progression decision at this time.

  You must take these re/sits in the A3 assessment period rather than assuming they may not be needed when the missing marks become available. This applies to Foundation Year students, as well as first- and second-year students. This will put you in the best possible position to progress when the exam boards meet in September.

  I’ve got a result I don’t understand – what should I do?

  You can get an explanation of your results on Sussex Direct, by selecting the "state result" link. You may also receive an email from your School Office with more information if, for example, you have resits or sits. If you still have questions, contact your School Office who can speak with you directly about your situation.

  I’m meant to be doing a study abroad year or a work placement and I’m not sure if I can because I have missing marks. What should I do?

  Your exam board decision may not explicitly tell you what the outcome is for your study abroad year or work placement. Separate communications about these opportunities will follow.

  I would like to take temporary withdrawal, or repeat the year, instead of the results I’ve been given. What should I do?

  These options may be available to you, even if you have missing marks. Speak to your School Office in the first instance about your academic situation. You can also get advice and guidance from the Student Centre so you make an informed decision about the best option for you.

  How can I lodge a formal complaint?

  While this is a national dispute, we recognise that you may wish to lodge a formal complaint to the University. We produced a dedicated formal complaints procedure to respond to complaints associated with the 2023 marking and assessment boycott. The deadlines for submitting a concern under this procedure have now passed. Specific deadlines applied to different groups of students based on when results were released. We asked students to check the deadlines carefully and, if you wished to lodge a complaint, to do so within the specified deadline.

  Find out more about the formal complaints process.

There are also specific answers depending on your study level or if you have a visa.

• Undergraduate students who’ve had resits to take this summer

  I'm an undergraduate finalist and had missing marks as well as resits to take, will I be awarded my degree now?

  Where possible, finalists were given an Interim Ordinary degree in June, even if they had resits to take and missing marks. If you have passed your resits, and the missing marks are now known, then the exam board will be able to review your complete profile of marks and confirm your final degree outcome.

  If you have not passed your resits and/or you still have missing marks then the Board will make an updated decision for you but will not yet be able to confer your final degree.

  I wasn't given a progression decision in June, but I have one now. I still have missing marks, is this correct?

  Yes. As was the case earlier in the summer, the exam board has utilised the University’s Interim Regulations, which allow progression where marks are missing, where certain criteria are met.

  When the marking and assessment boycott has ended and your work has been marked and all quality assurance processes completed, the exam board will meet again. If you have then passed the modules where there were missing marks, this will be ratified by the board. If you have not passed the modules where marks were missing, you will be set resits or sits as appropriate at a future date. If this is the case, we will contact you directly. Your progression decision will not be reversed, even if you are subsequently required to take resits or sits.

  I've not been allowed to progress because of my missing marks. What does this mean?

  Some students will not have achieved enough credit to enable them to progress, because of the combination of known module failures and missing marks, to progress. Your personal stage result will give you more information about your specific situation. If you still have questions, contact your School Office who can speak with you directly about your situation.

  If you are an international student with a Student visa in this situation, contact an International Advisor to discuss any implications for your visa.

  I’ve been offered a repeat year, but I would prefer to take temporary withdrawal

  Temporary withdrawal, sometimes also called ''intermitting'', is a very significant decision and whilst it is an option you will need to seek advice and guidance before you can do this. The first step to getting support from us is to explore the resources and services available on the Student Hub. For academic advice you should contact your School Office in the first instance.

  If you are an international student with a Student visa who is considering temporary withdrawal you should contact an International Advisor to discuss your situation before making a decision.

  Can I appeal the exam board decision?

  Yes. The appeal window opens on the day that your results are released and closes after 21 days.

  For specific deadlines, find out about making an academic appeal.

  Students who have either missing marks or provisional marks are not eligible to appeal until all marks are fully assured and the exam board has made a final decision.

  I'm a current student and want to apply for a placement year, or internship. How will the marking and assessment boycott impact this?

  We have provided a letter that you may wish to download and share with prospective employers. Download the marking and assessment boycott letter for employers [PDF 71.79KB].

