Late submission of academic assignments is common in most institutions of higher learning. All learners cannot be able to submit their assignments on time because of various reasons.
Some are unable to complete because of genuine reasons while others are simply lazy and careless. Even if the assignment has been done correctly, late submission attracts a punishment.
Penalty for Late Submission of Assignment
Penalizing students for late submission has its fair share of advantages. Universities take specific actions to instill discipline among students so that they can know the value of timely submission.
Nonetheless, the penalty needs to apply after a specific university body has done its investigation. This is necessary to establish the root cause of the late submission.
Uncontrollable circumstances such as illness should be forgivable as long as the student has submitted the assignment and it is done correctly. However, all universities have their own rule and regulations regarding the late submission of assignments.
Penalty for Late Submission in Different Universities
| University/College | Lateness Policy | Late assignment penalty |
| Nursing university of Lethbridge | All course materials must be submitted in paper or electronic form within the course instructor’s given time. | There is a 5% reduction of points for each late date. After 14 calendar days, the student will automatically get a zero. |
| Monash University | All assessment items must be submitted within the specified due date. Extension to be granted only due to bereavement, acute illness, hardship or trauma. | There is a 10% deduction for each day including weekends and holidays. If the lateness exceeds 7 days, the assignment will be marked but zero grade awarded. |
| University of Kansas | Students should strictly adhere to the submission deadline. | There is a 1 point deduction for each day starting from the due date. |
| University of Manchester | Large pieces of work such as projects and dissertations must be submitted within the deadline. For small pieces of work, late submission is acceptable if special reasons are given to the faculty. | Late submission within 24 hours attracts a reduction of 10% points. Late submission after 24-48 hours attracts a deduction of 20% from the available points. |
| Princeton University, NJ | Students should submit their assignment before its due time | If you submit 2 hours late, credit will only be given for 95% of the work. For 24 hours late submission, credit is given to only 80% and 50% for 48 hours late submission. 0% credit is awarded for more than 48 hours late submission. |
| Stanford University | Students’ get 24 hours penalty free grace period for failing to meet the deadline. | No additional time will be provided if the grace period elapses. |
| Oxford University | Application for extension of deadline is permitted with genuine reasons. It should be submitted to the head of body of studies 5 days before the deadline day. | There is 5% loss of marks for submitting 24 hours late. Over 24 hours lateness attracts loss of 10% marks. Over 7 days left attracts a deduction of 20%. More than 7 days late gives fail for the assignment. |
| Duke University, North Carolina | All assignments must be submitted within the dean’s deadline. | Late submission of more than 24 hours attracts deduction of 10% of the total marks awarded. |
| North Western University | All students to submit their academic assignments before the stipulated deadline of the university. | Late submission of papers is penalized with a reduction of 5% of the marks per day. This count includes weekend and holidays. |
| Vanderbilt University | Course assignment work must be handed over by the date given by the syllabus instructor. Extension request must be submitted one day before the due date for consideration by the coordinator. | 5 points per day will deducted after the due date. |
| Cornell University, New York | Course assignment to be submitted before the instructors due date. | There is a 20% reduction of the marks if you submit your assignment within 20 hours after due date. Thereafter, a zero is awarded. |
| Rice university, Houston, TX | Students should complete and submit their assignments on time. Late submissions accepted only if there is serious illness or family emergencies such as death. | There is a daily 10% deduction of marks for late submission of papers, notebooks, projects and other academic assignments. |
| University of Notre Dame | A student must submit the assignment before the due date. Extension application must be submitted with supporting documents one day before the deadline day. | Late submission attracts deduction of 10% of the marks for every calendar day. If the assignment is submitted more than 5 days late, it will not be marked. The student will be awarded an “F” |
| University of California, Berkeley | No late submission of assignment will be accepted. | The student gets a direct zero in case of late submission without genuine reasons. |
| Georgetown University, Washington, D.C | Students must submit course assignments before the stipulated due date by the instructors. | 5% deduction of the marks awarded per each calendar day. |
| Michigan University | Quizzes, tests, research projects and all academic assignments should be submitted within the instructor’s deadline. | There is 20% reduction of the given score for late submission within 48 hours of the due date. Submission beyond 48 hours attracts 40% reduction. |
| University of Virginia | Late submission by 1.5 days will be automatically 2 days late. | There is 10% deduction on the student’s marks. |
| New York University, London | Academic assignments must be submitted before the due date. Students should arrange for agreed extension 2 days before the deadline, with supporting documents. | Submitting 5 weekdays after the due date without agreed extension attracts 10 point deduction. Submitting after more than 5 weekdays will result in a zero being awarded. |
| Imperial college, London | Students must submit their assignments by the published deadline and in line with the programme’s requirements. | Assignment submitted 24 hours late will be marked but capped. Any submission more than 24 hours late will be awarded zero. |
