Assessment Rules

Exchange Students in ISCAP, who are not proficient in Portuguese, are offered Courses in English. Those who can follow Classes in Portuguese are allowed to choose courses in Portuguese from the several programmes offered. However, all exchange students must meet the deadlines of the regular Academic Calendar and follow ISCAP Assessment Rules.

Assessment Plans and Rules

  1. An Academic Semester comprises both the Classes’ period and the Exam Period. Therefore, you should not assume that the end of the classes’ period is the end of the semester. Exam period is included, so please schedule your return flights to the end of the semester, otherwise, you may fail exams and compromise your mobility success.
  2. It is very important that you don’t miss the first class of the courses you enroled in since it is normally in the first class that the lecturer introduces students to the contents of the course and to the Assessment Methods and Plans. It is your duty to be correctly informed how you will be assessed in the courses you follow in ISCAP. The assessment methods and deadlines are stipulated and communicated, in due time, to students, by the Course Lecturer and included in the syllabus. Therefore, there should be no exceptions for the scheduling of tests/ exams or the delivery of papers/oral presentations, excluding cases duly justified and accepted by the lecturer.
    If for some reason you did not get this information in the first classes or in the Moodle Platform or in the Syllabus, make sure you talk to the lecturer and are aware of the assessment methods and plan for each course.
  3. There are two Assessment Plans in ISCAP: (a) continuous and (b) final assessment. Students need to choose the Assessment Plan, according to lectures’ instructions in online Registrar’s Office (DOMUS), in the Assessment Method menu, during the beginning of the semester.

Students must choose the type of assessment within stipulated deadlines.

Continuous Assessment

In this type of assessment, the following criteria can be considered (please check the course’s syllabus):

a) mandatory attendance in 75% of classes.
b) Participation in class; c) Individual / group papers;
d) Research individual / group projects;
e) Tests;
f) other forms of assessment defined by the lecturer.

1. Students will pass when they get an average grade equal or superior to 9,5 (Portuguese scale: 0-20).
2. If students fail (get an average grade of less than 9,5), they can enrol for one exam period (Resit Exam).
3. The enrolment in Resit Exams requires the payment of an exam fee.

Resit Exam – you need to enrol and pay a fee of 3,00€. You have 48 hours to do it after the lecturer publishes your grade in Domus. After the 48 hours, you’ll have to pay a fine of 10,00€.

NOTE: If at the time of the Second Examination Period, the student is no longer in Portugal, the exam may take place at the home Institution of the Student, provided that the ISCAP lecturer and both institutions agree on the procedure. Moreover, the stundent must inform ISCAP International Office, at least, one month in advance.

Final Assessment

       Final assessment consists of a final exam that takes place in the First Examination Period (Época Normal). The final exam should always be rated a 100% ratio of the grade.

1. Students need to enrol for exams, sending an e-mail to the International Office.
2. If students fail in this First Examination Period (e.g, get a lower mark than 9,5), they are allowed to enrol for a Resit Exam in the Second Examination Period (Época de Recurso);

3. If students wish to improve their grades (of Continuous Assessment or First Examination Period) they can also write a Grade Improvement Exam, in the Second Examination Period (Época de Recurso).

The enrolment in Resit Exams or Grade Improvement Exams requires the payment of an exam fee. In the First Examination period, students can enrol in exams to all courses in which they have chosen FINAL Assessment but must follow stipulated deadlines. Please check the table below.

Grade Improvement Exam – you need to enrol and pay a fee of 13,00€.

In the First Examination period, students can enrol in exams to all courses in which they have chosen FINAL Assessment but must follow stipulated deadlines.

4. The course defined in the Exchange Program as “Project” follows a tutorial regime, without mandatory presences. In this case, you should schedule a meeting with your supervisor in the first weeks of the semester and clearly define: the theme, the number of papers/ essays/ assignments to be delivered, the number of pages (around 30), the language to be used and deadlines (both for oral and/or written presentations/ deliveries). If the student fails, he/she should be asked to reformulate the paper, up to 2 times.
If the Student does not respect the given deadlines, the supervisor may refuse to supervise the Project and assess the student.

5. Students attending courses in Portuguese, from the regular ISCAP Programs, will be assessed according to the rules stipulated for ISCAP students. (See RIFA – Regulamento Inscrições, Frequência e Avaliação at DOMUS.

Grading System

The result achieved in a course, whether through continuous or final assessment, is generally expressed in a 0 to 20 grading scheme. The lowest passing grade is 10 (9,5).

ECTS grading scale:

Portuguese Grading Scheme (0-20)ECTS Grade
17-20A
15-16B
13-14C
11-12D
10E
8-9FX
<8F

Any doubts concerning Assessment and the grading system should be discussed and clarified as soon as possible with your lectures and or tutor teachers.