Special consideration allows the University to take account of unexpected circumstances outside your control that can affect your ability to complete an assessment. Examples of unexpected circumstances for eligibility may include:
- an unexpected short-term physical or mental health condition
- difficult personal circumstances or significant emotional disturbance
- unexpected carer responsibility for a member of your immediate family
- bereavement of an immediate family member
- having been the victim of a serious crime
- other unexpected circumstances outside your control, such as:
- an unavoidable employment, family, cultural, religious or elite sporting commitment
- severe disruption of living arrangements
- financial hardship, such as sudden loss of employment or income
- serious technical issues during an online assessment.
Note that applying for special consideration does not guarantee it will be granted. Each application will be assessed on a case by case basis. Further information about special considerations can be found here.
How to apply
You must apply for special consideration no later than five (05) working days after the relevant examination or assessment deadline. Complete the Special Consideration Application form and lodge it with Student Connect or via email to VN Assessment Support at assessment.support@rmit.edu.vn.
Applications should be supported by an impact assessment statement in Section B of the application form (if the reason of your special consideration is related to a medical ground) and relevant supporting documentation. If you cannot obtain the impact assessment statement or supporting documents within five (05) working days, you should lodge an incomplete application form and provide the additional documents within five (05) working days from the date of your lodgment.
If you are seeking an extension of time, you are advised to submit your work as soon as possible, to minimise deduction of marks if an extension is not granted (or a shorter extension is granted).
If your special consideration application is late, you are still entitled to lodge the application but should include a detailed explanation of why it is late, supported by valid documented evidence. Late applications can only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. The Academic Registrar's Group (ARG) will determine if there are special circumstances sufficient to allow a late application.
Assessment of applications
Complete applications that include supporting documentation and evidence will be considered within ten (10) working days. Communications about your application will be through your RMIT student email account. It is your responsibility to check your account regularly, promptly respond to any requests for information or action and ensure your account can receive incoming emails.
Outcome of applications
Possible outcomes of a special consideration application are:
- an equivalent assessment (your course coordinator decides the form of equivalent assessment task)
- an extension of time (if you have applied for an extension, continue to work on the assessment and submit it as soon as you can, even if you have not yet received your outcome)
- a deferred assessment (a further opportunity to sit the assessment)
- other arrangements deemed appropriate to your circumstances and the course concerned
- a late course withdrawal without academic penalty
- denial of an application
- cancellation of an application for lateness or incompleteness
- withdrawal of an application
The following outcomes are not available:
- An increase in the mark you achieved in an assessment
- A transfer or increase in the weighting of other assessment tasks so that the assessment task affected by adverse circumstances is no longer required
- Supplementary assessment
The outcome notification is copied to your course coordinator. Where an outcome requires you to contact your course coordinator or School by a given date, you must do so by the date specified, otherwise, the outcome may be deemed to have lapsed.
While an application may be approved, outcomes provided are subject to change. If we receive relevant information that leads to the outcome being changed, we will notify you of a revised outcome.
It may not be possible to always approve assessment adjustments and there are some circumstances in which Late course withdrawal without academic penalty is the only available outcome.