Supplementary year

In some cases, you may be offered an extra year of study to help meet progression requirements or gain your award.

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A supplementary year allows you to take any units eligible for reassessment again. This is so that you can progress to your next year of study or achieve your degree award.

Teaching in supplementary years

If you are given a supplementary year, the standard option will be for you to attend classes. This includes teaching and assessments. This means you must attend all classes and complete any required assessments. It may also be possible to have a supplementary year without attending classes. In this case you would only need to complete the assessments . You would not need to attend teaching sessions. You would only take the assessment during the designated assessment period.

When deciding whether to allow a supplementary year without attendance, the board will look at:

  • the number of credits you still need to earn
  • the reasons for failing your units (e.g. failing to submit work)
  • how actively you engaged with the teaching
  • the type of assessments you need to complete
  • whether the necessary units will be available next year.

We will put in place an automatic suspension to your studies for the other teaching block if:

  • you are on a supplementary year with attendance
    • and
  • only completing units delivered in one of the two University teaching blocks.

You do not need to request this suspension. Your student record will update to reflect a suspended status for the teaching block with no units. If you have no units in teaching block 2 (TB-2), your student record will normally be updated after TB-1 results have been published.

You may find it helpful to read information about suspending your studies. Your finances and accommodation arrangements are likely to be affected. If you hold a Student Visa, you must also read information about visas and supplementary years.

Request to change supplementary year attendance status

Review this information to be sure you have a good reason to change the attendance status for your supplementary year. You can submit a request within 7 days of getting your results. You can request to change from having to attend classes to doing assessments only, or vice versa.

After your supplementary year

On eVision, you will see details of any reassessments. You can also see whether your marks will be capped or uncapped.

If you complete your reassessments during the supplementary year, you will either:

  • progress to the next stage the following year
  • receive your degree award.

If you fail to earn the necessary credits, you will need to leave the University. You may be eligible for an exit award.

Appealing a decision about supplementary years

You can appeal the exam boards' decision to offer a supplementary year. This applies to:

  • modular undergraduate courses
  • maught postgraduate courses in exceptional circumstances, but only for academic failure.vis

It does not apply to non-modular professional undergraduate courses.

For full details, refer to the supplementary year section in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.

Access to University services

While on the supplementary year, you will continue to have full access to University resources. This includes online learning materials. Your student UCard remains valid, and you can use this to access the library and borrow items. Your bristol.ac.uk email will continue to operate as it does now. You should check it regularly for any courses or unit-related updates.

Assessments and curriculum content

The structure of your course may have changed between academic years. This might mean you need to:

  • take a new assessment if the format has changed
  • study different units if the original ones are no longer running.

Your school or faculty will email you if you need to take different units.

Check the unit and programme catalogue. It is your responsibility to stay informed about any changes to the curriculum in your supplementary year.

Tuition fees and funding

If your supplementary year is with attendance for teaching and assessment:

  • there will be a tuition fee for the supplementary year
  • the fee will be a proportion of a standard fee, based on the credit point value of the units you study, in line with Student Loans Company guidance
  • as long as you attend across the full academic year, you are eligible for a full-time maintenance loanyou may not be eligible for a tuition fee loan from Student Finance if you have already used your 'plus one' year of funding.

If your supplementary year is agreed without attendance:

  • there will not be a tuition fee for the supplementary year
  • you are not eligible for a tuition fee loan or maintenance loan for living costs
    • this is because you are not in attendance.

Contact a Money Adviser for more advice.

Visas and supplementary years

If you are on a student visa, you should read our guidance about extending your period of study. Read this as soon as possible after being offered a supplementary year.

Changes to your study may also affect your eligibility for the graduate route.

Council tax

You may become liable to pay council tax if you are in attendance on a part-time basis, or not in attendance.

Read more about council tax, exemptions and eligibility on the Council tax exemptions page. If you have questions about your eligibility contact Student Services.

If you have concerns about how paying council tax might impact your finances, contact a student funding adviser for advice.

Advice and support about academic outcomes

We recommend you talk with your personal tutor or school office about how your academic outcome affects you. You can also: