During your university education, you may experience a major event in your life that prevents you from completing your course assessment or sitting your exams. These significant events, such as illness, the death of a family member, or a serious accident are called ‘misadventures’.
If you experience a 'misadventure' that has nothing to do with your disability but affects your studies or exams, you may be eligible to apply for Special Consideration.
Any student may apply to have their circumstances taken into account under UNSW’s Special Consideration policy. Each case is individually reviewed and assessed, and if your application is successful, you may be given some flexibility to meet your course requirements e.g. you may be allowed to sit your exams at a later date.
You must submit a form for Special Consideration and provide documentation that outlines your situation and supports your application. There is a time limit on when applications will be accepted after the illness or misadventure occurs (usually within three days), so it is important to submit your application as soon as possible.
If you would like additional support in submitting your Special Consideration application, contact a Student Support Advisor. (They can also help with study planning, goal setting, and time management.)
Special Consideration is a process available for students in cases of sickness, misadventure or other circumstances beyond your control which may:
If your application for Special Consideration is not related to your disability, then you should apply via myUNSW.
Students registered with Equitable Learning Services may experience circumstances related to their disability which are potentially eligible for Special Consideration, such as:
If you require Special Consideration related to your disability or ongoing medical condition:
However, if you are concerned about disclosing personal medical information when applying for Special Consideration, Equitable Learning Services may be able to provide you with a generic supporting letter in lieu of the medical documentation stating relevant information to upload with your application.