If you are impacted by unexpected illness or difficult personal circumstances, you may be eligible to apply for Special Consideration. This guide explains what Special Consideration is, how to apply, and what supporting evidence is required.

Before you begin, make sure you have also read the Important Information about Exams page. These two pages work together to help you understand your responsibilities during assessments and how to seek support if needed.

What Is Special Consideration?

Special Consideration may be available if your ability to prepare for or complete an assessment is affected by circumstances that are:

  • Unexpected
  • Beyond your control
  • Serious enough to impact your academic performance

These compassionate or compelling circumstances include (but are not limited to):

  • Illness, injury, or hospitalisation
  • Birth of your child or sibling
  • Death of a family member, friend, or pet
  • Court appearance or jury duty
  • Eviction or urgent move from your residence

These circumstances must be recent and relevant to the timing of the assessment. If the impact of an event (such as grief) continues past the original timeframe, further documentation may be required.

Understanding the “Fit to Sit” Rule

The “Fit to Sit” rule applies to exams and timed assessments. Students must decide before the start of an assessment whether they are well enough to proceed.

  • By sitting an exam or accessing a timed assessment on the scheduled date, you are declaring that you are fit to do so.
  • You cannot apply for Special Consideration after sitting the assessment.
  • If you access or complete an assessment after submitting a Special Consideration application, the application becomes void.
  • If you become unwell during an exam:
    • Stop working immediately
    • Notify the Examination Supervisor on site
    • Provide a local medical certificate dated within 24 hours of the exam

Exceptions to the “Fit to Sit” rule may be made in cases where students were clearly unfit to make a reasonable judgment due to mental illness or other extenuating circumstances.

Applying for Special Consideration

Timeframe

Applications must be submitted within 3 working days of the due date or scheduled exam. Late applications may be accepted only in exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the College.

Limit of Applications

  • Only one application per assessment is permitted.
  • Only one extension or supplementary exam may be granted per assessment.
  • Continue working on your assessment while waiting for an outcome — do not wait for an extension to begin.

If you are applying multiple times due to ongoing health issues, you should consider an Equitable Learning Plan (ELP).

Contact: [email protected]

Supporting Evidence: What You Need

Every Special Consideration application must include documentation that:

  • Identifies your specific circumstances
  • States the time period affected
  • Includes the date you were seen by a professional
  • Explains the impact on your ability to complete your assessment

Applications without evidence will not be considered.

What Supporting Evidence Is Accepted

Acceptable documentation includes:

  • Local medical certificate from an AHPRA-registered health practitioner
  • Online medical certificate from an AHPRA-registered telehealth service
  • Hospital admission/discharge papers
  • Police reports or statements
  • Official letters from authorities or organisations
  • Death notice
  • Statutory declaration for hardship or trauma (e.g. eviction, financial issues)
  • Court appearance or jury duty notice
  • Letter from employer (for unexpected obligations)
  • Letter from religious leader or Elder confirming religious requirements
  • Letter from sports club, performance group, or manager for elite commitments
  • For online assessment technical issues:
    • Screenshots of error messages or loading issues
    • Timestamped internet speed tests
    • Power outage maps
    • Provider communication about service disruption
    • Invigilator acknowledgement of issue

What Evidence Is Not Accepted

Your application will be denied if:

  • You submit incomplete or inadequate documentation
  • You do not explain your reason for missing the assessment
  • You apply more than 3 working days after the due date
  • You did not plan ahead (e.g. woke up late or missed your bus)
  • You misread or forgot the correct assessment date or time
  • You submitted the wrong file for your assessment or exam
  • Your laptop battery died and you forgot your charger
  • Your device did not meet exam requirements (e.g. working camera/software)
  • You booked personal travel or holidays
  • You booked flights before supplementary exam dates were released
  • You chose to attend an event (e.g. wedding, funeral) without informing UNSW College within the first two weeks of term
  • You experienced public transport delays (unless due to strike action)
  • You were balancing a heavy study load or had multiple tasks due
  • The affected task was:
    • Worth less than 5%
    • Open for more than 3 days
  • You had work, club, or voluntary commitments
  • You undertook professional experience arranged independently
  • You enrolled in the course late (not due to compliance or visa issues)
  • You experienced technology issues due to poor time management, such as:
    • Submitting in the final minutes
    • Failing to back up work
    • Allowing auto-updates during an exam

In some cases, where an alternative assessment is not possible (e.g. a biology lab requiring specific facilities), a valid request may result in a calculated average mark instead.

Medical Certification

All medical documentation must be local or obtained through telehealth consultation with an AHPRA-registered provider.

Submitting a fraudulent certificate is a breach of the Student Code of Conduct and will lead to penalties under Non-Academic Misconduct procedures.

AHPRA-accredited professions include:

  • Medicine
  • Psychology
  • Nursing and Midwifery
  • Pharmacy
  • Dental
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Optometry
  • Podiatry
  • Physiotherapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Osteopathy
  • Chinese Medicine
  • Medical Radiation Practice
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practice

Online Medical Certificates

Online certificates will be accepted if:

  • You consulted an AHPRA-registered doctor via phone or video
  • The consultation is appropriate and clinically justified

Online certificates are not accepted if:

  • No consultation took place
  • The provider charges UNSW College to verify the certificate (e.g. HootHealth)

If verification is required, you are responsible for contacting the clinic to ensure they respond.

Backdated Medical Documentation

Documentation that is dated after the period of impact will be accepted if the student submits within the 3 business days after the exam. All applications will be assessed on the period of impact specified in the medical certificate and not when the student consulted their medical practitioner.

Self-Reported Symptoms

Medical certificates that list symptoms as self-reported will be assessed based on the impact period noted. However, if your account and the certificate do not align, the application will be reviewed individually.

Reassessment and Appeals

If your application is denied, you may request a reassessment if:

  1. You have additional or updated supporting documentation
  2. You request it within 3 working days of receiving your outcome

If still unsuccessful, you may lodge an appeal by replying to your outcome email within 3 working days. Only one appeal per application will be considered. For more information, read our Student Guide To Complaints And Appeals.

If you need assistance regarding the appeals process, you can find our Conduct and Integrity Team located at Level 1, UNSW College L5 Building during business hours.

Support Services

If you are struggling, do not hesitate to ask for help.

Student Wellbeing Team

Equitable Learning Services (ELS)

  • Offers learning support and adjustments for students with ongoing circumstances
  • More about ELS

Translation support

If you require help with translation, choose a translator accredited by NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters).
www.naati.com.au
+61 2 9267 1357

Policies

For further details, refer to these official UNSW College policies:

Last modified: 10:57 am, 26 June 2025