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Student Academic Concessions Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) The purpose of this Policy is to provide a range of supports for specific circumstances and a range of academic concessions in acknowledgement that special circumstances may affect a student’s ability to complete an assessment task or may affect their performance in an assessment task.

(2) Student academic concessions are intended to ensure that students who experience significant disruption to their study are not disadvantaged but academic standards are maintained, including equity for all students in the unit, the academic integrity of assessment, achievement of learning outcomes and the inherent requirements of a unit or course.

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Section 2 - Application

(3) This Policy applies to students undertaking undergraduate and postgraduate coursework award courses.

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Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities

Position
Responsibility
Vice-Chancellor and President
Approves exceptional circumstances affecting learning and teaching apply.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Approves protocols for student academic concessions.
Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar
Approves procedures for the administration of student academic concessions within Student Administration.
Executive Dean of Faculty/Executive Director, QUT College (may be delegated)
Approves applications for special consideration, deferred examinations and supplementary assessment.
Approves the concession where special consideration has been granted (in consultation with course and/or Unit Coordinator if appropriate).
Manages alternative arrangements for assessment in faculty and school-based examinations.
Director, Student Administration
Manages the deferred examination process.
Manages alternative arrangements for assessment in central examinations.
Disability Adviser
Recommends alternative arrangements for assessment for students with a disability to the Course Coordinator (or equivalent).
Course Coordinator
Approves alternative arrangements for assessment.
Unit Coordinator
Identifies the assignments in the unit and their eligibility for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions and ensures communication of this with students.
Approves extensions to due dates for assignments (may be further delegated).
Approves actions where an assessment item is lost, stolen or damaged
after submission.
Students
Ensure assignments are eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and/or assignment extension before submitting.
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Section 4 - Special Circumstances

(4) QUT recognises that at times during a student’s studies, circumstances beyond their control may affect their capacity to successfully complete assessment or to demonstrate their learning as they otherwise would. These special circumstances include:

  1. health conditions;
  2. disability;
  3. family or personal circumstances;
  4. employment related circumstances;
  5. unavoidable community or public service commitments (including jury service or a recognised emergency management body such as the SES or CFA);
  6. defence service by reservists;
  7. commitments as a member of the Elite Athlete Program;
  8. course related circumstances; and
  9. significant cultural commitments.
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Section 5 - Types of Academic Concessions

(5) A range of academic concessions, depending upon the type of assessment, is available to support students to meet the assessment requirements of their course and to maintain academic standards. The academic concessions are:

  1. 48-hour late submission period for assignments;
  2. assignment extension;
  3. special consideration; and
  4. deferred examination.

(6) In certain circumstances, a student may be eligible to apply for withdrawal without penalty from a unit. The Withdraw from Units without Penalty webpage provides further information (QUT staff and student access only).

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Section 6 - Late Assignments and Extensions

(7) Assignment extensions only apply to assessment items classified as assignments (Assignment definition in Section 17 below). Assignments may be approved as exempt from allowing the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extension based upon special circumstances.

(8) A student may apply for an assignment extension, unless:

  1. Extensions are not allowed in the unit or course as approved by University Academic Board as part of the Curriculum Design, Approval and Accreditation Policy; and
  2. The unit outline states that no extension is allowed for the assignment. Exceptions are approved in accordance with delegations for unit outline approval.

(9) Assignments submitted after the due date and 48-hour late submission period without an approved extension results in the assignment not being marked and a grade of 1 or 0% being awarded for the assignment. An application for an assignment extension may be made after the due date.

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Section 7 - 48-Hour Late Submission Period for Assignments

Purpose

(10) The purpose of the 48-hour late submission period, is to accommodate unexpected, but not significant or long-term events, that may occur just before an assignment is due. This concession allows a 48-hour late submission period to the original due date for eligible assignments.

(11) There is no application required by students seeking to utilise the 48-hour late submission period.

(12) The 48-hour late submission period is for 48 hours only, irrespective of whether the assignment would need to be submitted on a weekend or a public holiday. Eligible assignments submitted within 48 hours of the original due date will not be considered late.

(13) If the assignment is not submitted within the 48 hours of the due date of the assignment (the late submission period), the assignment will be considered to be late, will not be marked and a grade of 1 or 0% will be awarded for the assessment item.

(14) Only one 48-hour late submission period is allowed for an eligible assignment and only applies to the original due date of the assessment. If a student is affected by special circumstances during the 48 hours of the late submission period, the student may apply for a formal extension with supporting documentation.

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Section 8 - Assignment Extension

Purpose

(15) The purpose of an assignment extension is to support a student in completing an assignment when they have been affected by special circumstances. An assignment extension is appropriate when a student experiences unexpected but significant interruption to their study that impacts upon their ability to complete the assignment by the due date. Normally an assignment extension is required when the 48-hour late submission period for eligible assignments is not sufficient to support the student due to their special circumstances.

