Assessment applications

You may apply for an extension of time for an assessment item due to be submitted on a specific date, such as:

• case study
• essay
• presentation
• laboratory report
• literature review
• assignment
• planning document.

Acceptable grounds for applying:

• medical
• disability
• personal safety issues
• other (e.g. family or personal circumstances, employment-related circumstances, unavoidable commitments).

Maximum extension periods:

*Note, the above extension periods do not relate to requests for extensions to submit a dissertation in Bachelor (Honours) and Masters (Coursework) and (Extended).

Supporting documentation requirements:

For individual assessment types listed in the below table, supporting documentation is not required for extensions up to and including 3 calendar days, unless you are enrolled in a course through Open Universities Australia (OUA)*. For students registered with Student Disability and Accessibility, this extends to 10 calendar days when applying on the grounds of disability.

For all other assessment types, including group assessment, OUA assessment and extensions greater than 3 calendars days, your application must include appropriate documentation to support the grounds on which you are requesting an extension.

*Note, for students that are not registered with Student Disability and Accessibility, accumulation of more than 3 approved extensions for eligible individual assessments of 3 or less calendar days will trigger the supporting documentation requirements for the remainder of the trimester after which the count will reset.

Timeframe to apply:

• by the due date of the assessment item.

Possible outcomes:

• application approved for 'x' days*.
• application declined.

*Note, for eligible applications exceeding 3 calendar days, you will receive an interim approval of 3 calendar days before your application undergoes further review by your Course Convenor for the full extension days requested. For students registered with Student Disability and Accessibility this is extended to 10 calendar days.

Further extension on approved applications:

If you require a further extension on an already approved application, you can now do this via the online application. Documentation to support an additional extension is required and you cannot exceed the maximum allowable extension period for the reason you have selected.

You may apply for a deferred assessment if you have been prevented from attending an assessment item that is scheduled to occur on a specific date, such as:

• exam (in-trimester or end of trimester)
• performance (artistic)
• test or quiz.

Acceptable grounds for applying:

• illness
• accident
• disability
• bereavement
• sporting or cultural commitment (at state, national or international level)
• unavoidable work commitments*
• technical difficulties that prevented you from attempting your scheduled assessment (note, students using ProctorU who have not undertake a Practice Test and experience technical issues on the day of the final exam, may not be eligible for a deferred assessment)
• other compassionate circumstances.

*Please note, employment related reasons will not usually be accepted as grounds for deferment, unless you are experiencing financial hardship, have been refused leave, or directed to undertake unusual or extraordinary duties that are beyond your control.

Timeframe to apply:

• no later than three calendar days after the date the assessment item is due to be attended.

Possible outcomes:

• application approved and deferred assessment granted
• application declined.

You may apply for special consideration for any assessment item where your performance was seriously affected, or you were seriously disadvantaged when the assessment item was attempted. Special consideration does not apply to any re-attempted or re-submitted assessment item.

Acceptable grounds for applying:

• illness
• accident
• temporary disability
• bereavement
• sporting or cultural commitment (at state or international representative level)
• technical difficulties (e.g. causing delays during your online exam or preventing you from completing your online assessment)
• other compassionate circumstances (e.g. serious illness of a family member or close relative, significant and unexpected employment problems or pressures, significant relationship problems).

Timeframe to apply:

• no later than three calendar days after the date the assessment item was submitted or after the date of the exam.

Possible outcomes:

• application approved and a final grade recommended based on your performance across the course
• application approved including opportunity to provide another assessment task
• application approved and marks adjusted (may not always result in a change of grade)
• application declined.

You may apply for an alternate exam sitting if you are unable to sit your exam at the scheduled time during the central end of trimester exam period, but have other availability during the same exam period on another date/time. It is also important to note, that not all courses permit alternate exam sittings - this is pre-approved by the Course Convenor at the start of the trimester.

Acceptable grounds for applying:

• medical or compassionate grounds
• work commitments
• religious and cultural obligations (e.g. weddings, funerals)
• sporting or cultural commitment (at state, national or international level)
• individual timetable falls outside the timetable guidelines
• residing in a different time zone and your exam is scheduled at an unreasonable hour of the day, e.g. 2.00 am.

Timeframe to apply:

• within 14 calendar days of the publication of the end of trimester exam timetable.

Possible outcomes:

• application approved and an alternate exam granted
• application declined.