Glasgow Caledonian University trailled extra time in exams for all students in some modules

Some Glasgow Caledonian students were granted extra time in exams, whether they applied or not.

The university trailled a system where all students on selected modules were given 25 per cent extra time in class tests and exams, following a sharp rise in the number of students declaring a disability or mental health condition.

The move mirrors a similar policy already rolled out at Sheffield Hallam University, where every student sitting on-campus and online exams now automatically receives additional time.

At GCU, the trial was conducted after internal data showed that more than 80 per cent of students who require a Reasonable Adjustment Plan (RAP) were already eligible for extra time, making individual allocations increasingly difficult to manage.

The rise in disability declarations is not unique to Glasgow. Across UK universities, the number of students registering with a disability has more than doubled over the past decade, increasing from around 229,000 in 2014/15 to nearly 469,000 in 2023/24.

Mental health declarations have seen the sharpest increase. Students reporting conditions such as anxiety and depression have risen from around 33,500 to over 122,000. Declarations of learning differences, including dyslexia, ADHD and autism, have also climbed significantly.

Around one in five UK undergraduates now declares some form of disability, though at some universities the figure is closer to 40 per cent.

The impact on campuses has been huge. University spending on mental health and wellbeing services has risen by more than 70 per cent in the past five years, with institutions expanding disability teams, wellbeing services and training staff to identify struggling students.

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Some universities have even begun offering in-house assessments. Newcastle University, for example, has set up a neurodevelopmental assessment service providing free ADHD and autism assessments by trainee psychologists.

via Wikimedia Commons

Students diagnosed, or in some cases self-identifying, with a condition are entitled to “reasonable adjustments” under the Equality Act. These can include extra time in exams, deadline extensions, sitting exams in separate rooms, access to lecture materials in advance, alternative marking criteria for spelling and grammar, and exemptions from presentations or oral assessments.

In some cases, adjustments outlined in individual learning plans also include not being asked questions in seminars, often due to anxiety or autism.

One academic at a Russell Group university told The Glasgow Tab that the scale of adjustments has become overwhelming: “In one of my modules with around 85 students, about 20 have learning plans”.

“You’re expected to memorise who they are and what they’re entitled to. If you get it wrong and ask a question, you’ll be pulled up on it afterwards”, he continued.

Other universities are moving towards blanket flexibility. Cardiff Metropolitan University recently introduced a policy allowing students to submit work up to five working days late, up to four times per year, with no evidence required. Students simply complete a short self-declaration form.

Academics across the UK have raised concerns that these changes, while well-intentioned, may be lowering standards and shifting the focus away from learning.

There is ongoing debate about what is driving the surge in disability and mental health declarations. Student support professionals point to the cost of living crisis, students juggling work alongside study, and the long-term effects of Covid on young people’s mental health.

But others warn of overdiagnoses. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has raised concerns about rising demand for ADHD, autism and mental health services, ordering an independent review in England.

Professor Joanna Moncrieff, a psychiatrist and academic at UCL, has cautioned against the growing reliance on diagnostic labels.

“Labels can be pernicious,” she said. “Young people come to believe there are things they can’t do, rather than being supported to overcome difficulties.”

Following GCU’s trial, the wider debate shows no sign of slowing down, with universities caught between inclusion, academic standards, and a student body that is clearly struggling more than ever.

A Glasgow Caledonian spokesperson said: “GCU is one of a number of universities in the UK to have trialled adding time to exams and class tests.  The aim was to explore and promote more disability-inclusive practices, and student feedback was overwhelmingly positive or neutral. GCU’s small-scale trial covered just five modules in trimester B in the 2024/25 academic year.

“Our subsequent evaluation of the trial was based on student and staff experiences, their views, and exploring any potential unintended grade inflation for non-disabled students in relation to disabled students. We found no evidence of disproportionate grade inflation for non-disabled students as a by-product of the pilot. Wider research on such trials has also indicated that granting additional time to all students does not raise exam performance for non-disabled students. Our staff are continuing to reflect on the findings from the trial”.

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