About the Examination Access and Mitigation Committee (EAMC)

The Examination Access and Mitigation Committee (EAMC) is a committee of the General Board that meets every month (Dates of meetings) to review applications relating to exams and assessments, usually due to health issues or other serious personal circumstances. 

What applications does the EAMC consider?

• Intermission (or disregarding terms) for students who need a break from studies due to illness or grave cause;
• Resuming study, following intermission or period of illness;
• Exam Access Arrangements (also known as Reasonable Adjustments) for students with long term health conditions or disabilities that substantively disadvantage students when undertaking assessments;
• Adjusted Modes of Assessment and Adjusted Modes of Study (i.e., alternative forms of assessment or studying one year's worth of academic provision over two years) for students with a disability, where other reasonable adjustments do not  sufficiently mitigate the specific substantial disadvantage of their disability;
• Coursework extensions (of more than seven days/the maximum amount permitted by self-certification);
• Exam Allowances - for students who miss all or part of an exam due to serious and unexpected illness or grave cause;
• An EAMC opinion regarding exceptional progression to Part III/IIB of a Tripos - on the basis of illness or grave cause;
• Permission to undertake non-standard combinations of papers;
• Conditional allowance of a term - for students who have been out of residence for more than the maximum number of days permitted within a term.

Who is involved?

EAMC committee members are made up of representatives from across the Collegiate University, including but not limited to Senior Tutors, Postgraduate Tutors and medically qualified members. Cases will be considered by the Committee or under delegated authority.

Other related teams and Committees include:

• Mitigating Circumstances Team - manage the applications and implement or communicate the decisions and outcomes. 
• Colleges - help students apply and are involved in operational aspects of implementing adjustments.
• Postgraduate Committee - consider reasonable adjustment applications for students on Postgraduate Research Programmes. 
• University Counselling Service (UCS) - offers emotional support to students;  
• Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC)- provides disability support for students;
• General Board’s Education Committee (GBEC) - may be involved in exam-related decisions and receives reports from the EAMC.

What are the underlying principles of the EAMC?

• To grant remedy where students would otherwise be substantively disadvantaged by illness or grave cause in relation to their assessments;
• To endeavour to ensure parity of treatment between applicants to the Committee who share similar circumstances, while recognising that each case is individual;
• To be mindful of the interests of students undertaking the same course but who are not applicants to the Committee.

When will you hear back?

You will usually receive a response to an application within 10 working days after the EAMC meeting. Please wait 10 working days before following up on any applications. 

Need help or have questions

Administrators supporting the Committee work both remotely and in the Student Services Centre (SSC). For any questions or queries, please email eamc@admin.cam.ac.uk.

Not happy with the outcome

If you disagree with the decision, you can request a review within 14 days using the Procedure for Reviews of Decisions of University bodies.