Appealing study-related decisions
The appeal procedure is regulated by the Study Regulations.
The usual appeal sequence is the following: the person who made the decision > vice dean for academic affairs > Appeals Committee
If you wish to appeal a decision regarding the organisation of studies (except for the grade of the graduation thesis or graduation examination or a decision concerning the tuition fee, see below), you must first address the person who made the decision and appeal the decision in writing or orally within three working days from the date of the decision.
It this does not have the desired outcome, you may file an appeal with the vice dean for academic affairs within three working days of learning that the decision will not be changed. The vice dean may set up a committee of three members for hearing the appeal. You will receive a reply from the vice dean within 14 days.
To appeal against a decision made by the vice dean, the student can file an appeal with an independent Appeals Committee within 30 days after the announcement of the contested decision. The appeal must be filed with the secretary of the Appeals Committee at Ülikooli 18-135A, Tartu 51014, or be digitally signed and sent to study [ät] ut.ee. The Appeals Committee is an academic body independent from the administration of the university. This ensures that the student’s problem is resolved as impartially as possible. The committee has eight members: four members of the teaching staff and four students. At least two teaching staff members are professors. There is at least one student of each study level among the student representatives. The student representatives are appointed by the Student Council who submits their names to the vice rector for academic affairs. The legal counsel for organisation of studies acts as the secretary of the committee.
According to the rules of procedure of the Appeals Committee, the committee may access any documents for the purpose of resolving the dispute, question the parties of the dispute and other persons related to the dispute and relevant employees of the university, and consult the Student Council, the Academic Affairs Committee and the student advisor. The Appeals Committee will inform the student within 21 days of filing the appeal about whether the appealed decision is
- upheld, or
- overruled and a new decision is made in the same matter, or
- overruled and the matter is referred to the person who made the decision for a new review.
With a good reason, the committee has the right to extend the term of hearing the appeal, informing the appellant of that. The decision of the Appeals Committee is not subject to appeal at the university.
If you disagree with the grade received in the graduation examination or in defending the graduation thesis or a decision of the Review Committee, you have the right to submit a written appeal to the vice dean for academic affairs within two working days after the announcement of the results of the graduation examination or graduation thesis. The vice dean will call a committee with a new composition to hear the appeal within seven days after receiving the appeal. The committee will resolve the appeal within seven days after the committee was called. The decision of the committee can be appealed by filing an appeal with the Appeals Committee within 30 days.
Note that upon appealing a grade the Appeals Committee cannot make a new pedagogical decision, but merely check whether the rules of procedure have been followed upon giving the grade.
If you disagree with the vice dean’s decision regarding the establishment of or exemption from the tuition fee, you have the right to file a written appeal with the vice dean within seven days after the communication of the decision. The vice dean will send you a reasoned decision within seven days after the appeal is filed. If the vice dean refuses to revise the decision, you may file an appeal with the vice rector for academic affairs within seven days after the communication of the refusal to revise the decision. The vice rector for academic affairs will inform you within 14 days after the filing of the appeal about whether the appealed decision will be upheld or overruled and make a new decision regarding the same matter. This decision of the vice rector for academic affairs is not subject to appeal at the university.