Application

(16) An application for an assignment extension must be submitted before the expiry of the 48-hour late submission period. Applications may be submitted after the 48-hour late submission period if the student can provide:

  1. documentation to evidence the exceptional circumstances which prevented the application for extension before the expiry of the 48-hour late submission period; and
  2. the required supporting documentation for the extension.

(17) The application is made online and the student must provide supporting documentation to provide evidence of the special circumstances which will prevent or have prevented the submission of the assignment by the due date or within the 48-hour late submission period.

(18) The duration of any extension granted will not normally exceed 14 days and will take reasonable account of:

  1. the impact of the special circumstances upon the student’s learning;
  2. the length of the unexpected interruption experienced by the student;
  3. any academic concessions that have been granted previously in respect of the assignment; and
  4. the type of assignment, including whether results for the assignment have been or need to be released.

(19) If the assignment extension application is approved, the 48-hour late submission period does not apply to the new due date.

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Section 9 - Special Consideration

(20) Special consideration is a significant concession and will only be granted when a properly documented and timely case is made.

Purpose

(21) The purpose of special consideration is to support students who consider that their ability to demonstrate their achievement of the unit learning outcomes in assessment or assessments has been adversely affected by special circumstances in the teaching period.

Application

(22) An application for special consideration should be made as soon as reasonably possible and normally within three working days of the assessment due date or examination date. The application is made online and the student must provide supporting documentation to provide evidence of the health condition or family or personal circumstances that have adversely impacted upon their ability to demonstrate their achievement of the unit learning outcomes in the assessment or assessments.

(23) The Executive Dean, in consultation with the course and/or Unit Coordinator if appropriate, will determine the outcome of a special consideration application. The outcomes may include:

  1. no change to the result of the assessment item or the final grade of the unit;
  2. completion of alternative or additional assessment of a similar type of academic level:
    1. the alternative or additional assessment must be appropriate and relevant for the unit and assess the relevant unit learning outcomes;
  3. reweighting of an assessment item/s, taking into account:
    1. the ability of the student to demonstrate the unit learning outcomes if an assessment item does not contribute to the final grade of the unit;
    2. whether it is equitable;
    3. any inherent requirements of the unit or course; and
    4. ensuring that the reweighted assessment is not in breach of the Assessment and Feedback Policy.
  4. final grade adjustment, taking into account:
    1. the academic concessions applied for and granted in the relevant teaching period;
    2. the duration and extent of the special circumstances with reference to the assessment/s;
    3. the student’s level of achievement in all assessment items in the unit with reference to the unit learning outcomes;
    4. the student’s level of achievement in other units in the relevant teaching period and previous teaching periods, if appropriate; and
    5. the student’s level of achievement in previous teaching periods, if appropriate.
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Section 10 - Deferred Examination

(24) In accordance with the Examinations Policy, students must ensure they are available to undertake an examination. The following are not grounds for awarding a deferred examination concession:

  1. misreading the examination timetable; and
  2. pre-booking a holiday or committing to other pre-planned events during the examination period or the time specified in the assessment requirements of the unit.

(25) Deferred examinations are not subject to a deferred examination concession.

(26) Where a student does not undertake the approved deferred examination, the grade for the unit is awarded on the basis of assessment completed, unless the student makes a successful case for withdrawal from the unit without academic penalty (Withdraw from Units without Penalty (QUT staff and student access only)).

Purpose

(27) The purpose of a deferred examination concession is to support a student who experiences special circumstances that impact upon their ability to undertake an examination at the scheduled time.

Application

(28) An application for a deferred examination must be submitted before the date of the examination or within three working days after the examination.

(29) The application is made online and the student must provide supporting documentation to evidence the special circumstances which will prevent, or have prevented, the student undertaking the examination.

(30) Students granted a deferred examination concession undertake an examination at a later scheduled time. For centrally organised examinations, deferred examinations take place during the supplementary and deferred examination period (Examinations Policy).

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Section 11 - Assessment for Students with a Disability

Purpose

(31) Students with permanent or temporary disability have the right to alternative arrangements for assessment which provide equality of opportunity to enable students to fulfil course requirements.

Application

(32) Students should contact the relevant campus Disability Adviser early in the teaching period and preferably prior to the published date for withdrawal without financial penalty for the relevant teaching period.

(33) Alternative arrangements for assessment are negotiated between the student, Disability Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

(34) Students are required to present evidence to the Disability Adviser, usually in the form of documentation from a medical or other relevant specialist practitioner which substantiates the nature of the disability, injury or health condition.

(35) The Disability Adviser will develop an Access Equity Plan which includes recommendations for alternative arrangements for assessment for approval by the relevant course coordinator. Access Equity Plans are reviewed and re-negotiated each semester. The student will be advised in writing of any alternative arrangements for their assessment.

(36) Information on support provided by the University for students with a disability can be found at Disability Support. The University’s Disability Policy provides further details.

Centrally Organised Assessment

(37) For centrally organised examinations, responsibility for the conduct and administration of alternative assessment provisions for students with a disability rests with the Director, Student Administration Department.