| Tyndale University | Assignment should he handed in before the due date so as to get full credit. | For each day that passes after the deadline, the instructor will reduce grade by a third of a letter eg from A to A-, B+ to B. However, holidays and weekends are excluded. |
| Stoney Brook University | Due dates published in the course calendar should be respected. | Work submitted after the due date will have a reduction of 10% of the marks. Work submitted two days after due date will be nullified. |
| Brandeis University | All due dates for academic assignments should be observed. | Assignment work submitted after due date will not be accepted if there is no extension request. |
| Temple University | All submission to be made by the advertised deadline. Extension must be approved by the head of the programme | There is a 10% deduction on the scored marks in case of late submission. |
| Brown University | Students are required to submit their assignments within the due date that is posted in the course documents. Instructors have the right to accept or reject extension request based on the reasons provided. | Late assignment will be subjected to 10% reduction for each day. |
| Liberty University | A student must contact the instructor by email if he or she is unable to beat the deadline. | There is 10% deduction of marks for work submitted within 1 week from the due date. More than one week receives deduction of 20%. Submitting 2 weeks after the due date will receive grade ‘F”. |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | All academic assignments to be submitted before due date. | 10% reduction for submitting 24 hours after the due date. Any submission later than 24 hours will not be accepted |
| Thomas Edison State University | Labs, quizzes, projects, dissertation and all other course assignments should be submitted not later than the deadline date. A new deadline will be given to students with documented evidence of emergencies. | A minimum of 5 points will be deducted for each week. |
Why Universities Penalize Late Submission
1. Enhancing Student Responsibility
Universities instill tough punitive measures for late submission to make students more responsible.
Knowing the repercussion of late submission or plagiarism makes you work hard and complete it before the deadline day.
In many ways, it will make you more passionate about the assignment and develop a sense of stewardship in your entire learning.
If universities condone late submission, there is a higher likelihood of students becoming irresponsible.
2. Learners Will Maximize Their Studies
Punitive measures such as getting a zero are very demoralizing. As such, a student will maximize and exploit his or her potential to ensure there is no late submission.
If you are doing your assignment amidst the fear of getting a zero, there is no doubt that you will rush to finish your work and ensure it is done correctly.
However, the rush to complete the work can compromise the quality. Most students tend to put more emphasis on beating the deadline but not on the quality of the work.
If universities permit late submission as long as the student has genuine reasons, there will be more concentration on quality.
3. Good Assignment Completion Rates
No professor enjoys frequent late completion of assignments from students. To avoid this, universities punish students to improve the assignment completion rate.
Deadlines that prohibit late submission will propel students to complete their assignments on time.
It makes it easy for professors to determine the true academic ability of these students.
4. Preparing Students for a Real-World Situation
Universities do not only focus on the academic achievements of the students. They also want them to be ready for the already competitive job market in the real world. In reality, real-life has deadlines.
The current job market is very competitive. Workers have a penalty to pay if they miss a deadline which can cost the company. There is even the risk of dismissal for frequently missing out on deadlines.
Accepting late assignments in universities will make students lack the preparedness of fitting into real-world situations. School assignment deadlines are a good way of mimicking what is taking place in the real world.
5. Promoting Fairness
As usual, late submission of the assignment is not for all students. There are still those who struggle to complete in time despite their busy schedule of life. That is to say, accepting late submission is unfair to students who made it within the deadline time.
It will be a discouraging sign for the efforts they put to finish their assignment in time. Penalties for late submission will be fair for students who rush to complete their work.
6. Course Pacing
Current university courses are very compressed and tight. It takes hard work and sheer commitment from the professors and students to complete a course on time.
To achieve successive pacing of these courses, universities can deter late submission by instilling punitive measures.
A typical university course has a lot of work. Moreover, the available time for completion of these courses is minimal because of a higher number of intakes.
Professors have to put deadlines to keep the pace so that students can complete the course in time.
Allowing late submission only makes it difficult to complete available work. Through harsh penalties, universities can minimize the cases of late submissions that drag others behind.
7. Inconveniencing the Lecturers
Instructors have a lot of work to do so that students complete and graduate. Late work only means instructors will have to work extra hard to be able to grade all the students.
They have to mark and grade all assignments before moving to a different subject or topic. If several students turn in their assignments later, this will be difficult to achieve.
8. Lose of the Assignment Value
Long time delay of assignments by students is likely to reduce their value. The academic work will no longer align with the current activities of the class. Even more importantly, if you submit your assignment late, there are chances the corrections have already been done.
Your professor may already be preparing the students for a new topic by the time you make your submission. In this case, the professor has the option of giving you a zero.
