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Special Examinations Policy

 

This policy is developed in accordance with the Examinations Rules 2008 which can be found at http://www.anu.edu.au/cabs/rules/ExamsRules.pdf. Further information on the Examinations Rules 2008 can be found below.

 

I.       Special Examinations

Special examinations may only be granted under exceptional circumstances; e.g. if a student is in hospital, unable to walk, or otherwise so incapacitated that they cannot attend the examination room. If a student is unwell on or before the exam date, they should sit the exam and then submit a request for special consideration from the course authority.

A student who wishes to be granted a degree has an obligation to attend the exams required by the Department/School on the date and under the conditions prescribed by the Department/School. Exams are held in order to assess coursework under conditions which, so far as possible, are the same for all students. It is a University requirement that students must be available for examination during the entirety of the published examination period.

Unavoidable circumstances which prevent a student attending the examination are those which:

• could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student, and
• were beyond the student's control

Students must provide appropriate evidence of any reason for non-attendance. In the case of illness or accident students must attend a doctor or medical clinic on the day of the examination, unless there are special and documented circumstances, and provide a medical certificate or police report.

Students should not assume that non-attendance at the examination and an application will lead to a special examination being given. The granting of a Special Examination is solely at the College’s discretion and provision of a medical certification does not necessarily guarantee the granting of a special examination. The College will judge the severity based on the medical report and taking into account all relevant factors.

Students are encouraged to attend the examination as scheduled and apply for Special Consideration. Where performance during the exam has been adversely affected by illness or other cause leading to the student being unable to complete the examination, an invigilator must be notified and a request for a further exam lodged as soon as possible.

A special examination cannot be held until the College approves the student's request.

Lecturers may not offer or approve a special examination without College Office consent.

 

II.      Grounds for Special Examinations

The following circumstances are acceptable grounds for an application for Special Examination, on provision of supporting documents:

• a member of the armed forces involved in compulsory exercises;
• a person in full-time employment required to be absent from the ACT by his or her employer;
• a person representing ACT or Australia at a national or international sporting or cultural event;
• a person on jury duty;
• a death in the immediate family that directly affects your ability to attend the scheduled examination;
• religious obligations which are not covered by special examination arrangements;
• relevant educational purpose (eg. commencement of northern hemisphere course); and
• inability to attend an exam due to a serious medical condition or emergency. In this case, a request for a special exam must be lodged within three working days after the time fixed for conclusion of the examination. The request must be accompanied by a written statement explaining why the student was prevented from attending the examination and by such supporting evidence as is available to the student.

The following problems are not regarded as severe enough so as to warrant a special examination:

• A cold or mild virus;
• an illness for a few days preceding exams (it is the whole semester's work which is assessed);
• a sore throat or cramping;
• a minor headache;
• mild gastro-intestinal infections;
• feeling out of sorts, etc, on the day of the exam;
• A minor accident involving a few hours paperwork;
• misreading, misunderstanding or failure to read an examination timetable (unless the Dean is satisfied that the timetable is in some way at fault);
• two exams on the same day;
• exams on succeeding days;
• what you regard as an inconvenient or onerous exam timetable;
• routine demands of employment;
• routine family problems such as domestic tension with or between parents, spouses, and other people closely involved with the student;
• difficulties adjusting to university life, and the demands of academic work;
• stress or anxiety associated with examinations or any aspect of academic work;
• routine need for financial support;
• an interruption to study during the semester;
• demands of sports, clubs, and social or extra-curricular activities;
• family or personal travel arrangements which conflict with the exam timetable; and
• other instances of minor illness or minor circumstance that are not listed as appropriate grounds earlier in this section.

Students who make travel arrangements or work or arrange other commitments during the examination period do so at their own risk.

 

III.     Application process for Special Examinations

Requests for a Special Examination must be made on the standard University form 'Application for Special Examination'. The form can be obtained from College Offices or accessed via the web at http://www.anu.edu.au/sas/forms/index.php.

The completed Special Examination form should be submitted to:

• The relevant School Office for mid-semester examinations and other examinations that fall outside of the official University examination period; or
• The ANU College of Business and Economics College Office for final examinations for courses.

Medical documentation which simply states that a student is suffering from a "medical condition" or other vague term will not be accepted.  The College prefers that a medical practitioner has completed Part B of the application form.  If this is not possible, then the medical certificate must address all the questions in that part of the form, including giving a clear diagnosis, indicating whether the practitioner is the student's usual doctor, and indicating whether the doctor believes the severity of the condition was sufficient to prevent the student from attending the examination.  Where complete information is not provided with the initial application the request for a Special Examination will be denied.

Applications lodged more than 3 working days after the date of the examination will not normally be accepted.

Students who have a history of illness and requesting Special Examinations should seek assistance from the ANU Counselling, Disabilities Services Unit or the Academic Skills and Learning Centre.

If the special examination is approved, a fixed date and time will be specified for the Special Examination to be held. These arrangements are not normally negotiable, particularly to fit in with a student's travel bookings or work commitments. Students may find that the timing of special examinations is inconvenient. Nevertheless, they have an obligation to attend. If a student does not attend a special examination, it is only in exceptional circumstances that a further exam will be set.

The College will provide formal written or email notification of whether a request for a special exam has been approved, but the obligation nevertheless rests upon the student to confirm this. The College will not accept, as an explanation for a student's failure to sit a special examination, that the student did not receive the University's letter or email advising whether the request had been approved. It is the responsibility of all students to maintain up to date contact details on ISIS and to regularly check their ANU email account.

 

IV.        Examinations Rules

Rules governing Examinations can be found at:

http://www.anu.edu.au/cabs/rules/ExamsRules.pdf

Rule 11 (1), (2) and (3) specifically relates to Special Examinations. Briefly the Rule states:

(1) The Delegated Authority may permit a student who was eligible to take an examination in a course but was unable to attend the examination to take such special examination as the Delegated Authority determines.

(2) A student seeking permission to take a special examination must lodge an application with the Registrar not later than 3 working days after the time fixed for the completion of the examination that the student failed to attend, or within such further time as the Delegated Authority allows.

(3) An application under subrule (2) is to be accompanied by a statement in writing setting out the circumstances that prevented the student from attending the examination and by such evidence as is available to the student in support of that statement.

Students are reminded that if possible they should attend the examination and follow the procedures laid out in Rule 12 (1), 12 (2), 12 (3), 12 (4), 12 (5) and 12 (6) in respect of notification and special consideration.