Post-results services

This service is only available to candidates taking non-multiple choice exams delivered on paper.

Requests for a clerical re-check should be made via the MyCII dashboard or by calling Customer Service Tel: +44 (0)20 8989 8464. You must apply within 2 weeks of the release date of the results.

This service will include the following checks:

• That all parts of the script have been marked
• The totaling of marks
• The recording of marks
• The application of any adjustments
• The application of any grade boundaries
• The application of any special consideration, where applicable

The CII aim to provide the outcome of the re-check within 10 working days of receipt of the request. If you have booked a re-sit for the same unit and the check results in a pass, the entry fee for this unit will be refunded.

Exams Post-results review of marking

The service is only available to candidates whose result is a fail in any of the written response exams.

Requests for a post-results review of marking should be made to Customer Service Tel: +44 (0)20 8989 8464 and Email: customer.serv@cii.co.uk. You must apply within four weeks of the release date of the results.

This is a review of the original marking to provide candidates with feedback and to ensure that the agreed mark scheme has been applied correctly. This service will include:

• A clerical re-check (if your exam was delivered on paper)
• A review of the original marking to ensure that:

          1. Your result is upgraded to a pass if this is merited by the review of your paper

          2. Marking of your paper is within tolerated mark differences.

• A feedback report outlining areas for improvement (where the review does not result in a pass)

The CII aim to provide the outcome within 35 days of receipt of the request. A fee of £90 is payable for this service and is refundable if the review results in a pass. If you have booked a re-sit for the same unit and the review results in a pass, prior to you re-sitting the exam, you can contact Customer Service to claim a refund of the entry fee for this unit.

As part of the quality assurance process, a review of the original marking is carried out by a senior examiner on a sample of scripts prior to results release. 

Coursework and Mixed Assessment Coursework Assignments Post-results review of marking

The service is only available to candidates whose result is a fail in any assignment. Only one review per assignment is allowed.

While the Post-results review of marking is refundable if the result is overturned, please be aware that each paper is marked independently by at least two markers and failing papers are additionally reviewed in a moderation process – as such, it is unlikely that the review of the marking will lead to a grade being changed. 

Requests for a post-results review of marking should be made to Customer Service. You must apply within 35 days of the assignment being resulted.

This review service will include:

• A review of the original marking
• Where the review does not result in a pass, a report on areas for improvement will be sent

The CII aim to provide the outcome within 35 days of receipt of the request. A fee of £90 is payable for this service and is refundable if the review results in a pass.

Dissertation Post-results review of marking

The service is only available to candidates whose result is a fail in the dissertation. Only one review per dissertation is allowed.

Requests for a post-results review of marking should be made to Customer Service . You must apply within 35 days of the assignment being resulted.

This review service will include:

• A review of the original marking
• Where the review does not result in a pass, a report on areas for improvement will be sent

The CII aim to provide the outcome within 35 days of receipt of the request. A fee of £90 is payable for this service and is refundable if the review results in a pass.

Qualifications Formal Appeals Policy

The Qualifications Formal Appeals Policy and procedures considers concerns about qualification and assessment decisions and outcomes where all other available routes for enquiries have been exhausted.

All routes for enquiries are exhausted when the CII Director or Manager notifies you that this point has been reached in your enquiry (closure of final escalation).

Grounds for a formal appeal

The Qualifications Formal Appeals procedures will consider whether the CII's procedures are consistent and have been fairly and properly applied.  It is not a form of legal proceedings.  The objective of the process is to determine whether decisions and outcomes have been made appropriately or whether you (the ‘appellant’) have a case that the CII has not done so appropriately.

The decisions that you can appeal against are the following:

• Assessment results (all assessment formats), relating to marking or the standards of the assessment content
• Recognition of Prior Learning or PFS Fellowship Recognition application outcomes
• Special Consideration application decisions
• Reasonable Adjustment application outcomes
• Disciplinary decisions relating to assessment misconduct (malpractice) – however, this form of appeal is dealt with as part of the disciplinary procedures. 

The grounds for a formal appeal must be related to the CII's qualifications and acceptable grounds are:

• That the CII has not applied procedures consistently or that procedures were not followed properly and fairly by the CII in reaching its decision or outcome,
• Extenuating circumstances or new information that was not available or could not have been presented for valid reasons at the time of the decision or outcome.

The following are not grounds for a formal appeal:

• Claims of being unaware of, or not understanding relevant published rules, regulations and policies.
• Academic judgements, including requests for further reviews of marking of a candidates' work or re-evaluating an application for Recognition of Prior Learning.
• General feedback about qualifications or customer service (for this, please refer to the Complaints Policy for support) or any matters unrelated to CII qualifications and assessments.