  The letter gives employers the context of the boycott, reassuring them that all your exams and assessments will be marked, but because of the national boycott, in some cases this will take longer than usual. We recommend that you continue with your job-hunting (including placement years and vacation schemes) as planned, sharing this letter with employers if you are affected by the boycott, and including the most recent grades that have been confirmed by the exam board.

  The Sussex Careers and Entrepreneurship team can support you before the academic year starts as well as during semester time. The team can help with job applications and interviews, as well as finding vacancies (including placements and other forms of work experience). We recommend you regularly browse the many job vacancies on CareerHub and attend the employer events they arrange throughout the year.

  To give you more reassurance, we wanted to share a statement for students from the Institute of Student Employers. The ISE is the UK’s largest community of student and graduate recruiters. It has over 500 member organisations from a wide range of labour market sectors. Its members have significant influence on the job market for students and graduates as they include most of the UK’s biggest graduate employers. With regard to the national marking and assessment boycott, the ISE has issued the following advice for students:

  “The ISE is making sure employers are aware of the industrial action. We don’t expect the boycott to impact the offers made or on-boarding process in most cases. If students have any questions, we recommend they make their future employer aware of their situation and seek their advice. Students should check the arrangements put in place by their university and be aware of the marking and awarding options. Students can also get support from their university careers team.”

  I still have missing marks, when will I know the outcomes for these modules?

  The national mandate for industrial action ends on 30 September. It is therefore anticipated that when the marking and assessment boycott ends, your work will be marked and all standard quality assurance processes applied, this includes both internal and external moderation. The University will schedule additional exam boards in the autumn to confirm individual module marks and final awards and agree any resits/sits that may be required. Further details of when results will be available will be published early in the new academic year.

  Could my current progression decision change once the exam boards meet once the marking and assessment boycott ends?

  The overall progression decision you received in either June or September will not be revised by the autumn exam boards. This means that if you have been allowed to progress, you will continue at your new stage of study even if you have failed some or all of your outstanding modules. If you have resits/sits confirmed by the additional autumn exam boards, you will be permitted to trail these alongside your existing studies. You will receive further communication on when you will be expected to undertake these resits/sits.

• If you’re a Foundation Year student 

  I’m a Foundation Year student with missing marks – will I still be able to progress into Year 1 of my chosen course if I find out later that I’ve failed the module(s) with missing marks?

  Not all the Foundation Year boards have met yet. This guidance applies to the Arts, Business, Design, Psychology and Social Science Foundation Years. If you are taking a Science Foundation Year, speak to your School Office about when you can expect your results.

  If your result shows that you have been allowed to progress to the next stage of your studies, this decision will not be reversed, even if you subsequently fail the modules which currently have missing marks. Once the marking and assessment boycott has ended and your work is marked, and all quality assurance processes completed, the exam board will meet again to ratify the marks. If you have not passed the missing modules, you will not be set mandatory re/sits at a future date as foundation year modules cannot be trailed into year 1.

  I’m a Foundation Year student and I’ve been offered the choice between re/sits in A3 or a repeat foundation year. Can I still choose the repeat year if I miss the deadline?

  If you wish to accept the offer of a repeat foundation year, you will need to confirm this by emailing your decision to SPA-Assessment@sussex.ac.uk within seven working days of your result publication. If you miss this deadline, you must contact your School Office straight away. If you do not accept the repeat year offer, you must complete your re/sits.

• If you’re an undergraduate finalist

  If you are an undergraduate finalist, your results were published on Wednesday 14 June. Any marks that have been through our full quality assurance processes will be available to you. Any marks that are missing because of the boycott will not be available until the boycott is over and they have been taken through the full moderation and ratification processes.

  How your marks could be affected

  Any delay to marks will be dependent on three outcomes:

  • If there is no impact from the marking and assessment boycott on your marks, you will be able to graduate as expected, subject to achieving the relevant grades.
  • If you are awaiting missing marks but have already achieved a total of 300 credits, with at least 60 at level 6, you will be able to graduate with an interim Ordinary degree. This is standard University practice for anyone requiring resits, or in this instance for those where marks are missing because of the boycott. Once the boycott ends and all marking is completed, marks will be ratified through our normal quality assurance processes and the marks presented to reconvened examination boards. All students who have then successfully passed all outstanding modules will receive a new, fully ratified, final award, which will replace the interim degree. Students who are required to resit/sit will be provided with this opportunity.
  • If you are awaiting missing marks and have fewer than 300 credits – it may be that there will be too many marks missing to be able to obtain an interim Ordinary degree at this point. For students in this situation, we will provide advice, information and support on next steps when your results are published.

