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Ramadan observance during exams

Posted on 26 May 2017

University arrangements and advice for taught students who observe Ramadan during exams.

All students on taught degree programmes who have exams during Week 7 onwards have been contacted by the Examinations Office. They were advised to fill in a Religious Observance Form if they required a change in their exam schedule. The requirements of all students who filled in the form have been catered for by making sure that:

  • their exams either take place in the early afternoon, or early in the morning on the day of the exam
  • they do not have more than one exam per day

The University has made these arrangements in line with advice from a senior Imam, the Equality Challenge Unit recommendations, the current practices at a number of higher education
institutions and the advice of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS). We would like to remind taught students sitting exams of the following:

  1. Students have been given the opportunity to request changes to examination timetables and these changes have been made. Additional changes at this stage are not possible.
  2. Students must attend the examinations in the locations allocated unless ill or unable to attend.
  3. If students are unwell during any period of assessment including exams, they should follow the University procedures for confirmation of illness.

The University recognises that obligatory fasting is an important event in many religious observances; however, religious fasting alone does not constitute legitimate exceptional circumstances for examinations. Acceptable exceptional circumstances occur if the act of fasting significantly affects a student’s health and/or a student has a medical condition which may impair their academic performance or prevent them from attending an examination during fasting. In such cases, the student will need to provide documentary evidence to support their claim for exceptional circumstances.

Please consult the welfare guidance given below which includes specific advice related to how to maintain a healthy life-style during fasting and how to manage examinations during Ramadan.