Academic appeals for postgraduate research
You can make an Academic Appeal at various times during your Postgraduate Research studies.
Primary page content
The information on this page applies to Postgraduate Research students (eg PhD, MPhil).
Students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses (eg BA, MA, PGCE, Foundation) have different guidance.
When you can appeal
You must have received a formal decision letter before you can appeal. The time limit for making an appeal will be set out in that letter.
Appeals received outside of the time limit will not normally be considered unless there are clear reasons for the delay and evidence to support this. We exercise our discretion but always seek to be fair and reasonable, taking account of the circumstances. Remember that you need to be able to provide evidence to explain why the appeal could not be submitted in time.
Errors can occur. Sometimes an error is self-evident – and can often be resolved without the need for a formal appeal. Contacting your department may be the best first step in many cases, as these queries can often be resolved directly.
If you believe that there was an administrative error in the way an examination or assessment was conducted, or if there has been a procedural irregularity, you can explain this in an appeal form and provide evidence to support what you are saying.
Appeal Process
Stage One: Formal appeal
If you decide to formally appeal you must do this within 21 days of your Transcript being published online.
You are strongly encouraged to seek advice from the Goldsmiths’ Students Union advice service before submitting an appeal.
Stage Two: Request a review
If you are unhappy with the Stage Two outcome you may be able to request a final internal review of your appeal if you have grounds for review.
You must do this within three weeks of receiving your Stage One decision.