  
  What is an interim Ordinary degree?

  Some students will receive an interim Ordinary degree on results day. Our standard regulations allow us to use this interim (temporary) award for those finalists who have at least 300 credits (including at least 60 at level 6) but who don’t have the 360 credits required for a full honours degree. If you have been given an interim Ordinary degree, at this point, it is because you have at least 300 credits, including at least 60 at level 6, but either have missing marks because of the boycott, require resits or sits, or a combination of both.

  When will I receive my degree certificate?

  If you have been awarded a classified degree (e.g. a third, 2:2, 2:1, or a first), you will be sent your certificate and transcript shortly after graduation.

  If you have been awarded an interim Ordinary degree, you will receive an interim transcript providing details of the interim award and the modules you have passed, these will be sent out in August. Certificates are not issued where an Ordinary degree has been awarded because of missing marks.

  If you have yet to receive any award, you will be sent an interim transcript that details the modules you have passed to date.

  Once the boycott ends and all marking is completed, marks will be ratified through our normal quality assurance processes and the marks presented to reconvened examination boards. All students who have then successfully passed all outstanding modules will receive a new, fully ratified, final award. A final transcript and certificate will then be sent to you.

  What will my transcript say if I have missing marks?

  You will receive a provisional transcript, which details all the modules you have taken during your time at Sussex and will include marks where these have been confirmed by an examination board. Some marks will be missing because of the marking boycott. The overall average mark will also not be shown on the transcript because any missing marks were counting as zeros in the calculation and leading to inaccurate results.

  Once the boycott ends and all marking is completed, marks will be ratified through our normal quality assurance processes and the marks presented to reconvened examination boards. All students who have then successfully passed all outstanding modules will receive a new, fully ratified, final award. A final transcript and certificate will then be sent to you.

  I have an approved Exceptional Circumstances (EC) claim for impairment but I’ve not been offered a sit in A3 – what does this mean?

  The exam board has considered your results carefully and applied its academic judgement based on the information available to it. Because you may have missing marks, the board has been unable to determine whether your performance has been impaired when considered against your other available marks. Your results will be revisited once the boycott has concluded, and all your work is marked. If appropriate, the exam board will then make decisions about re/sits at that point.

  I’ve been awarded a BSc instead of my expected Integrated Masters – what does this mean?

  Some Integrated Masters students will have received a Bachelors award on results day. Our standard regulations allow us to do this for finalists who have the required credits for that award but not currently enough for the Integrated Masters. The remainder of your credits, to get you to the full Integrated Masters award, may be missing because of the boycott, or because you need to complete resits or sits, or a combination of both. You can still attend the graduation ceremonies.

  A decision on your full, final, award will be made once the boycott concludes, your work is marked and the normal quality assurance processes are applied.

  I want to progress to a Masters degree or a programme of Doctoral Studies, but I may not get my results in time to do so – how will this affect me?

  If you’re a Sussex finalist applying for continuing study with us, or already holding a conditional offer of a place at Sussex, we will review your current results and determine whether an offer can be made, or whether your place can be confirmed.

  If you are holding a conditional offer of a place at another institution, you will need to speak to that institution about what their policy is.

  The University of Sussex has written a letter for finalists affected by the boycott that you may wish to download and share with any institution you hold a conditional offer with or are thinking of applying to.

  Download the marking and assessment boycott letter for HE providers [PDF 102KB].

  The letter gives other Higher Education providers the context of the boycott, reassuring them that all your exams and assessments will be marked, but that, because of the national boycott, in some cases this will take longer than usual.

  I want to apply for a Sussex Masters scholarship – how can I do this if I may not have my results?

