Undergraduate Students

What is a Tutor?

A Tutor is a member of the academic staff who is appointed to look after the general welfare and development of the students in his/her care. Whilst the Tutor may be one of your lecturers, this is not always the case as the role of the College Tutor is quite separate from the teaching role.

When should I go to see my tutor?

Whenever you have a question or are worried or concerned about any aspect of College life or your personal life, in particular if it is affecting your academic work. Everything you say to your Tutor is in strict confidence. Unless you give him/her permission to do so, s/he will not give any information to anybody else, whether inside College or outside (to your parents/family for example). Your Tutor can only help you if s/he knows you are facing difficulties, so if you are worried about anything go and see your Tutor before things get out of hand. Whilst your tutor may not be in a position to solve the underlying problem, they can help you find the best way to limit the impact of your situation on your College work. Do consult your tutor. They can and often do make a difference.

What if I want to change my tutor?

You can change your Tutor once in your 4 years at College. Identify a new Tutor and ask them if they would agree to take you on as one of their tutees. Ask fellow students for advice.

Email the Senior Tutor's Office st.office@tcd.ie,with your name and student number and names of your previous and new Tutor.

Finally, if you are having difficulties finding a new tutor, consult the Senior Tutor's Office in House 27 for advice.

It is not advisable to change your Tutor without careful consideration, especially if your tutor is aware of any on-going difficulties.

What do I do if I am unsure about my course choice?

Go to your Tutor and discuss this with him/her. There can be many reasons for your unhappiness with your course and they should be explored. You may also need to find out more about the course in the following years. Your Tutor will help you to find the relevant information.

If you feel that you wish to change courses then you can apply for a transfer of course. You will need to complete a Transfer Application Form, which you can get from your Tutor or download from the Download section of this website. Your Tutor will also sign the form and forward it to the Admissions Office on your behalf.  For more information on transfers and the relevant key dates, please check https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/making-an-application/undergraduate/.

How do I change course/transfer to a different course?

The first thing to remember is that to transfer to the Junior Freshmen year of any course, you must have the points for the course you want to transfer into. You will need to complete a Transfer Application Form, which you can get from your Tutor or download from the download section of this website. Your Tutor will also sign the form and forward it to the Admissions Office on your behalf. For more information on transfers and the relevant key dates, please check https://www.tcd.ie/study/apply/making-an-application/undergraduate/.

JUNIOR FRESHMAN

You may apply before the end of the 3rd week of Michaelmas term. Remember that all applications are held until the deadline and that the decision to allocate you a place is based on your Leaving Certificate points, the availability of places on the course and potential time-table constraints. You will be informed directly and in writing by the Admissions Office and, if offered a place, you need to confirm your acceptance by e-mail. Deadline date 15th October 2021.

CONTINUING JUNIOR FRESHMAN / NON JUNIOR FRESHMAN

Transferring into the Junior Freshman year of another course you must apply before 1st August if you want to be considered on a par with the new CAO entrants.

You will be assessed on your Leaving Certificate points only (not your TCD exams results) and you must have the points for the course in the year of entry.

If you miss this deadline, you can apply in the same way as newly entered Junior Freshmen.

Remember that a transfer which results in the repetition of a year means that you will not qualify for the fee remission scheme and you will have to pay tuition fees for every year that you have completed, in addition to the Student Contribution

Other students looking for a transfer into a year OTHER THAN THE JUNIOR FRESHMAN YEAR of a different course must apply before the end of week 5 of Michaelmas Term at the latest and will be assessed on the basis of the total qualifications presented (L.C. points and exam results). It is advisable to apply before the start of August to be able to start the new academic year in your new course if the transfer is allowed.

What if I want to leave College?

First of all, you should contact your Tutor to discuss this with him/her. Your Tutor's job is not to convince you to stay in College, but to ensure that you have fully explored all the implications and dimensions of such an important decision. You might also consider meeting with a Careers Advisor. Please see www.tcd.ie/careers The next step is to inform the Senior Lecturer, through your College Tutor, by completing the withdrawal form which can be downloaded from the Senior Lecturer's Website; https://www.tcd.ie/undergraduate-studies/academic-progress/withdrawal-college.php You should be aware of the fee implications of withdrawal from College and are advised to consult the Calendar and your Tutor. 7.

What if I wish to take a year out (go 'Off-Books')?

You cannot just leave or stop going to College. You must get permission from the Senior Lecturer to interrupt your studies. You should discuss your reasons for going 'off-books' with your Tutor and ask him/her to apply to the Senior Lecturer on your behalf. Make sure you discuss your reasons for doing so with your Tutor to ensure this is the right choice for you at this time. You normally need to be ‘in good standing’ (= to have passed your exams) to be allowed to go off-books.

What if I am ill at the time of my exams?