Making a formal appeal

Formal appeals must be submitted within 28 calendar days of the CII confirming that all other routes of enquiry have been exhausted (closure of final escalation).  A fee of £122 is payable for this service and will be refunded if the appeal application is successful.  Late or incomplete payments will not be accepted. If you have booked a re-sit for the same unit and the appeal results in a pass, the fee for this unit will be refunded in addition to the appeal fee.

Appeal applications must be made using the below Appeals application form, clearly stating the grounds for appeal, and sent to appeals@cii.co.uk.

Qualifications Formal Appeal Application form (PDF)

Upon receipt of the fully completed application form and fee, the CII will send you a formal acknowledgement of the appeal and indicate the period within which the appeal will be considered.

CII reserves the right to reject the appeal application and refund the fee if the appeal form submitted does not meet the grounds for appeal.

The formal appeals process

The formal appeals process consists of two stages:

Stage 1 – CII internal senior manager review

A review will be undertaken by a senior member of CII staff who has had no previous involvement with the case in order to provide advice and guidance to you where the grounds for the appeal might be very likely/unlikely to succeed.

This guidance service can be particularly important where you are unfamiliar with qualifications and assessment principles or practices and, therefore, practical investigation and explanation of these in the context of the decision or outcome you have received may help you to consider or prepare your appeal.

The outcome of Stage 1 will be notified to you in writing within 28 calendar days of application date (the date of CII receiving both the fee and the application form).  You are permitted to include this outcome letter within any Stage 2 appeal documentation if you wish.

If your case has not been resolved at Stage 1, you can ask that it be referred to Stage 2. You are required to advise the CII if you wish to progress to Stage 2 of the appeals process within 28 calendar days of receiving the outcome of Stage 1.  If you decide not to proceed, your appeal fee will be refunded.

In all the processes described above, where deadlines have passed, exceptional circumstances may still be considered.

Stage 2 – CII Appeals Panel

A Sub-Committee of the CII Education and Learning Committee, please find governance page here, of at least three panel members will be appointed to receive the appeal. This will include at least one member of the Education and Learning Committee and one person who is not a member, employee or examiner of the CII.  The Appeals Panel will be chaired either by a CII director who has no direct interest or involvement in the appeal, and who will not be entitled to vote, or by a member of the Education and Learning Committee.

If appropriate to the grounds of the appeal, examiners and subject experts, or CII staff uninvolved in the appeal, may be invited to provide information or guidance on the subject matter of the appeal, but not to vote.

The case will be presented to the panel in the form of panel papers.  Both parties (CII staff involved in the case and the appellant) have an opportunity to provide documents and information supporting their case for the panel papers and view the panel papers.  The panel papers remain confidential between the appellant, the CII and the panel members, with the exception of any specific request by a relevant regulator.

Prior to the panel deliberations and voting, the Appeals Panel can make a request of either the appellant or CII staff involved in the case to clarify specific facts.  Neither the appellant nor CII staff involved in the appeal has the right or obligation to attend the panel meeting.  The panel deliberations and voting take place in private.

The outcome of the Stage 2 appeal will be provided to the appellant in writing by email within 5 working days following the panel decision.  The CII will aim to complete Stage 2 of the appeal process within 60 calendar days of receiving notification that the appellant wishes to progress to Stage 2.

The outcome of the appeal

The Panel may either:

• uphold the appeal – in whole or in part – and recommend that a change to the outcome or decision be made or reviewed; or,
• reject the appeal.

The Appeals Panel is not authorised to further review the marks of candidates' work or make academic judgements.

Whether the appeal is upheld or not, the Panel may also offer recommendations to the CII relating to process improvements.  Where the appeal identifies any issues that indicate a failure in a CII process or may be relevant to other learners, action will be taken to prevent or mitigate any current or potential impact on learners and qualifications.

Further routes of appeal

If you are unhappy with the appeal outcome and your case relates to a regulated qualification, you can contact the relevant regulator to make a complaint.  Please note that timescales and conditions apply.  The CII will cooperate fully in any appeal with the regulator, including sharing information relating to your case.

Ofqual (for candidates in England or outside the UK): https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofqual.

Qualifications Wales (for candidates who are resident in Wales): www.qualificationswales.org/.

CCEA (for candidates who are resident in Northern Ireland): www.ccea.org.uk/.

Escalation to education regulators is not available for appeals relating to unregulated CII qualifications or fellowship, including the PFS Fellowship Recognition scheme. 

Monitoring CII policies and processes

It is important to us that our policies and processes work well to support learners and the standards of our qualifications.  We review policies and processes regularly and are always keen to hear your feedback on how these have worked for you.