Special consideration

Find out what support is available if unexpected circumstances affect your assessment.

How special consideration works

Special consideration is a one-off change to an assessment task. It can support you when circumstances affect your ability to prepare for or complete an assessment.

For special consideration:

  • You must provide supporting documents with your application
  • Adjustments are usually applied close to or shortly after the assessment due date
  • Each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Special consideration is available for any assessment task, including:

  • Assignments
  • Exams
  • Attendance requirements, and
  • Other scheduled assessment activities.

Support available through special consideration

The following outcomes are offered through special consideration.

  • An assessment undertaken at a later date.

    For example:

    • A rescheduled oral presentation
    • A re-sit for a Mid Semester Test (MST).

  • An allowance to undertake the scheduled activity at a different time or day, such as attending a later tutorial class.

  • An end-of-semester assessment undertaken at a later date.

    For example:

    A special assessment (e.g. practical and performance-based) rescheduled at a time suitable for the assessment's requirements.

  • An exemption waives the requirement for you to complete an assessment task. It is offered for hurdle-only assessments that do not contribute to your subject’s grade.

    For anything that contributs to your grade, a re-weighting can change how much the impacted assessment's mark contributes to the overall subject result. The faculty will waive the requirement for the assessment and re-allocate the weighting to other assessment task/s. This means its mark does not count towards the subject result and other assessment task/s will have higher weighting.

    This is only possible for assessments up to 25 per cent and where this does not affect learning outcomes or academic standards.

    For example:

    • Waiving this week's quiz and redistributing its weighting to the remaining weekly quizzes.

    Your subject coordinator will determine the re-weighting adjustments. This may depend on subject and assessment design, and how far into the subject you are.

  • An extension of time to submit an assessment. This can include a resubmission if you’ve already submitted.

    The length of extension offered reflects consideration of the duration of impact indicated in your documents, up to the maximum the subject allows. It can be shorter if you request less time in your application.

  • The following are not available as an outcome for special consideration:

    • Changes to an assessment mark or subject result, except where policy allows re-weighting
    • Changes to subject delivery mode
    • Changes to exam format.

  • An additional task replaces the original assessment task with a different task. For example:

    • A written essay to replace a quiz
    • An oral exam to replace an essay
    • A new task that assesses learning outcomes from two or more impacted assessments.

  • Reasonable adjustments to the assessment's format or delivery mode to accommodate your circumstances. The assessment type and due date remain the same.

    Alternative arrangements are normally provided through an Academic Adjustment Plan (AAP or Alternative Exam Arrangements (AEAs). Availability depends on the circumstances and assessment requirements.

Before you apply

Important information to know before you apply for special consideration.

  • You must apply no later than four business days after your assignment's due date or missed class.

  • Most extensions are processed within five business days.

    It may take longer during busy periods, refer to our current processing times on the Outcomes webpage.

  • Late applications will only be accepted if you:

    • Apply before the release of subject results, and
    • Were unable to submit your application on time (for example due to hospitalisation, severe trauma or close personal or family bereavement), and
    • Submit supporting documents that confirm the impact of those circumstances.


    We do not accept applications after the release of subject results. If you missed the deadline and have failed a subject, you may be eligible to apply for fee remission.

Next steps