Appealing your final result for a doctorate or Master of Philosophy thesis

If you’re studying a doctorate or Master of Philosophy at AUT, find out what you should do if you need to appeal the final result for your thesis.

The content on this page is only a summary – you can find more details about this process in Part 6: Academic Appeals of the AUT Calendar.

When you can appeal your final result

You can appeal your final result if:

• You can present additional information that couldn't reasonably have been made available before the final result was approved and therefore couldn’t have been brought to AUT’s attention at the time.
• You can show new or additional evidence that there was a material irregularity in how the assessment was conducted, or in the procedures of the assessment board or board of studies. This means that AUT procedures were not followed, or an assessment was conducted in a way that you think disadvantaged you unfairly.

Being disappointed with your final result or needing a better result isn’t a valid reason to make an appeal.

You must submit your appeal to the relevant contact within one month of receiving the final result you want appeal.

How to appeal your final result

If you need to appeal the final result for your thesis, email the University Postgraduate Research Board, explain why need to make an appeal and submit any relevant evidence.

Send your appeal to:

University Postgraduate Research Board
Email: upbadmin@aut.ac.nz

Submit your appeal within one month of receiving the final result you want to appeal.

Before you submit your appeal

We encourage you to seek advice from AUTSA (the AUT Students' Association). They can guide you through the process, and explain what to expect and what evidence you should submit with your appeal.

What happens next

After you have submitted the Academic Appeal Form, you can expect the following:

1. The University Postgraduate Research Board will consider your appeal
2. If your appeal meets the requirements, it will be sent it to the Graduate Research School Appeals Committee, within three months of receiving your appeal
3. The Graduate Research School Appeals Committee (which consists of experienced supervisors and thesis examiners not connected to your research or the University Postgraduate Research Board) will review your appeal
4. If the Graduate Research School Appeals Committee agrees that you have valid grounds for the appeal, it may recommend a review of the outcome or a re-examination of the thesis

How long this process takes may depend on the complexity of your situation.

The decision of the Graduate Research School Appeals Committee is final.