Special consideration

The University will be closed for the Christmas break from Friday 20 December 2024 reopening on Thursday 2 January 2025. Please note: Special consideration applications and enquiries will be unmonitored during this time.

For urgent matters outside the University’s operating hours

Emergency and crisis information

For urgent matters during the University’s operating hours, please contact:

Deakin Security

Safer Community

If circumstances beyond your control will prevent you from attending a test, placement, practicum or similar, or from submitting an assignment by the due date, you should speak to your Unit Chair as soon as you become aware of the problem.

Apply for Special Consideration via StudentConnect within 3 university working days after the due date, ensuring that you attach relevant documentary evidence.

The difference between extension requests and special consideration

Use the table below to determine whether you should apply for an extension or special consideration.

	Extension request	Special consideration
Assessment type	Only used for assignments or tests within the teaching period.	Available for all assessments and examinations.
Application due date	Must be submitted before the due date.	Must be submitted no later than three working days after the due date.
Documentation requirements	Documentation is usually required. DRC students can use their Access plan as supporting documentation.	Documentation is always required. Students with a DRC Access plan must provide additional supporting evidence to show exacerbation.
Outcomes and duration	Extensions of up to 14 calendar days can be granted for DRC/NIKERI students and up to 7 calendar days for all other students.	Outcomes may differ depending on the assessment task and extensions will vary unit to unit due to administrative time constraints.
How to apply	Apply via Deakin Cloud To request an extension, use the Extension Request tool in the ‘Assessment’ tab on your unit site.	Apply via StudentConnect

Important information about applying for special consideration

Applying for special consideration does not automatically guarantee that it will be granted. Special consideration will be granted based on your eligibility and approval.
You should continue working on your assessment task while the outcome is pending, and submit it as soon as possible.
A separate application must be submitted for each individual assessment item requiring special consideration.
Consideration in marking is not an outcome of special consideration.
Documentary evidence must be provided to support your application. Click on 'Documentary evidence' below for more information. If you are unable to obtain the relevant documentation to support your application for special consideration due to exceptional circumstances, please contact consid@deakin.edu.au for assistance with exams and Student Central for assistance with mid-trimester assessment tasks.
Students accessing NIKERI Institute Student Support services may use this as evidence for additional reasonable adjustments of an extensions between 7 and up to 14 calendar days.
If you have technical difficulties that cannot be resolved in the time available for you to complete an assessment task, you must lodge an IT Help support ticket and include the ticket number when you apply for special consideration. This applies for both exams and within-trimester assessment tasks.

If longer term conditions or circumstances are affecting your performance, please refer to 'Long term difficulties' below for more information.

Allowable grounds for special consideration

View the allowable grounds with acceptable and unacceptable reasons

Special consideration and EoUA/exams

Apply via StudentConnect within 3 university working days after the due date of your exam/final assessment, ensuring that you attach relevant documentary evidence.
If special consideration is granted, after you have attempted the initial exam/assessment task, the initial task will not be marked.
Where special consideration is granted, your unit result will be recorded as 'RIE' (outcome 3) or 'RIA' (outcome 4) until the final result is released following the marking of your special consideration assessment task or special examination.
Documentary evidence to support your application must be current. It is recommended that documentation provided in support of applications on medical grounds include a consultation date on the day of, or the day following the exam or final assessment due date. Back-dated medical certificates will not normally be accepted.

Documentary evidence

You must provide documentary evidence when you apply for special consideration.

Where an application relates to a medical condition (including COVID), a medical certificate is, in most cases, the evidence required. A Deakin medical certificate for special consideration form (PDF, 209.0KB) or a medical certificate from the treating medical/health professional needs to clearly state the severity/impact on your ability to attempt or complete the relevant assessment task (completion of the Deakin medical certificate is preferred but not mandatory). Medical certificates must be current and cover the relevant assessment or exam date. Back dated medical certificates will not normally be accepted. Telehealth medical certificates will be accepted.
If your application relates to technical difficulties, an IT Help support ticket must be provided.
If you are unable to obtain the relevant documentation specified below due to exceptional circumstances, please contact consid@deakin.edu.au for assistance with exams and Student Central for assistance with mid-trimester assessment tasks.

Supporting documentation requirements

Supporting documentation (letters, statutory declarations and medical certificates) must:

be on official letterhead (where applicable), signed and dated
indicate whether the situation was unexpected and unavoidable, e.g., out of your control
summarise the nature and duration of the condition/circumstances
clearly state the severity/impact on your ability to attempt or complete the relevant assessment task (applications may not be approved without this)
be in English. Documents that are not in English must be translated by an accredited translation service.

Contact a Student Adviser or make an appointment to see a Deakin University Student Association Advocate, if you need advice about the other types of supporting documentation you can provide.

Applying for special consideration

Applications for special consideration must be lodged through the special consideration system within 3 University working days after the date of the exam or the approved submission date for the assessment task. Contact your Faculty/School/Campus office if extraordinary circumstances prevent you from lodging your application online or within the three-day timeframe.

Separate applications and supporting documents are required for each assessment item for which you would like special consideration.

The Special Consideration Student User Guide (PDF, 1.2MB) explains how to create and submit an application including attaching copies of your supporting documentation. If your circumstances are particularly difficult, the staff in your Faculty/School/Campus office can help you with your application.

You are encouraged to include a written submission explaining how the circumstances affected your studies.

When submitting your application remember to upload the completed Deakin Medical Certificate (PDF, 209.0KB).

Possible outcomes of your application

There are four possible outcomes of an application for Special Consideration:

Special consideration not granted
Special consideration granted - a special exam, administered by the Student Services division (outcome 3 - RIE grade). Your exam/s will be scheduled in the next available supplementary/special exam period. View exam timetables.
Special consideration granted - a special assessment task, administered by your Faculty, will be provided for you.
Special consideration granted - a new submission date is to be arranged for your assessment task

Long term difficulties

If longer term conditions or circumstances are affecting your assessment performance, we have a number of specialist services to help you. We recommend you connect with these services if you are experiencing problems at University. Their support may also reduce your need to apply for special consideration.

These include:

Health and wellbeing services including Deakin Medical Centre and counselling services
Disability Resource Centre who can help with resources and adjustments if you are neurodivergent or living with a physical or mental health condition that impacts your studies or participation in university life.
Financial assistance
Study support including Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS), peer mentoring and study assistance

If you have ongoing difficulties you may still be eligible for special consideration, if you can demonstrate that your difficulties have suddenly worsened or that an additional issue has arisen. Note that additional special consideration can only be granted for the same task once and where extraordinary circumstances (such as hospitalisation) prevent you from attempting your first special assessment task or exam. See additional special consideration below.

Cancelling or withdrawing an application

Additional special consideration

Additional special consideration can only be granted for the same task once and where extraordinary circumstances prevent you from attempting your special assessment task for an end-of-unit assessment or exam. Additional special consideration is not possible where the original application resulted in the granting of a new submission date for an assessment task (e.g. an assignment extension). Applications must be lodged through the special consideration system no later than three working days after the first special task is due to be completed.

If you don’t have a current enrolment you may not have access to the online special consideration system. If you don’t have access, please email consasc@deakin.edu.au for instructions on how to submit your application.

Remission or refund of debt

Grounds for special consideration

Further advice

If you're having trouble or need further assistance with applying for special consideration, contact Student Central.

If your special consideration application is related to sexual harm or a traumatic experience, please contact Safer Community for support and advice.

Email
consid@deakin.edu.au