  Don’t worry. If you’re a Sussex finalist and are admitted to a full-time Masters course, you would qualify for the Sussex Alumni Scholarship (worth £2,000 as a tuition fee reduction). If you subsequently get awarded a first or 2:1, our Scholarships team will amend your scholarship to the Sussex Graduate Scholarship and increase the value to £3,000.

  How will the marking and assessment boycott impact my job applications?

  The marking and assessment boycott is affecting 146 universities across the UK, and graduate employers are becoming aware of this nationwide situation. The University of Sussex has written a letter for finalists affected by the boycott that you may wish to download and share with prospective employers.

  Download the marking and assessment boycott letter for employers [PDF 114KB].

  The letter gives employers the context of the boycott, reassuring them that all your exams and assessments will be marked, but that, because of the national boycott, in some cases this will take longer than usual. We recommend that you continue with your job-hunting as planned, sharing this letter with employers if you are affected by the boycott.

  While awaiting your final award, include the most recent or predicted grades you have received from the University in your applications. The Sussex Careers and Entrepreneurship team can support you throughout the summer and for three years after you graduate. The team can help with job applications and interviews, or advise you on going freelance or starting your own business or social enterprise. We recommend you regularly browse the many graduate job vacancies on CareerHub. You can also continue to attend the employer events they arrange throughout the year.

  To give you more reassurance, we wanted to share a statement for students from the Institute of Student Employers. The ISE is the UK’s largest community of graduate recruiters. It has over 500 member organisations from a wide range of labour market sectors. Its members have significant influence on the job market for graduates as they include most of the UK’s biggest graduate employers. With regard to the national marking and assessment boycott, the ISE has issued the following advice for students:

  “The ISE is making sure employers are aware of the industrial action. We don’t expect the boycott to impact the offers made or on-boarding process in most cases. If students have any questions, we recommend they make their future employer aware of their situation and seek their advice. Students should check the arrangements put in place by their university and be aware of the marking and awarding options. Students can also get support from their university careers team.”

• If you’re a Masters student

  I’m a postgraduate student and because of missing marks I want to defer my dissertation or project – can I do this?

  Yes. We understand that some students may not have received marks or feedback on research methods modules that contribute to the ability to prepare for the dissertation/project. An exam board may already have made this decision for you by deferring the dissertation/project; your stage result will confirm this.

  If you wish to request to defer, complete the Application to defer a PGT Dissertation/Project under section 9 of this web page and email it to your School Office by 31 July 2023 for approval. If you are requesting to defer your dissertation because you have missing marks for modules that are linked to your dissertation/project, the continuation fee will be waived.

  A continuation fee of £280 will continue to be payable for approved deferrals that are not related to missing marks.

  Deferring your dissertation, whether at your request or required by the exam board, may have implications for the end date of your visa, and therefore your ability to remain in the UK. You can contact an International Advisor to discuss your situation.

• If you’re a postgraduate researcher

  What happens if my Progression Review hasn’t yet taken place because of the boycott? How will I proceed to registration next year?

  If completion of your Progression Review has been affected by the marking and assessment boycott and has not been completed by the 1 September 2023, the University will automatically update your record to enable you to re-register for the new academic year.

  Once the boycott concludes, your School will contact you to arrange for your review to take place as soon as possible.

  If my Progression Review has been delayed, will I be able to resubmit my written work for my review?

  Depending on how long ago you submitted your Doctoral research report, you may wish to revisit your paperwork to ensure it still reflects your current position. You are advised to discuss this either with your supervisor or the Director of Doctoral Studies in your School.

  If my Progression Review hasn’t taken place because of the marking and assessment boycott, how will any problems I raise be picked up?

  Whilst the Progression Review does provide a confidential opportunity to draw attention to any problems you may be experiencing, there are other mechanisms for raising problems or concerns depending on the nature of them. If you are currently experiencing problems with any aspect of your research, you should discuss these with your supervisor in the first instance. They will be able to advise or signpost to other sources of advice and guidance within the University.

  You may also want to explore our resources and services.

  We have services that provide advice on a range of subjects if you have concerns and need extra guidance. You can access all our advice and guidance services through the Student Centre.

  See specific sources of advice for postgraduate researchers.

