Special Consideration

When can I apply for Special Consideration?

During your studies, there may be times when you experience serious misadventure, accident or extenuating circumstances beyond your control that affect your academic performance. Keep in mind you will need to show that you were unable to stop these severe/grave events from affecting your academic performance.

If you feel your academic performance has been effected by severe and/or grave illness, misadventure, accident, or extenuating circumstances beyond your control, you can apply to have ‘Special Consideration’ given to your assessments/performance.

Types of Special Consideration

You may seek Special Consideration for an assessment task or tasks, or for your attendance or overall performance in a unit or units or in a final exam or final deferred exam.

Applying for Special Consideration

You can now apply for all types of Special Consideration online using the new Special Consideration & Deferred Exam eForm.

All applications for Special Consideration must contain appropriate supporting documentation to substantiate the circumstances that are impacting on your studies. Applications without supporting documentation will not be considered.

You should read through the information below carefully, and check the Special Consideration policy before you apply. If you need help, please contact the Student Welfare Service. 

Special Consideration (during the teaching session)

You may apply for Special Consideration if you have suffered severe and/or grave illness, misadventure, accident, or have extenuating circumstances beyond your control.

These circumstances must have:

  • prevented you from meeting an assessment deadline or 
  • caused you to perform below your usual standard during an assessment or 
  • prevented your from attending a compulsory component of your course

You may be considered for Special Consideration for:

  • an assessment task in one unit of study or
  • part or the whole of a teaching session for one unit of study or
  • for part or the whole of a teaching session for more than one unit of study

Application deadlines

For assessment tasks in one unit of study the form must be lodged no later than 5.00pm on the second working day after the due date of the assessment (working days are defined as Monday to Friday, not including public holidays).

For all Special Consideration applications in one or more units in a teaching session the form must be lodged as soon as you are aware that you may have extenuating circumstances that could affect your studies.

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Special Consideration (during the formal exam period)

You may apply for Special Consideration if you have been seriously ill or have other extenuating circumstances beyond your control at the time you sat a final (end of session) exam or final deferred exam.

Normally requests will relate to situations where you:

  • believe your studies and academic work have been adversely affected such that you will be unable to perform in the examination at your usual standard or
  • you are unable to complete the final exam or final deferred exam due to ill health or another cause

Application deadlines

You must complete this form and submit it via eForms, with supporting documentation, no later than 5pm on the second working day after the exam. (Working days are Monday to Friday, not including Public Holidays.)

If the extenuating circumstances mean that you can not lodge your application in time, we may consider a late application. If this happens, you should contact Student Central.

Supporting documentation

All Special Consideration applications must include supporting documents as evidence to support the claim. It must clearly indicate the severity and/or gravity of the circumstances, the extent of the impact and the relevant dates, in addition to the required supporting documents referred to below:

Applications without supporting documentation will not be considered. You should read through the information below carefully, and check the Special Consideration policy before you apply. If you need please contact the Student Welfare Service.

Deferred exams

If there are exceptional circumstances where the severity/gravity of the events prevent you from attending your examination, you may apply to sit a deferred examination.

More information is available on the Deferred exams webpage.

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