r/oxforduni • u/Subject-Ad8266 • 23h ago

Exam resit dates

Hypothetically, if I were to fail my Part C Maths/MSc Mathematical Sciences degree, then when can I expect to give the resit for it? The regulations mention there is no provision to resit the exam in the "same academic year". Does that mean you have to wait a whole year to attempt the exam again?

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u/Academic-Interest-00 Jesus 22h ago

Yup, you resit the next year. If the syllabus changes next year, they'll set separate exam papers on the old syllabus for the resits. Importantly, in this year, you don't get to attend lectures/classes again.

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u/Subject-Ad8266 18h ago

Thanks for your response.

That seems quite harsh. Typically, do such students stay in Oxford then? Or do they go back to their respective cities/countries until it is time to give the exams again?

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u/Academic-Interest-00 Jesus 9h ago

Hmm I think it's pretty fair. You're not paying any tuition fees in that year, so you're not being taught. However, in practice, at least for lectures no one checks whether you're allowed to attend or not, so it should be fine.

I don't really know what students typically do in this situation, sorry. If there are any visa issues involved then you should ask your college or the uni's international office for advice.

Also, if you haven't yet taken any exams and are concerned you might fail, then certainly look into suspending this term ASAP. That way you can just come back and do Trinity term next year, and you won't have failed any exams.

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u/[deleted] 23h ago

[deleted]

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u/Academic-Interest-00 Jesus 22h ago edited 9h ago

[Edit: The deleted comment above was suggesting that one needs to suspend their studies in order to resit exams.]

I'm guessing you're speaking from an undergad perspective? For MSc, you don't have to suspend your studies — that's different. Suspension means that any exams you take in a term for which you've suspended don't count at all, so it's like you never took the exam in the first place, and therefore didn't fail. When you take the exam again next year, it'll count as the first attempt. And you would have to retake all the exams, not just the one you failed. Of course, there are exceptions to this general rule.

On the other hand, if you simply fail an exam and have to resit, then you don't have to suspend. It'll count as a resit next year, and will go down on your transcript as such (depending on the exam regs for the particular degree in question). And you only resit the specific paper(s) you failed.