Illness and attendance

It’s mandatory for you to attend every class. In the case of illness or an emergency, please call the UTS College student centre on (02) 9218 866.

If you experience serious illness or a traumatic incident that affects your performance in an assessment item, you may be eligible for special consideration.

There’s more, below, about attendance and how to submit a medical certificate for missed classes.

Accidents or illnesses that affect your studies

Accidents or illnesses can compromise your ability to complete assessments or exams. To arrange extensions or different exam times, you’ll need to contact one of our Student Success Advisers to request special consideration.

   There’s more helpful information on the health and wellbeing and study support pages.

Where possible, you need to contact your teacher every time you will be absent from class prior to the regular class time, via email or Canvas.

If you are absent due to illness, you’ll need to submit a medical certificate to the Student Centre for approval on the first day back to class after an absence. You can submit your medical certificate in person by visiting the Student Centre, or by email to studentcentre@utscollege.edu.au.
 

• If you submit your medical certificate via email to the Student Centre, you will receive a confirmation email once it is approved. Your attendance will be updated to reflect your absence as medical hours.

 

• If you submit your medical certificate in person to the Student Centre, the certificate will be stamped and returned to you for your records once it is approved. The Student Centre will also keep a copy in your file, and your attendance will be updated to reflect your absence as medical hours.

Medical certificate requirements

A medical certificate must be issued via a telehealth or an in-person consultation by a registered medical provider such as a hospital, doctor, dentist (emergency appointments only), psychiatrist, or psychologist. A consultation involves a discussion between a patient and doctor to assess symptoms, provide medical advice, and plan treatment.

UTS College does not accept medical certificates from alternative medical practitioners such as pharmacists, herbal practitioners, acupuncturists, massage therapists, iridologists, psychics, etc. Backdated medical certificates and medical certificates purchased online or from friends will not be accepted.
 
The medical certificate must include: 
 

• duration of the impact (start and end date) 
• health practitioner’s Medicare provider number 
• health practitioner’s AHPRA Practitioner Registration number  
• telephone contact and address details of the health practitioner 
• signature of the health practitioner 
• date of issue  
• an original that is issued on official letterhead

UTS College reserves the right to, in its sole discretion:
(a) request additional information to confirm that a medical certificate complies with the criteria outlined above; and
(b) reject any medical certificate that UTS College believes does not meet the criteria set out above.

Knowingly making false or misleading claims of extenuating circumstances or altering or falsifying any documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate, professional authority form, or other supporting documentation) may be considered an act of student misconduct and may be dealt with in accordance with the Non-Academic Misconduct policy.
 

If your performance in an assessment task or exam for a subject was affected by circumstances beyond your control, you may be able to apply for special consideration.

Special consideration is intended to provide equitable academic treatment for students whose performance in an assessment task / exam has been significantly affected by extenuating or special circumstances beyond their control.

Special consideration is not automatically granted and may not result in a study or mark adjustment.
 

• When you are absent for less than 3 days in duration, you are required to submit your medical certificate that was approved by the Student Centre to your teacher for reasonable adjustment (for example, granting an extension for submission). It is at your teacher’s discretion to allow reasonable adjustments. 

 

• When you are absent for 3 days or more in duration, you are required to follow the special consideration application process with the Student Success Adviser.

 
Please contact UTS College Student Centre at studentcentre@utscollege.edu.au or call them on +61 2 9218 8666 if you have any questions.