Eligibility for deferred assessment

You may be eligible to defer your scheduled final assessment (exam) if you couldn’t complete it on the set date due to exceptional circumstances beyond your control.

Here are exceptional circumstances that may make you eligible for a deferral:

• medical condition (including COVID-19)
• mental health condition
• loss or bereavement
• family (relationship breakdown)
• gender-based violence
• victim of crime or concerns about safety
• financial/employment issues
• military, jury or emergency services obligations
• obligations as athlete, artist or performer registered with Elite Student Performer Scheme or as representative of University in other key events and programs
• religious or cultural obligations
• technical disruption
• disruption caused by international conflict
• other exceptional circumstances beyond your control.

When you're not eligible

We can’t give you a deferral for things like:

• losing your Moodle access because you didn’t complete a compulsory module
• technical issues you might have avoided by uploading the correct files, allowing enough time for uploading and having the right equipment
• a brief interruption to power and/or internet service where you’re given additional time to complete your assessment
• missing your assessment due to mistaking its set date, time or location
• representing a club or society as a volunteer.

Long-term or ongoing circumstances

If you’re affected by long-term or ongoing circumstances, such as a recurring medical condition, we encourage you to register with Disability Support Services (DSS). DSS can support you with reasonable adjustments.

Impacts on your results and enrolment

Unwell during your assessment

You generally won’t be eligible to defer your assessment if you’ve seen and/or attempted to answer questions on your scheduled final assessment (exam).

Missed your assessment

If you missed the assessment because you were unwell, or because of some other exceptional circumstances, you need to provide supporting documents. For example, you need to immediately get a medical certificate (or an approved alternative) from your doctor or a campus health service to be considered eligible to defer your assessment.

Outcome

We'll email you the outcome of your application within two University working days as long as you’ve submitted a complete application with all the required supporting documents.

Eligibility for rescheduled deferred assessment

Before you apply to reschedule your deferred assessment (exam), make sure you carefully check all requirements. They are not the same as the ones that you needed to defer your assessment.

To be eligible, you must:

• have an ongoing disability registered with Disability Support Services (DSS) that directly prevented you from sitting your deferred assessment (such as a serious and debilitating medical condition or severe mental health condition) – see DSS-registered condition for details – or
• show that the exceptional circumstances approved for your deferred assessment have not yet been resolved by providing updated supporting documents or
• provide evidence of one or more of these extreme circumstances beyond your control:
  • serious and debilitating medical condition
  • severe mental health condition
  • loss or bereavement: death of a person with whom you had a significant relationship
  • military, jury or emergency services obligations
  • gender-based violence
  • disruption caused by international conflict
  • other extreme circumstances.

Additionally, you need to submit both your application and supporting documents in time for us to reschedule your assessment and for you to complete it within 90 calendar days of results release for the original assessment period (see successful application). We may ask you to show that you can complete a rescheduled assessment within this timeframe.

If you’re eligible for a rescheduled deferred assessment, but can’t pass your unit even if you successfully complete your assessment, we recommend that you instead apply for a Withdrawn (WDN) grade if you meet the criteria.

Impacts on your results and enrolment

Unwell during your assessment

You generally won’t be eligible to reschedule your deferred assessment if you’ve seen and/or attempted to answer questions on your scheduled final assessment (exam).

Outcome

We'll email you the outcome of your application within five University working days as long as you've submitted a complete application with all the required supporting documents.