Special Consideration

MRC/Spectrum has policies and procedures that enable students to apply for special consideration for overall assessment, end-of-course examinations, or additional assessment for a unit (or units) studied during the current semester.

General

An application for special consideration ensures that the relevant staff takes into account the case made by the student when determining the final outcome, or granting additional assessment or a deferred examination.

It is the responsibility of students to ensure that they are available to sit any deferred examination if it is granted. If granted a deferred exam or extension as a result of an application for Special Consideration, students will not normally be granted further Special Consideration on this assessment.

Closing Dates

To be considered for Special Consideration, students must submit their application within 48 hours (2 working days) after their last exam for the semester or, for other assessment, within 48 hours (2 working days) after the submission deadline for that piece of work. Special consideration applications relating to assessment for a particular semester which are submitted after the release of results for that semester will not be considered.

Eligibility

Students eligible for Special Consideration are those whose work during a teaching period or whose performance in an examination or other assessment has been affected by illness or other serious cause. Serious causes include:

  • Serious illness or psychological condition - e.g. hospital admission, serious injury, severe asthma, severe anxiety or depression
  • Loss or bereavement – e.g. death of close family member, family/relationship breakdown
  • Hardship/trauma - e.g. victim of crime, severe disruption to domestic arrangements.
Supporting Documentation

An application for special consideration must be accompanied by appropriate and substantial documentation and/or evidence from a qualified practitioner such as a medical practitioner or a psychologist, social worker or lawyer registered in Australia with a recognised body (e.g. Medicare). Other acceptable documents may include a death notice or certificate, a police report, or statutory declaration. Applications may be rejected if originals or certified copies of documentation are requested but not provided.

Lodgment of Applications

Candidates are to lodge the original Application for Special Consideration together with appropriate documentation and evidence with the RTO Head Office, where they will be given a stamped copy to retain as verification.

Process

Once the application is lodged, it will be distributed to the RTO Coordinator. The teaching staff along with the RTO coordinator will consider the application within 10 business days of submission. The applicant will be informed in writing of the outcome of the review within 10 business days of the review. If the applicant does not agree with the outcome, they can appeal it through the MRC/Spectrum complaints and appeals process. The request for Special Consideration will be filed in the candidate’s records.

Note: Access to sensitive/confidential material in these applications is limited to designated RTO personnel.