Mark signals give you information about your assessment marks and unit results.

You see mark signal wording alongisde your mark in eVision, when your assessment and/or unit marks are published. 

The mark signals give you more information about your mark, such as whether you need to have another attempt at an assessment. 

Where mark signals appear with your unit result, they also appear on your academic transcript, giving more information about the unit outcome. Your transcript includes a glossary which explains the signals on your transcript.

All of the mark signals are explained on this page. 

• Penalties
• Absence and other temporary signals
• Default outcomes
• Reassessments
• Other unit outcomes

Penalties

These signals only show alongside your assessment mark, where there has been a penalty applied. They do not show on your transcript.

Late penalty

Late penalties apply when you submit you coursework after the deadline, as follows: 

(Please note: weekend days count towards the calculation of late penalties, while no late penalty is applied on bank holidays and Univerity closure days).

L1 – Late penalty level 1 for submissions of 1 day late

Your school applied a late penalty of 10 marks. This applies to Professional and non-Professional programmes.

L2 – Late penalty level 2 for submissions of 2 days late

Your school applied a late penalty of 20 marks/ or for professional programmes a penalty mark of 0.

L3 – Late penalty level 3 for submissions of 3 days late

Your school applied a late penalty of 30 marks/ or for professional programmes a penalty mark of 0.

L4 – Late penalty level 4 for submissions of 4 days late

Your school applied a late penalty of 40 marks/ or for professional programmes a penalty mark of 0.

L5 – Late penalty level 5 for submissions of 5 days late

Your mark is 0. This applies to Professional and non-Professional programmes.

Plagiarism and word count

PL – Plagiarism penalty

After compliance with assessment regulations was investigated, your school applied a penalty to your mark.

WC – Word Count penalty

You went over the required word count for the assessment and your school applied a penalty to your mark.

Absence and other temporary signals

These signals are provisional, they are replaced once progression decisions are made at exam boards or, in the case of MP (Mark pending), a missing mark is entered.

Assessment signals

The following show on assessments, not on units. They do not show on your transcript.

AB – Absent without permission

Shows that you were absent from or did not submit an assessment, did not have an acceptable reason for being absent and have never received permission from your school for your absence.

AS – Absent with self-certified illness

Shows that you were absent from an assessment due to a self-certified illness or exceptionally, deferral i.e. absent where evidence has not been required because of the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).

AW – Absent with permission including verified illness

Shows that you were absent from or did not submit an assessment but had an acceptable reason for being absent (e.g. verifiable illness) and received permission from your school either before or after the event.

Assessment and unit signals

The following can show on assessments and units. They may show on interim transcripts, but will not show on final transcripts.

AR – Compliance with assessment regulations under investigation

Shows that there is an investigation in progress into your compliance with assessment regulations.

MP – Mark Pending

Shows that you have completed the assessment, but a mark is not yet available, either because of an administrative difficulty or a delay in marking.

Default outcomes

The default outcomes when you complete an assessment, or a unit.

Pass and fail

P – Pass

Shows that you achieved the pass mark. When shown at the unit level, it is the outcome for the unit and shows that you receive credit for the unit.

F – Fail

Shows that you did not achieve the pass mark. When shown at the unit level, you will not receive credit for the unit. This is usually replaced by either a reassessment signal, or other unit outcome.

Additional default outcomes for some professional programmes

Some professional programmes may have the following additional default outcomes.

PD – Pass with Distinction

Shows that you achieved the required mark for a Distinction.

PM – Pass with Merit

Shows that you achieved the required mark for a Merit.

Reassessments

If you are unable to progress to the next stage of your studies, the Exam Board may require you to complete a reassessment i.e. another opportunity to successfully complete assessment which you have not passed.

In this case, the programme outcome published in your assessment details will show that you have re-sit or supplementary assessments to complete. The following signals appear on both on the assessment for which you are given another attempt, and the unit itself.

Reassessment signals

R – Re-sit in the same academic year

Shows that you did not pass an assessment (and unit) but have been given a ‘re-sit’ opportunity, i.e. a second or subsequent attempt at an assessment, to complete in the same academic year. Your unit mark for the re-sit attempt will be capped.

Until the end of the 2019/20 academic year, the signals RB, RC and RE were used to indicate re-sits both coursework and examination(s), or coursework only, or exams only. From the 2020/21 academic year onward, these have been replaced by R. 

RU – Re-sit assessment (uncapped mark)

Shows that you did not pass an assessment (and unit) but have been given a ‘re-sit’ opportunity, i.e. a second or subsequent attempt at an assessment, to complete in the same academic year. Your unit mark for the re-sit attempt will be uncapped.

