Students are growing increasingly frustrated with delays in receiving their exam results and coursework grades, with many reporting knock-on effects on their academic performance and well-being. A recent survey conducted by The College Tribune highlights the widespread nature of the issue, with more than 71% of respondents stating that they have experienced delays beyond the university’s 20-working-day timeframe for grading and feedback.
According to the survey, of those who faced delays, over half (56.3%) reported waiting more than 15 days beyond the deadline, with a further 18.8% waiting between 11 and 15 days. A concerning 9.4% stated that they had not received a grade.
UCD’s academic regulations stipulate that grades must be entered into the university system within 20 working days unless an exemption is granted by the Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning under exceptional circumstances. If a delay is to occur, students must be informed of the delay and when to expect their results. However, 81.3% of students who experienced delays said they had not been told their results would be late.
Students reported a range of negative impacts from the delays, with 71.1% believing that late grades had affected their academic performance. Many expressed frustration at the lack of feedback, a crucial tool for improving future assignments or preparing adequately for exams and resits. This lack of feedback left them feeling directionless and needing guidance for their academic journey.
One respondent noted: “I wasn’t able to amend my next assignment with feedback from the previous one, so I undoubtedly got a worse grade than if I had been able to see how I did on the first assignment.”
As UCD’s academic regulations outline, even when feedback is late, it must be provided in “time for students to make use of it prior to summative assessment”. These regulations also declare that feedback should be “frequent and sufficient enough to support future learning”. The above student testimony highlights a clear breach of this regulation to the detriment of a student’s academic progress.
Another student shared their experience of receiving midterm results just three days before their final, adding that “it is only from results and feedback that we learn our mistakes.”
The uncertainty surrounding grades also led to stress and anxiety for many students. Some reported feeling “in the dark” about their academic progress, making it challenging to choose modules or plan for Erasmus applications. This sense of being ‘in the dark’ about their academic journey added an extra layer of stress and uncertainty. One respondent highlighted the consequences of delayed grading on study abroad opportunities: “If my grade had been given on time, I would have been able to discuss it before Erasmus deadlines. Erasmus takes whatever grade is officially released first, even if it is later changed.”
Beyond delays in receiving grades, students also reported feedback quality and availability issues. Over half (53.3%) said they had not received feedback on all their graded coursework and exams, while 46.7% said they had never received feedback on a final module grade. When feedback was provided, only 44.4% said it was given within the required 20-working-day timeframe.
Even when feedback was available, students often found it inadequate. One student shared: “Some of my feedback was two sentences for assignments that had over 5,000 words.”
Another noted that they had dropped a module because the lecturer explicitly stated that midterm grades would not be returned before the final exam.
Despite these widespread issues, 70.5% of students said they had not raised concerns about delayed grades or inadequate feedback with lecturers or faculty members. Of those who did, only 4.5% said their concerns were addressed, while 25% stated that their complaints were ignored. This feeling of being ‘ignored’ left them feeling unsupported and unheard.
This suggests a lack of confidence in the university’s ability to address the issue effectively. UCDSU’s Education Officer previously stated, in an SU Council meeting on January 27th, that failing to provide feedback within the required timeframe constitutes a breach of academic regulations and has encouraged students to report instances of non-compliance.
While students are understandably frustrated, some acknowledge that grading delays may be linked to increased faculty workload and limited resources. One respondent noted: “It seems like engineering staff just don’t have enough resources to grade all work with feedback on time, especially in undergraduate years, and it has just become accepted that you don’t always get grades on time, and they don’t always have feedback.”
Others raised concerns that if pressure is applied to enforce strict grading deadlines, it may lead to unintended consequences, such as a shift towards exams and group projects rather than individual assignments that require detailed feedback. One student suggested a compromise: “If we were to agree to extend the grading deadline alongside a requirement for more detailed feedback, that would seem a worthwhile trade.”
The findings of this survey paint a concerning picture of grading delays and a lack of communication that leaves students struggling with uncertainty and additional stress. While resource constraints may play a role, UCD’s regulations explicitly guarantee students the right to receive their grades and feedback on time. This inconsistency between policy and practice is a significant concern that must be addressed to ensure students can thrive academically.
These issues will likely persist without a more robust system for ensuring compliance, further undermining students’ academic progression and overall university experience. Whether UCD will take concrete steps to address these concerns remains to be seen.
The College Tribune has contacted the UCDSU Education Officer and UCD’s Office of the Registrar and Teaching and Learning Department. While both acknowledged our findings, we have yet to receive any official comment from them at the time of publication.
Speaking on the issue, UCDSU Education Officer Tia Cullen stated:
“While the data from the survey is not a representative sample of the whole college, it’s a useful starting point for discussing a really important aspect of the academic journey, and UCD’s academic and quality assurance responsibilities. In-trimester grades, module grades and formative feedback of all types are integral to the academic journey, as set out in the Academic Regulations. Students who do not receive grades and feedback in a timely manner are let down by the university, and they should contact their Module Coordinators to raise the issue with them or reach out to the SU Education Officer for support.
“I have been supporting a number of students across the university community who have not received grades and/or feedback within the appropriate timeframes set out in UCD’s Academic Regulations. I have met with the Registrar and raised concerns around Academic Regulation adherence across the university community and will follow up with him on it at our next meeting.
“There are a number of external factors that impact the provision of grades and feedback, negatively affecting students’ academic journeys. These include poor faculty-student ratios, workload, and an overall funding gap in the Higher Education sector. These are all issues we fight against in the Students’ Union, and they affect every aspect of the student experience here in UCD.”
Whether UCD will take concrete steps to address these concerns remains to be seen.
Jack Donlon, Hannah Costello, Ellen Clusker
