Can I retake my final year at University?

University can be a stressful time for everyone, sure most people think about parties, socialising and moving out for the first time but ultimately the goal at University is to pass your course so you can go on and pursue a career you are interested in.

Sometimes failing is a part of life and when you fail you can feel disheartened. In this instance, if you have failed your final year at University, don’t panic.

Can you retake your final year at University?

Yes, you can retake your final year of University but all of your grades are then capped at 40% for that year. This is to ensure students retaking exams don’t have an unfair advantage.

Failing your final year or any year at university can leave you feeling devastated but it happens. Over the most recent years, there has been more pressure on students than ever and with the pandemic affecting education, there are many reasons why you may not have done as well as you could have.

Many students find working at home listening to lectures online difficult and with all of the unknowns of the pandemic and the start-stop nature that it brought along with it, it’s easy to see why grades may have dropped.

If you have failed your third year at Uni and don’t know what to do next keep on reading.

How do you know if you need to resit your final year at Uni? 

At the end of the university year, most Uni’s will require you to have passed at least 120 credits. Your grades will be shown to you in something known as a HEAR report. A HEAR report will show you all of your grades for that academic year.  

If you haven’t reached the 120 credits the University will contact you formally through email explaining the next steps that you can take. At this point, they should also let you know that you will need to repay for the modules that you have failed. If you need to resit the entire year you will also have to speak to student finance too.

If you retake a year at uni is it capped?

Yes, if you retake a year at uni it is capped at 40% of the grade that you may have been able to achieve if you had passed the year the first time. This is done so students retaking a year do not have an upper hand as they will have had double the time to learn about the core topics.   However, if your retake is due to extenuating circumstances (such as illness, personal issues, or other valid reasons), your grades may not be capped. In such cases, you’ll typically need to provide evidence, such as medical documentation, and the university will decide whether the cap can be waived.

Policies on grade capping can vary between universities and courses. Always check your institution’s handbook or consult with your academic advisor to understand the specific rules that apply to your situation.

What happens if you fail 3rd year of uni?

If you fail the 3rd year of University you will get the option to resit the modules that you have failed or sometimes you will have to resit the entire year. If you have passed the first two years of the university you may also have the option to accept an exit award. An exit award is usually the equivalent of a Diploma in higher education.

How many times can you repeat a year in university?

You can repeat the first year of University twice and you can repeat the second and the third year of University once. You can only resit a year at university if you have failed modules but you can’t resit years at university to improve on your existing grades. For example, if you passed the first year with 54% you can’t then retake the year to get higher.  The purpose of allowing a repeat year is to provide students who encounter genuine academic difficulties an opportunity to catch up and meet the necessary standards

However the ability to repeat a year at university varies depending on the institution, your specific course, and the circumstances surrounding your academic performance. Generally, universities have policies in place to allow students to repeat years if they fail to meet the required standards, but there are limits and conditions.  If in doubt you should contact your university to find out.

What should I do differently this time to pass my course?

Each student is going to be different and there will be different reasons for failing a module or year at university. For some, they may have work experience or commitments that are impacting their studies and for others, the core subject may be difficult for them to understand.

Some general tips to pass your resit modules the second time around include:

• Take time to go over the areas where you are weakest at.  
• Ask for help from other students and tutors.
• Work harder than before if possible.
• Don’t think about failure, keep working hard and think about how good you will feel when you finally pass your course.

Tips for making the most of repeating a year at University

No one wants to repeat a year at university but if you have to you will want to make the most of it so that you don’t waste any more time or money. You can make the most of your repeat year by first identifying the issues.

You can reflect on why you struggled during the year and then put things into place so that you can beat those challenges this time around. Whether there were personal struggles or knowledge gaps, you need to address these issues so you don’t fail the year again.

Secondly, make use of the support at hand, a lot of university students don’t get enough help. Universities offer academic support, such as tutoring, workshops, or counselling. Take advantage of these resources to strengthen your skills and boost your confidence.

You will also need to be better organised, A lot of students struggle with being organised so use planners, apps, or calendars to manage your workload effectively.

Finally, learn to communicate with the staff better. Build relationships with your lecturers and tutors. They can provide guidance, clarify complex topics, and offer support tailored to your needs.

Repeating a year at uni isn’t the end of the world, think of it as a learning experience.

Final advice

Universities want their students to pass so when in doubt ask your tutors for help and guidance. Failure isn’t the end either so don’t panic, most of us will fail at some point, how you react to the failure will define you.