Incomplete Grade

‘I-Grade’ stands for ‘Incomplete Grade’. You may want to apply for an I-Grade in circumstances where you might not be able to sit your end-of-semester exams or complete your assessments or placement for one or more modules. If you apply for and receive an I-Grade, then your exam or assessment will be rescheduled with no grade cap or exam fee applied. This may happen during the repeat exam period in August, or an alternative assessment may be put in place by your module leader for another appropriate time. However, I-Grades may affect your progression to the next year of your course. If you are a final year student it may delay your graduation. You are advised to consult your course director, academic advisor or a Student Engagement and Support Officer before you apply for an I-Grade. Full details on I-Grades are available in Section 4.2.3 in the Handbook of Academic Regulations and Procedures. 

As per Regulation 4.2.3.7, I-Grades for ‘work pressure’ or similar reasons will not be approved. 

You should only apply for an I-Grade if you are certain that you cannot complete all assessments on time or that you cannot sit a scheduled exam. Before you apply for an I-Grade you should contact your module leader or lecturer to see if they will give you an extension for your assessment. 

You may apply for an I-Grade for one of the following reasons:

1. Illness or other health (mental or physical) condition with sufficient proximity to the examination/assessment to have a substantial and material effect on your ability to attend the exam or complete the assessment;
2. Death of a person close to you including (but not limited to) a parent/guardian, sibling, spouse, child (or person in loco parentis), mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, or any person who was habitually resident in the home of the applicant, if within sufficient proximity of the examination/assessment to have a substantial and material effect on your ability to attend the exam or assessment;
3. Circumstances outside your control that make it legally, factually, or physically impossible for you to attend an examination/complete an assessment or within sufficient proximity to an examination/assessment that it has a substantial and material effect; An example may be the impact of your caregiving responsibilities.
4. Pregnancy and related issues that have a substantial and material effect on your ability to attend the exam or complete the assessment;
5. Other analogous circumstances that you would like the Incomplete (I) Grade Committee to consider. 

An I-Grade applies to a whole module, not to part of a module. 

If you receive an I-Grade, your exam or assessment will be rescheduled with no grade cap or repeat exam fee applied. This may happen during the repeat exam period in August, or an alternative assessment may be put in place by your module leader for another appropriate time. An I-Grade may affect your progression to the next year of your course. If you are a final year student, it may delay your graduation. You are advised to consult your course director, academic advisor or a Student Engagement and Support Officer before you apply for an I-Grade. 

An I-Grade does not accrue credits for a module.

Complete all sections of the application regardless of which category of I-Grade you select. 

Incomplete applications are not valid. Only completed applications will be reviewed by the I-Grade Committee. If you provide additional information to your application after the deadline, your application will not be considered. 

Upload documentary evidence to support your reason, such as a doctor’s cert, a notice from RIP.ie, a cert or letter from a mental health professional. The evidence you provide should succinctly and clearly show support for your application. If you do not have any documentary evidence to include in your application, then be sure you provide enough description of your circumstances within the application form so that the I-Grade committee can make an informed decision. 

The requirement to attend UL professional services (Chaplaincy, Counselling, Health Centre) specifically to get documentary support for your application, is not necessary under this process.

If you are currently attending one of the UL professional services for ongoing support and you need to apply for an I-Grade, then you can:

1. Apply for an I-Grade through the I-Grade portal as normal.
2. Provide clear concise information in the text box provided on the application form and advise that you are attending the relevant service.

Please read the application process and requirements outlined on the form when applying.

If an unavoidable appointment or commitment clashes with a scheduled exam, and if you submit your application before the first day of the exam schedule, your application may be considered for early notification. Please see email communication from the Provost’s Office for exact dates applicable. Please note that a clash of commitments does not automatically qualify for an I-Grade; each application will be assessed against the eligibility criteria. 

The I-Grade Committee will review these applications on the day before the start of exams; you will receive an email that day confirming whether your application has been approved. If approved, the email will identify the relevant modules and confirm that you do not need to sit those exams. 

This early notification is intended to resolve uncertainty for you before exams begin. Remember, submitting an application does not itself mean that it has been approved. 

Applications received after the early deadline and by the closing date for I-Grades will be reviewed shortly after that date. 

All applicants will receive formal confirmation when semester results are published, together with a confirmation email. Approved I-Grades will appear as an “I” beside the relevant modules on your transcript. 

If the circumstances described in your application raise concerns about your wellbeing, you may be contacted by someone in student support services to see how you are doing and whether you are receiving the support you need. The purpose of this contact is to offer support and help you access appropriate services (also listed under ‘Need general support?’). 

If you experience difficulties with the online application, please log a call with ITD through TopDesk.

If you wish to understand the progression or graduation implications of being approved for an I-Grade, please consult your course director, academic advisor or a Student Engagement and Support Officer for advice before applying.

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