What Is an External Examiner?
An external examiner is an experienced academic from another university who is appointed to review the assessment of programs at a UK university, and in other countries with similar systems. Their role is to make sure that standards are appropriate and comparable with those across the sector, and that students are assessed fairly.
What external examiners do
- Review assessment tasks, such as exam papers and coursework briefs, before they are used.
- Look at a sample of marked work from across the range of marks, including firsts, fails and borderline cases.
- Check that marking criteria are applied consistently and that feedback is appropriate.
- Attend exam boards, where results are confirmed, and give an independent view.
- Report annually on standards, assessment processes and student achievement.
- Advise on improvements to teaching and assessment.
They do not usually mark all of the work, and in most cases they do not change individual marks. For dissertations or oral exams, such as vivas for research degrees, an external examiner may question the student and help decide the outcome.
Why they exist
Universities in the UK set and mark their own assessments, so external examiners provide an independent check that a degree from one institution is comparable with others. This supports public confidence and protects students.
What it means for students
- Your marks are part of a wider system of checks including moderation and second marking.
- External examiner reports are often shared with student representatives, and some universities publish summaries.
- You can raise concerns about assessment through formal channels, such as complaints and appeals procedures.
- Marks are not final until exam boards confirm them.
External examiners in research degrees
For PhD and other research degrees, an external examiner from another university reads the thesis, examines the candidate in a viva and recommends the outcome, which may be pass, minor corrections, major corrections or fail. See also our entries on dissertation defense and ABD.
Related terms
See moderation, mitigating circumstances, CATS points, HEAR and diploma supplement.
Frequently asked questions
Does the external examiner mark my work?
Usually not. They review a sample of assessments and the marking process, and they confirm standards. In some cases, such as dissertations or vivas, they may be involved more directly.
Can the external examiner change my mark?
They can advise that marks across a group be reviewed or adjusted if standards seem inconsistent, but they rarely alter individual marks.
Can students contact the external examiner?
Many universities publish external examiners' names and reports, and students can raise concerns through formal procedures, usually not by contacting the examiner directly.