I Grades

• Students do not need to contact the Student Health Centre in advance of completing an online application. Full details of the medical related issue should be indicated on the online form and, where available, reference any third-party certification that supports the application. 
• There is no need to submit copies of any third-party certification to the University at this stage but you should retain copies for future use if required. 
• Students who do not already have third-party certification are permitted to self-certify. It is vitally important that you indicate on the online application that you are self-certifying.
• The Student Health Centre does not process applications in relation to mental health issues. Please use the Counselling Service application.
• All sections of the application form must be completed.  Any incomplete applications will be rejected.
• Please email Ria.Toland@ul.ie for assistance with applications.

Note: Please do NOT attend the Drop-In Service to apply for an I grade 

Please read the instructions below carefully. 

For those currently attending the UL Counselling Service: 

Please discuss your I Grade with your current Counsellor before applying online. A further cert/letter to support your I grade may not be required.

For those who previously attended the service OR who are contacting the service for the first time:

You must provide supporting evidence to the UL Student Counselling & Wellbeing Service pertaining to your mental health. This evidence must:

• Be a cert or letter from a GP, Psychotherapist, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or mental health service 
• Detail that your mental health status impacts capacity to sit the relevant exams. (Please note, normal pressures of work do not suffice as mental health grounds for I grades.)
• Include dates pertaining to the period of time that your capacity is affected. 

In the following order, you then: 

1. Email your cert/letter to counselling@ul.ie from your UL email address and refer to ‘I grade’ in the subject line of the email. 
2. Apply through the online I-grade application portal.

Your application will be rejected if:

1. Your supporting evidence is insufficient or does not state mental health grounds.
2. Your supporting evidence is not received in advance of the deadline and application.

It is important that you apply early to allow time for processing of the certs and online portal completion.

Applications can be made via the UL Chaplaincy Service in relation to close family bereavements and immediate family crisis situations. 

Students must engage directly with and have the support of a Chaplain in advance of completing an online application.  

Applications will be automatically rejected where no engagement has taken place.  

An applicant may be required to submit adequate third-party evidence for consideration such as a www.rip.ie notice.  

Contact with a chaplain may be made in person, by email or phone. 

John.Campion@ul.ie  086 2632458
Sarah.ORourke@ul.ie  086 4127485

For application queries, please email the appropriate service below:-

Medical Issues: Ria.Toland@ul.ie
Mental Health Issues: Counselling@ul.ie 
Bereavements/immediate family crisis:
John.Campion@ul.ie  / 086 263 2458 or Sarah.ORourke@ul.ie / 086 412 7485.

If your module information is not available when completing an online application form, please raise a ticket with Academic Registry via TopDesk.

Q. What is an I Grade?

An I grade may be awarded to students who find themselves in an immediate crisis situation, coming up to or during an exam or final assessment period, which prevents them from being able to sit or complete their exams, assignments or placements. An immediate crisis can relate to ill-health, mental health issues or family bereavement/other family crisis situation. As per regulation 4.2.3.2 I grades will not be assigned in response to pleas of pressure of work.

I grades can only be awarded for full modules, not component parts of modules and therefore do not apply in the case of mid-term assessments.  Your lecturer will be able to advise what alternative arrangements may be made.

Q. What is the impact of being approved for an I grade?

Being awarded an I grade for the autumn or spring semester means that you will have the opportunity to undertake the assessment(s) over the summer, or to sit exams during the repeat exam period in August, with no academic penalty.  Your grade will not be capped at C3 and you will not be required to pay an additional registration fee.

If you are awarded an I-grade during the summer semester/annual repeats, you will not be able to progress to the next academic year (or stage) of your programme or to graduation until your I-grade is fully cleared. Typically, this will be via link-in in the next academic year, but if you need to repeat more than 2 modules per semester it may require you to repeat a full Semester or possibly repeat the full year.  If you are awarded an I-grade for the first time for a module during the repeat exam period, then a decision on progression will depend on your overall deficient grades and may be to link-in or repeat a semester/year. 

In the case of final year students the situation is as follows:-

• Students awarded autumn semester I grades may be able to graduate but this is not guaranteed. 
• Students awarded spring semester and summer I grades will not be able to graduate until after the repeat results have been published in September.

Q. How will I know if my I Grade has been approved?

If your I grade is approved an "I" will appear as your result for that module when the results are published on the SI Student Portal.

Q. Is it possible to apply for more than one I grade?

Yes, it is possible to apply for more than one I grade.  There is no limit on the number of I grades you can apply for.

Q. Can you apply for an I grade for part of a module?

No, I grades can only be awarded for full modules, not component parts of modules.  If you are unable to complete a mid-term assessment your module leader may make alternative arrangements for you. You will need to check with your lecturer for confirmation as to whether or not any completed assignment/mid-term grades will still contribute towards your final grade or if the module(s) will revert to 100%.

Q. Can I apply for an I grade in case I cannot complete my module requirements?

It is important to note that you should not apply for an I grade unless you find yourself in an immediate crisis situation coming up to or during the exam period. In the first instance you should contact your module leader to ascertain if there is a possibility to extend the submission date for an assignment or to submit an assignment as an alternative to an exam. When an I grade application is made, and subsequently approved, it is not possible to remove this from your student record regardless if you subsequently complete all the assessment requirements.

Q. Can I apply for I grades for modules from last semester?

No, you can only apply for I grades for the current semester.

Q. Are I grade results capped?

No, I grade results are not capped.

Q. Can I apply for I grades for annual repeats?

Yes you can apply for an I grade for either a repeat examination or for pre-existing I grades from the previous autumn and spring semesters. Students who receive an I grade for the first time in a module during the annual repeats will retain their original grade and will be informed by Academic Registry as to what their progression route will be. 

Q. How do I clear an I Grade?

ALL Students on Taught Programmes

1. Must clear each approved I grade in the manner determined by the module leader – the range of assessment instruments the module leader may use are outlined in 4.2.3.9 of the regulations.
2. Must contact the module leader responsible for the module immediately after the results are published to determine how the outstanding requirements are to be completed.
3. Where the module leader determines a formal examination is required this will take place during the annual repeats in August 2023.

ALL Prospective Graduating Students (i.e. your programme of study ends in Semester 2 of AY 22/23)

• If I grade has been cleared by the end of semester 2 in the manner determined by the module leader, I grade clearance will be processed in time for the June University Exam Board.  Assuming student has met all the requirements to graduate, they will be eligible to be conferred in August 2023.
• If I grade has been cleared during the summer period in the manner determined by the module leader, I grade clearance will be processed in time for the September University Exam Board.  Assuming student has met all the requirements to graduate, they will be eligible to be conferred in January 2024.
• If I grade has not been cleared prior to end of the repeat exam period August 2023 in the manner determined by the module leader, student will be required to repeat the module in full in AY 23/24.

ALL Other Students

• If I grade has been cleared prior to end of the repeat exam period August 2023 in the manner determined by the module leader, I grade clearance will be processed in early September 2023 and, student will receive a progression decision in early September 2023.
• If I grade has not been cleared prior to end of the repeat exam period August 2023 in the manner determined by the module leader, student will be required to repeat the module in full in AY 23/24.