Find help in understanding what your results mean.

Understanding your Results

Waiting on your results from the Exam Board can be stressful, and when you finally get the email confirming they’re available it’s a panic to quickly open them and see how you’ve done.

If you’ve passed the year or completed your Degree, then congratulations! However, not every student will pass, and your results may offer a variety of choices or outcomes that you have to decide on.

This page will help you in understanding why those options have been given, and what you need to consider before choosing one of the outcomes.

Rules of assessment

The Exam Boards team apply the Rules of Assessment for your course to your results, and offer the options that they can, in line with these rules.

For example, in most UG standard degree schemes there are 3 opportunities to pass a core module, with 2 opportunities being for a capped mark. If a module is not completed within these 3 attempts, then in line with the Rules, the student will be withdrawn from the course.

Essex has a wide variety of degrees, and some of those have more specific rules of assessment, called Variations. It’s really important to check if your course is specified on a variation list, as there may be extra rules to meet. Your degree scheme may be accredited by the governing body of your field of study, and you have additional requirements to meet.

Module Results

When you first open your results, you will see a results grid. This is where your modules and marks for this year will be.

If you’ve passed

If you've passed your module, you will have the degree classification on the front page.

If you need to do more to pass

If you have been given options, you will have a blue button that asks you to click here which will take you to your list of options.

From the next page, you will see a code and a short explanation of the option. You can expand the option to read more about this choice and what it may mean for you.

It is important that you choose one of the options by the deadline stated. If you don’t you will be automatically allocated an option from the list (and it may not be the one you would choose).

RESULTS DROP INS

If you want some help in understanding what those options are please pop down to our Drop-in results hub on Square 3.

Results Drop-in: 29th June noon - 3pm; Square 3; Get support for understanding your results and options

Results Drop-in: 30th June noon - 3pm; Square 3; Get support for understanding your results and options

Results Drop-in: 1st July noon - 3pm; Square 3; Get support for understanding your results and options

Results Drop-in: 2nd July noon - 3pm; Online (Zoom); Get support for understanding your results and options

Results Drop-in: 3rd July noon - 3pm; Online (Zoom); Get support for understanding your results and options

Results Drop-in: 6th July noon - 3pm; Square 3; Get support for understanding your results and options

Results Drop-in: 7th July noon - 3pm; Square 3; Get support for understanding your results and options

Results Drop-in: 8th July noon - 3pm; Square 3; Get support for understanding your results and options

Results Drop-in: 9th July noon - 3pm; Online (Zoom); Get support for understanding your results and options

FAQS

You may find the answer to your question below in our FAQs.

It can be disappointing when you see the results were not as you had hoped. They are correct most of the time, but it may be very difficult to accept. Your provisional marks and exam results are provided by your department for the Board to ratify and check. If you are concerned that the mark is not correct (e.g. some of your assessments do not appear to have been included) please speak to your department for them to investigate for you.

No, make sure that you still choose one of the options you have been given, even if it is not what you want. This is because the appeals process runs alongside the results process. If you do not choose an option by the deadline then the University will chose one for you (and it may not be the one you would choose). If your appeal is dismissed, and your option has been automatically selected for you it is very unlikely you can change it to something else. Choosing one of the options if you appeal does not mean that you agree with the decision, but if these are your only options consider which you would choose before the decision is made for you.

In short, no. It is not possible to ask for your exam to be remarked because of a marginal degree classification failure. You cannot dispute the academic judgement of the marker, unless in the case of a procedural irregularity.

It’s disappointing but it is not possible to complete reassessment before Graduation. If you have failed a core module you must pass it before you can receive your award. If the module is compulsory or optional you may be offered an option to condone the failed module and receive your conferred award and complete reassessment in August/September to be able to complete or improve your award.

There are many outcomes that you might see in your results. You have been given your options in line with the Rules of Assessment. If you want to talk through what each of those options mean, please come along to one of our Results Drop-in sessions and we can help understand what each one means.

You could be withdrawn as you have completed your attempts as per the Rules of Assessment. We can look at this with you, and you have grounds to appeal the Exam Board decision we can support you with this.

Once you have chosen your options, and your department have been updated, you should be able to visit the Student Information Team to request a new ID card. Alternatively, you can order online through My Essex documents.

The graduation office will contact you within 30 days of your award being confirmed (the date the results are released). You should confirm your current address so that it can be posted to you. If the address is in the UK, it should only take a few days/weeks to arrive. Certificates posted overseas can take much longer. There is a charge to reprint your certificate after 6 months, so don’t leave it too long to let them know it hasn’t arrived.

This might be possible, but you would need to apply to re-sit exams abroad. It is at the discretion of your department and Exams office. Deadline to request this is 23rd July 2026 and late applications will not be accepted.