- How do I make a complaint?
- How does the complaints process work?
- Stage 1: Raise your concern
- Stage 2: Submit a formal complaint
- Stage 3: Request a review
- External review
- Help writing a complaint
How do I make a complaint?
The University of Hertfordshire aims to provide a positive experience for all students and applicants. If something has gone wrong, you can make a complaint and ask the University to investigate.
We encourage you to raise concerns as soon as possible so that we can work with you to resolve the issue.
Read the relevant regulations and guidance:
How does the complaints process work?
The University's complaints procedure has three stages.
|
Stage |
What happens |
|
Stage 1 |
Raise your concern |
|
Stage 2 |
Submit a formal complaint |
|
Stage 3 |
Request a review if you remain dissatisfied |
You must complete each stage before progressing to the next stage.
Important
Complaints should normally be submitted within 30 calendar days of the incident that caused your concern.
Stage 1: Raise your concern
How do I submit a Stage 1 complaint?
Submit your concern through the Ask Herts contact form and select Complaints & Feedback.
Deadline
You should normally submit your complaint within 30 calendar days of the incident.
If your complaint is submitted after this deadline, you must provide evidence of mitigating circumstances explaining why it could not be submitted sooner. Late complaints may not be accepted.
Non-engagement complaints
If your complaint relates to withdrawal due to non-engagement, you should follow the instructions provided in your withdrawal communication and submit your complaint directly to your academic School.
These complaints must normally be submitted within five working days of receiving notification of withdrawal.
Further guidance is available in:
Stage 2: Submit a formal complaint
When can I submit a Stage 2 complaint?
If you remain dissatisfied after receiving the outcome of Stage 1, you may submit a formal complaint.
What do I need to do?
- Complete the Notification of a Formal Complaint Form.
- Include all relevant evidence available at the time of submission.
- Clearly explain your complaint and your preferred outcome.
- Email the completed form to studentprocedures@herts.ac.uk.
Deadline
You must submit your formal complaint within 30 calendar days of receiving your Stage 1 outcome.
If your complaint is submitted late, you must provide evidence of mitigating circumstances. There is no guarantee that a late submission will be accepted.
Stage 3: Request a review
When can I request a review?
If you remain dissatisfied after Stage 2, you may request a review by the Vice-Chancellor.
A review can only be requested on one or both of the following grounds:
- you have new information that was not available during the earlier stages of the complaint
- you believe there was procedural irregularity or bias during the process
These are the only grounds listed in the Vice-Chancellor review guidance.
Deadline
Requests for a review must be submitted within 10 working days of the date of the decision letter.
How do I request a review?
Complete the Vice-Chancellor Review Request Form and send it to studentprocedures@herts.ac.uk.
Requests that are not submitted using the required form will not be considered.
Students may wish to seek advice from Hertfordshire Students' Union before submitting a review request.
For further information, read the Vice-Chancellor review guidance.
External review
Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA)
If you remain dissatisfied after completing the University's internal complaints procedure, you may ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) to review your complaint.
The OIA can normally only consider complaints after the University's internal procedures have been completed.
You will usually need a Completion of Procedures Letter before the OIA can review your case.
Apprentices
If you are an apprentice, you may also have the right to complain to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) after completing the University's internal procedures.
Complaints to the ESFA should normally be made within 12 months of the issue arising.
For more information, visit the Education and Skills Funding Agency complaints page.
Help writing a complaint
If you need support preparing your complaint, read our step-by-step guide:
How to Write a Complaint: A Student's Guide
You can also seek practical and independent advice from the Herts SU before submitting a complaint or review request.