Students who are ill at the time of their examinations should consult their doctor and request a medical certificate for the appropriate period. All medical certificates must be dated and include the date on which the illness started and the length of incapacitation. This must then be given to your Tutor within three days of the beginning of the period of absence from the examination. Medical Certificates presented at the time of an examination must state clearly that the student was unable to sit his/her exams. Your Tutor will forward your Medical Certificate to the Senior Lecturer's Office. Depending on your year, the length of your illness and the exam session, it might be possible to have your exam re-scheduled during the exam period. Remember that medical certificates are not accepted in explanation or excuse for poor performance.

What do I do if I arrive late for an examination?

You should contact your tutor, your school/department or the Senior Tutor's Office immediately. A student can be admitted in the first half hour of the exam start time. After that time if a student arrives at the venue the Chief Invigilator should immediately call the Examinations Office who will check if any student sitting the same exam has left the venue. If no one has left any of the venues, then you will be permitted to sit the paper but you may not always be allowed the full time. If a student sitting the same paper has left any of the venues, then you will not permitted to sit the paper and you should contact your tutor immediately.

What happens if I miss an exam (I forgot, I got the dates mixed up, I was ill)?

Contact your Tutor immediately so that s/he can find the best solution for your situation. If you don't attend an examination without a valid explanation, you may not be allowed to sit Supplementals in September and you may be excluded from your course. Exclusions must be lifted through the Appeals process or by the Senior Lecturer before you can continue with your course.

If you are ill, make sure you see a doctor and get a medical certificate. Remember that the certificate must be dated, and must state clearly that you are unfit to sit the examination. You must give (or send) this certificate to your Tutor within 3 days. Remember that a medical certificate will not be accepted in explanation for poor performance.

What do I do if I feel ill during an examination?

If you are feeling unwell during an examination, DO NOT LEAVE without speaking to the invigilator. If appropriate, you will be taken to the Health Centre and your situation will be assessed. Depending on the outcome of the assessment, you may be allowed to continue with the examination.

How to I get a breakdown of my marks?

For most courses, such details are available in the Academic History/Examination Results section of your personal record on my.tcd.ie. Some courses such as Nursing give this information to students via MyModule/BlackBoard. In other cases, contact your head of Department or your course director/co-ordinator.

Do I need to register or pay a fee for the Supplemental exams in August?

No, you don't need to register to sit Supplemental exams and you don't have to pay a fee unless you are repeating OBA for which there is a fee of €382 that covers both the annual and supplemental session. Your examinations results will indicate that you are required to sit Supplemental exams, where allowed. Remember that you don’t have an automatic right to sit Supplementals. In most cases, you need to have made a 'serious attempt' in the Summer to be allowed to sit Supplementals. If in doubt about your entitlement to Supplementals or if you have been excluded from the course, consult your Tutor to discuss whether to appeal. Supplemental exams run during August.

What if I want my examination re-checked?

First of all, once the results are published you should discuss your examination /assessment performance with the examiners to understand why a specific mark was awarded. This is your right and you should contact the Head of your Department who will make the necessary arrangements. Some Departments organise specific times for these consultation. Check the relevant notice board or your course hand-book. Please note that these consultations are not an opportunity to negotiate an increase of your marks. Lecturers cannot change any marks once they have been approved by the Court of Examiners. 

You are entitled to view your script when discussing your examination or assessment. 

If you are still unhappy with your result and you have reason to believe that:
a. The grade is incorrect because of an error in calculation of results,
b. The examination paper contained questions on subjects which were not part of the course prescribed for the examination, or
c. Bias was shown by the examiner in marking the script,

you should contact your Tutor to discuss the situation. Your Tutor can request a re-check (a) or a re-mark (b) or (c). Please note that ground b applies to the class as a whole, not to individual students. Please also note that ground c requires evidential proof that bias from th examiner has occurred in marking the script.

What if I wish to make an appeal?

You should discuss your concerns with your Tutor who, if appropriate, will present your case to the Court of First Appeal of your Faculty. If unsuccessful, your case may be taken to the Academic Appeals Committee. If your Tutor is unwilling to act on your behalf you can contact the Senior Tutor in House 27. 

There are 3 grounds on which you can take an appeal :

Your case/situation is not adequately covered by College regulations

The regulations were not properly applied

Ad misericordiam grounds, such as illness, bereavement, serious personal crisis, etc.

Please note that an Appeal cannot change exam results or marks but can change the effect of the results.

I have broken my arm/wrist/hand and I can't write. What do I do for the exams?

Contact your Tutor who will find out what arrangements can be made to facilitate you, this might be a deferral if in the annual examination session. A medical certificate will be required. Note there are no special supplementals after the supplemental session.

If I have to repeat the year, do I have to pay fees?

In most cases yes. If you are entitled to the Free Fees Initiative and you repeat a year, you will have to pay both the tuition fee and the Student Contribution for the year that you repeat. Once you've passed that year, you can again avail of the Free fees initiative. The Free Fees Initiative only applies to EU students.

If you are repeating because you had to withdraw during the year or were unable to sit the exam on medical grounds, you should contact your Tutor to discuss your situation. Depending on your personal circumstances, you may qualify for the remission of tuition fees. This only applies to EU students eligible for the Free Fees Initiative.