S – Supplementary in the same academic year

Shows that you did not pass the assessment (and unit), but have been given a ‘supplementary’ opportunity, i.e. a second or subsequent attempt which is treated like a first attempt, to complete in the same academic year. Your unit mark for the supplementary attempt will not be capped.

Until the end of the 2019/20 academic year, the signals SB, SC and SE were used to indicate supplementary both coursework and examination(s), or coursework only, or exams only. From the 2020/21 academic year onward, these have been replaced by S. 

R2/R3 – Re-sit 2nd/3rd attempt in the next academic year

Shows that you did not pass the assessment (and unit) but have been given a re-sit opportunity in the next year. Your unit mark for the re-sit attempt will be capped.

Until the end of the 2019/20 academic year, the signals XB, XC and XH were used to indicate re-assessment in the following year both coursework and examination(s), or coursework only, or exams only. From the 2020/21 academic year onward, these have been replaced by R2 / R3. 

NS – Supplementary next academic year

Shows that you did not pass the assessment (and unit) but have been given a supplementary attempt in the next year. Your unit mark for the supplementary attempt will not be capped.

Until the end of the 2019/20 academic year, the signals XB, XC and XH were used to indicate re-assessment in the following year both coursework and examination(s), or coursework only, or exams only. From the 2020/21 academic year onward, these have been replaced by NS. 

Other unit outcomes

The following signals show other unit outcomes where not all the assessment on the unit has been attempted or passed.

Signals used on units where someassessments have not been attempted or passed 

These signals may be used for units where you did not attempt or did not pass all the assessment and therefore credit is not automatically awarded. These signals appear on your transcript.

CA – Credit points awarded

Shows that you did not take some or all the assessment, and the Exam Board awarded you credit for the unit without consideration of any marks you did obtain from partial assessment on the unit. In 2019/20 examples of when this appears could include:

• where you deferred an assessment but are not required to do a supplementary assessment.
• where all assessment on the unit was removed/waived.
• where you completed some assessment for the unit, the remainder was waived, and the proportion completed is not enough to calculate and return a valid unit mark. You will still be able to see the mark for the assessment you completed, but it is not used for a unit mark.
• where you completed some assessment for the unit and the remainder was waived for you, but other groups of students still had to complete it.
• where you are a Study Abroad or Erasmus student and receive credit for attendance without assessment.

CP – Compensated pass

Shows that you receive credit for the unit so that you can progress, even though you did not pass the unit. This is only permitted on some programmes in specific circumstances.

CW – Credit points not awarded

Shows that you do not receive credit for the unit despite getting a pass mark, because you failed a must-pass assessment.

FC – Fail with credit points awarded, no re-sit allowed

Shows that your unit mark was below the pass mark, but your overall performance has been good enough for you to receive credit for the unit, so that the Exam Board can award you a degree. You are not permitted a re-sit. The unit mark is included in the calculation of your degree classification.

FX – Fail with credit points awarded, no re-sit required

Shows that your unit mark was below the pass mark, but your overall performance has been good enough for you to receive credit for the unit, so that you can progress to your next stage of study. You are not required to re-sit. The unit mark is included in the calculation to determine if you are permitted to progress but is not included in the calculation of your degree classification.

FM – Fail on re-sit must pass unit

Shows that you did not pass a must-pass unit, after a re-sit attempt.

FS – Fail supplementary year on must pass unit

Shows that you did not pass a must-pass unit, after an attempt in a supplementary year.

Signals used on units and assessments where assessments have not been completed 

The following signals are unit outcomes but also show on the relevant assessments which have not been completed. At unit level, these signals appear on your transcript.

PN – Pass not-withstanding

Shows that you are deemed to have passed the unit, because you have met the unit-level intended learning outcomes without having completed the full assessment. The signal will also appear on the assessments you did not complete. This is used where either:

• extenuating circumstances have prevented you from completing all assessment, or
• some elements of assessment have not been available.

UA – Unassessed

As a unit outcome, shows that you were not required to take any assessment and do not receive credit for the unit. On the assessment, shows that you were not required to complete the assessment. In 2019/20 examples of when this appears could include:

• both assessments and units, where are you are a Study Abroad or Erasmus student in attendance only, who does not receive credit for the unit.
• assessments, where all assessment was removed/waived, with CA on the unit because the student receives credit under the amended regulations.

RY – Repeat Year

As a unit outcome, shows that you have been given an opportunity to repeat the year without completing the assessment for the unit. The signal will also appear on the assessments you did not complete.

SU – Suspended studies

You suspended your studies and have not yet completed this unit. The signal will show on any assessments which you have not attempted, and the unit itself.

WD – Withdrawn from the University

You withdrew and did not complete this unit. The signal will show on any assessments you did not attempt, and the unit itself.