  What if a delay in examination is affecting a prospective job offer?

  The marking and assessment boycott is affecting 145 universities across the UK, and graduate employers are becoming aware of this nationwide situation. The University of Sussex has written a letter for postgraduate researchers affected by the boycott that you may wish to download and share with prospective employers.

  Download the marking and assessment boycott letter for employers [PDF 53.43KB].

  The letter gives employers the context of the boycott, reassuring them that your thesis will be assessed once the national boycott concludes, and that in some cases this may take longer than usual. We recommend that you continue with your job-hunting as planned, sharing this letter with employers if you are affected by the boycott.

  The Sussex Careers and Entrepreneurship team can support you throughout the summer and for three years after you graduate. The team can help with job applications and interviews or advise you on going freelance or starting your own business or social enterprise. We recommend you regularly browse the many graduate job vacancies on CareerHub. You can also continue to attend the employer events they arrange throughout the year.

  To give you further reassurance, we wanted to share a statement for students from the Institute of Student Employers. The ISE is the UK’s largest community of graduate recruiters. It has over 500 member organisations from a wide range of labour market sectors. Its members have significant influence on the job market for graduates as they include most of the UK’s biggest graduate employers. With regard to the national marking and assessment boycott, the ISE has issued the following advice for students:

  “The ISE is making sure employers are aware of the industrial action. We don’t expect the boycott to impact the offers made or on-boarding process in most cases. If students have any questions, we recommend they make their future employer aware of their situation and seek their advice. Students should check the arrangements put in place by their university and be aware of the marking and awarding options. Students can also get support from their university careers team.”

  My funders have told me I will need to pay back my funding because I have not completed my research degree in the allocated time.

  The marking and assessment boycott is affecting 145 universities across the UK. The University of Sussex has written a letter for postgraduate researchers affected by the boycott that you may wish to download and share with funders.

  Download the marking and assessment boycott letter for sponsors [PDF 52.54KB].

  The letter gives sponsors the context of the boycott, reassuring them that all your thesis will be assessed but that, because of the national boycott, in some cases this will take longer than usual.

  What help is there if the delay in examination is causing me emotional or financial hardship?

  The first step to getting support from us is to explore the resources and services available to you.

  We have services that provide advice on a range of subjects if you have concerns and need extra guidance. You can access all our advice and guidance services through the Student Centre.

  I am a postgraduate researcher with a student visa – how will the marking and assessment boycott affect me?

  If you are a postgraduate researcher with an upcoming visa expiry date and the outcome of your viva has been delayed, contact an International Advisor to discuss your situation.

  Your right to work more than 20 hours per week may be affected by a delay in the progression of your course. See more about defining term-time for visa postgraduate researchers.

• If you have a visa or are a visiting or exchange student

  I’m an undergraduate international student with a student visa – how will the marking and assessment boycott affect me?

  If you are an undergraduate finalist, in most cases, your student visa should expire in October 2023. If you are a continuing undergraduate student or a Masters student, the end date of your student visa will vary depending on when you started your course.

  If you do not have plans to remain in the UK, you should complete all your assessments as normal and make arrangements to leave on or before your current student visa expiry date. Your work will be marked as soon as the boycott is concluded and updated result issued. You do not need to be in the UK to receive your results.

  If you have been asked to complete resits in August, make sure you know what is required and remain in the UK to sit examinations or submit other assessments, if necessary.

  If you are missing marks then we do not yet know if you will have to resit any assessments. Once the boycott is over and work is marked then a new resit dates will be shared. If you are in this situation we will contact you about what happens next.

  I’m an international postgraduate student with a student visa – how will the marking and assessment boycott affect me?

  If you are a postgraduate student studying on a taught course who started in September 2022, your student visa should expire on 30 January 2024.

  Your results will indicate if you have any resits in August. Make sure you know what is required and remain in the UK to sit examinations or submit other assessments, if necessary.

  I am a postgraduate researcher with a student visa – how will the marking and assessment boycott affect me?

  If you are a postgraduate research student with an upcoming visa expiry date and the outcome of your Viva has been delayed, contact an International Advisor to discuss your situation. Your right to work more than 20 hours per week may be impacted by a delay in the progression of your course. See more about defining term-time for visa students.

  I want to stay in the UK to work or undertake further study – what do I need to consider?

  You may wish to remain in the UK and apply for the Graduate route visa (GR). You can only apply for GR from within the UK, while you have a valid student visa and after you have been awarded your degree (and after the University has reported this to UK Visas and Immigration, known as UKVI).

  You can submit the GR visa application at any point on or before your current Student visa expiry date, so we recommend waiting until closer to your Student visa expiry date to submit the application as the boycott may conclude over the summer.

  If the boycott does not end over the summer, and it may not as it has a mandate to run until October 2023, then the award of your degree is likely to be after your current Student visa expiry date. To try and support students in this position, UKVI has introduced some concessions around holding GR applications (submitted on or before your current Student visa expiry date) for up to eight weeks or having a further CAS issued to extend your Student visa. You need to contact an International Advisor to discuss your individual situation.

  If you are applying for further study in the UK, the offer of your new course (and the issuing of a new CAS) may be dependent on the award of your degree. You should contact the admissions office of the institution where you are applying to see if it will be possible to issue your CAS before your current Student visa expiry date.

  I receive sponsorship for my course fees and/or living costs, and I need to provide evidence of my progress and marks to my donor to get funding for next year secured – how can I get this?

  The University can provide a letter for your sponsor explaining the circumstances. It will be up to your sponsor to make a decision on whether to approve funding.

  I have been awarded an Interim Ordinary degree this summer because of the marking and assessment boycott, but I am waiting for my work to be marked to receive a final award. Can I still apply for the Graduate Route?

  Yes. To be eligible for the Graduate Route (GR), an applicant must have successfully completed an ‘eligible course of study in the UK’. We can confirm that an Ordinary degree is included in the Home Office definition of an ‘eligible course of study’, you will be able to apply for the GR.

  Once we have notified the Home Office that you have completed an Ordinary degree we will email you to you to confirm that we have made the report and that you can now apply for GR, should you wish. The arrangements this year follow our standard processes and will apply for those with either an interim Ordinary degree or a final classified degree.

  We will be making these reports over the coming weeks. Please do not make your application until you receive an email from us notifying you that we have made the report to the Home Office. Please check your University email account regularly.

  I’m a visiting and exchange student with missing marks – what should I do?

  Our Global Mobility Office has been in contact with your home institution to inform them about the national strike action. It can also provide you with a letter to explain the circumstances, if required. Once the boycott has ended and work has been marked, you will be sent your transcript. The formal complaints procedure is also available to you. Specific deadlines apply to different groups of students based on when results were released; you should use the deadline for continuing students to submit your complaint.

Getting support

Your health and wellbeing is incredibly important to us.

The first step to getting support from us is to explore the resources and services available on the Student Hub.

We have services that provide advice on a range of subjects if you have concerns and need extra guidance. You can access all our advice and guidance services through the Student Centre.

If you don’t understand your results, contact your School Office in the first instance.

More about the industrial action

This latest industrial action is part of a national, long-running and complex dispute, and agreement can only be reached at a national level.

Sussex is one of 150 universities where its members have voted in favour of industrial action over pay and working conditions, and one of 67 which took part in strike action in relation to pensions.

Both pensions and pay for many staff working at universities across the UK are set by national bodies. As such they are negotiated by teams of representatives who act on behalf of the majority of universities collectively.

Improving working conditions for staff

Improving the working environment for all staff is something we care about deeply – and a number of projects are underway to improve the working and study environments for staff and students.

As well as the recent agreement between the University and UCU on a number of key issues, we also announced a raft of measures totalling £6.6m to support students and staff in the light of the current cost-of-living challenges. We only have a certain amount of money and we need to balance delivering the best education and student experience for our students with the income we receive.

We hope we can build on our positive collaboration with UCU, helping us realise our shared ambitions to improve working life at Sussex and be a more diverse and inclusive community.

Strike action in November 2022, February and March 2023

The University put in place dedicated procedures to respond to concerns arising from the periods of industrial action in November 2022 and February/March 2023. Both these procedures have concluded.