Special consideration

If you have experienced serious illness or a traumatic incident that has affected your performance in an assessment or exam, you can apply for Special Consideration.

If you are unable to attend the final exam due to illness, accident or religious commitment you may be eligible for a Special Exam.

If you have experienced a serious circumstance and it has affected you for at least three days, then Special Consideration may be given if you have been:

• prevented from submitting an assignment
• prevented from completing an examination
• affected through the semester
• affected during an examination.

The circumstances under which can you apply for special consideration include:

• serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate states that you were unable to attend classes
• bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents,
• major political upheaval or natural disaster in your home country requiring emergency travel that has impacted your studies
• a traumatic experience which could include involvement in, or witnessing of a serious accident; and witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime, or
• any other circumstance would require evidence to be considered as compassionate or compelling.

Please review the information provided below about special consideration. If you think you have satisfied the requirements for a special consideration, you may lodge an application. Make sure that you take note of the deadline to lodge a special consideration application form. Forms that are submitted late will not be accepted. If you would like to apply for special consideration, you should:

•  Complete the Special Consideration Application Form before the due date.
• A confirmation email will be sent once your application form is received with a request for you to submit your supporting documentation such as a completed Special Consideration Professional Authority Form. Further information on acceptable supporting documentation can be found in the Evidence requirements section below.
• You need to reply to the email with a scanned completed copy of your supporting documentation. Your request will NOT be processed until supporting documentation is received.
• You will be advised of the application result via email.
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Learn more about our Special Consideration Procedure.

The deadline for lodging an application for Special Consideration is:

• In the case of illness related to a mid-semester or final exam, the professional authority section must be dated on the day of the exam.
• For assessment items during the teaching period, the form should be lodged where possible before the due date of the assessment item. Application for Special Consideration must be lodged no later than 5 working days after the assessment task due date.
• All requests for Special Consideration must be lodged no later than Friday of the final exam period in that teaching period.

When Special Consideration is applied you could be:

• given an extension of time to submit an assessment
• given an alternative assessment task
• assessed as passing the subject, based on other assessments items within the subject or level
• no action taken as your performance has been consistent and there has been no impact
• allowed to sit a special exam.

A Special Consideration application must be supported by documentary evidence at the time of submission and may include:

• Original supporting documentation.
• A Medical Certificate.
• A Completed Professional Authority Form.
• Appropriate documentary evidence for non-medical circumstances.

The professional authority form must be completed and signed by a:

• Registered medical practitioner.
• Registered psychologist or other registered counsellor.
• Minister of religion (only if religious commitments have impacted on ability to do assessments).
• or employer (if you are in active services only).

Documentation such as a medical report, death notice or certificate, police report or statutory declaration may be attached to this form. The severity and period of illness must be clearly stated in the professional authority section. Documentation in language other than English must be accompanied by an English version that is translated by a certified NAATI translator. Backdated medical certificates, receipts for medical fees or medical certificates from non-registered practitioners will not be accepted.

The Study Success Adviser will keep your documentation in a confidential file.

Your request will be assessed by the Study Success Adviser Team Leader and/or the Associate Dean of Studies.

If approved, your Subject Coordinator will apply the Special Consideration provisions to your results in the assessment. They will notify you as soon as possible by email of any extension or alternative assessment deadlines. Such deadlines cannot extend beyond the Friday of the second week of the final exams except in exceptional circumstances.

For help, please talk to your Study Success Adviser.

If you would like to make a complaint in regard to your application for Special Consideration, please visit Complaints and Appeals Policy.