Around 200 Accounting and Finance students at Cardiff University are furious after a university error left them facing an in-person resit during the peak summer holiday period. The students claim they were wrongfully told they could not use calculators in an exam that required them, leading to a defective result and the need to resit in August.
Exam Day Chaos
On May 11, 2026, students sat the Financial Markets and Institutions exam under the impression that approximately 45% of the paper required a calculator. However, upon arrival, invigilators told them to put calculators away, causing shock and confusion. One anonymous student reported: 'At the start of the exam, the invigilator kept coming in and out, saying we might be able to use our calculators, then saying we might not. Without them, half the exam was impossible to complete.'
University Response and Defect Grade
After the exam, university representatives implied the situation would be resolved favourably. But results on July 14 showed a 'D' grade, indicating a defect. The university admitted the irregularity could not be remedied through normal processes. They offered an alternative mark calculation for affected questions, giving students the higher of the two marks.
Despite this, many students remained dissatisfied. The anonymous student said: 'A number of us got in touch because we still weren't happy, but we were told the only other option was to sit an in-person resit in Cardiff a month later, in August.'
Impact on International Students
The student highlighted that a substantial proportion of the cohort are international students, now expected to fly back from countries as far away as Malaysia due to the university's admitted mistake. 'In addition to tuition fees, travel expenses, accommodation and everyday living costs - and Cardiff is not a cheap city to live in - some students will now have to spend even more money to return and resit an exam for something that wasn't their fault,' they said.
Students also raised concerns about mental health and stress, but feel these have not been taken into consideration. 'We already felt let down because of the staff cuts, but this has only added to that feeling,' the student added.
University Statement
A Cardiff University spokesperson said: 'We are unable to comment on an individual case but would encourage any student who has concerns or is experiencing financial challenges to contact the appropriate University department so they can be investigated and appropriate advice and support can be offered.'