School-Based Assessment

(38) For assessment other than central examinations, administrative and financial responsibility, including organisation of appropriate equipment and support personnel, rests with faculties and schools.

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Section 12 - Supplementary Assessment

Purpose

(39) Supplementary assessment is provided to support course progression and is designed to create opportunities for students to complete requirements for their qualification. Supplementary assessment is not a reassessment of the student's overall grade or the mark for an individual assessment item. It is a new item of assessment designed to provide further opportunity to demonstrate that the student has achieved the required learning outcomes of the unit.

(40) Supplementary assessment will not be granted on designated units (Award Courses Policy) or on units undertaken in non-award study (Non-award Study Policy).

Application

(41) Students may be granted supplementary assessment in a limited number of cases where a grade of 3 has been achieved. This limit is such that the maximum number overall in a course is:

  1. two in the final 96 credit points in coursework programs of three or more years full-time duration or equivalent; or
  2. one in the final 48 credit points in coursework programs of less than three years full-time duration or equivalent.

(42) Applications should be submitted within five working days following release of the final grade for a unit.

Grades Following Completion of Supplementary Assessment

(43) Students who successfully complete supplementary assessment requirements will be awarded the grade of 4. Where supplementary assessment is not successfully completed, the original grade of 3 will be reinstated.

Transfer between Courses

(44) Where students transfer between QUT courses, supplementary assessments that have already been granted for units being credited towards the second course will count towards the maximum number of supplementary assessments allowed for the second course.

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Section 13 - Lost, Stolen or Damaged Assessment Items

(45) Students are required to create and securely store a copy of the final version of all written assessment items prior to submission. Similarly, for non-written physical assessment items, students should photograph or otherwise make a secure record of the items prior to submission.

(46) Where a student's assessment item cannot be located and there is a reasonable belief that the item was submitted, the Unit Coordinator should consider the following options:

  1. giving the student a notional mark for the lost assessment item based on the average of their previous assessment;
  2. giving the student the opportunity to resubmit the assessment item;
  3. giving the student the opportunity to redo the assessment item; or
  4. setting an alternative similar assessment item to be submitted within a set period.
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Section 14 - Exceptional Circumstances Affecting Learning and Teaching

(47) When there are exceptional circumstances affecting learning and teaching, academic concessions may be granted in a unit or for an identified cohort of students, without the requirement for the students to make an application.

(48) Any decision to grant academic concessions under this provision will take account of the disruption caused, and any changes required to mitigate their effect and must be communicated clearly to students and the relevant academic staff and Head of School.

(49) An assessment extension must take into account the delay caused by the exceptional circumstances and any changes to the assessment due to those exceptional circumstances.

(50) A deferred examination may be approved for a unit, or an identified cohort of students in the unit affected.

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Section 15 - Review

(51) Students dissatisfied with a decision to reject an application for a concession included in this Policy can appeal via the Review of Academic Rulings Policy.

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Section 16 - Recordkeeping and Confidentiality

(52) Records must be retained in accordance with the University’s Records Governance Policy for all student academic concession applications.

(53) Personal information contained in the documentation related to student academic concessions will be managed in accordance with the University’s Information Privacy Policy.

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Section 17 - Definitions

Term Definition
Assessment Is defined in the Assessment and Feedback Policy.
Assignment Means an assessment item that must be submitted by a specific due date through the learning management system or if the assessment outcome is a physical artefact, physical submission by a specific due date. Assignments do not include examinations (in person or online), tests or quizzes completed within the learning management system or assessment that requires a student’s physical or virtual presence to complete.
Assignment Extension Is defined above in Section 8. An assignment extension is normally required when the 48-hour late submission period is not long enough for the student to complete the eligible assignment due to the special circumstances.
Attend an Examination Includes completing an online examination.
Deferred Examination Means an examination rescheduled for the student to undertake. For centrally timetabled examinations, deferred examinations are held in the Supplementary/Deferred exams period for a teaching period (Section 10). 
Eligible Assignment Means as assignment that may be submitted within the 48-hour late submission period without a grade of 1 or 0% being awarded and an assignment that may be subject of an application for an assignment extension. Assignments may be approved as exempt from allowing the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions. Unit outlines identify which assignments are eligible assignments.
Exceptional Circumstances Affecting Learning and Teaching Means circumstances affecting learning and teaching that are caused by factors outside QUT’s control. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to, natural disasters, outbreak of pandemic disease, damage to QUT physical or virtual infrastructure, industrial action or strikes, action/s required by QUT under law or any other circumstance that requires activation of QUT’s Crisis Management Plan (Section 14).
Extension Means an extension to the due date of an eligible assignment (Section 6).
Late Submission Period Is the 48-hour period from the original due date in which eligible assignments may be submitted without a grade of 1 or 0% being awarded for the assignment.
Special Circumstances Is defined above, in Section 4.
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Section 18 - Delegations

(54) Refer to Register of Authorities and Delegations (C120, C122, C124, C126) (QUT staff access only).