Assessment Complaint: Appealing a mark or grade

If you are dissatisfied with your mark or grade, you may request a review or re-mark. There must be academic or procedural grounds for your request - you cannot simply request a re-mark just because you are disappointed with your result.

Before pursuing a request for re-mark, you should be aware that in most cases any revised mark will stand as the final mark for the work, regardless of whether it is higher or lower than the original mark or grade awarded. 

You are encouraged to seek free, independent and confidential advice on what options are available to you in your particular circumstances, by contacting an Education and Welfare Officer (EWO) in Student Care.

Your assessment complaint must follow these stages below in accordance with the Student Complaint Resolution Policy.

*Strict time limits (within 5 business days) apply for students studying a postgraduate course in online teaching periods 1 - 6. Please refer to the Student Complaint Resolution Policy - Table 1: Time limits for a Formal Review.

Stage 1 - Initial Complaint

You must lodge a request for review or re-mark with the person who marked your assessment within 10 business days* of receiving your result.

Stage 2 - Formal Review

If your request for a re-mark or review is not granted or you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you can lodge a Stage 2: Formal Review request with the Head of School.

You must do this within 10 business days* of receiving your result - please bear this in mind when pursuing your Stage 1 initial complaint.

Your request should include a summary of the reasons why you believe your assessment work deserves a higher mark. 

Reasons for your request must be directed to the academic quality of your work and or a failure in procedure. 

The Head of School must respond to your request within 10 business days.

Stage 3 - Internal University Appeal

If the Head of School denies your request or you are still dissatisfied with the outcome, you may lodge a Stage 3: Internal University Appeal within 20 business days of notification of your Stage 2 outcome.

To do this, you must complete the student appeal application online form and submit to Student Affairs. If you would like a word version of the application form, please contact Student Affairs.

Before submitting your appeal application form, you are encouraged to read the appeal submission guide to ensure your application is complete.

Assessment Complaints

A coursework student may formally request a review or re-mark of their assessment tasks or grade provided there are academic or procedural grounds for the request.

A request for a review or remark must include a summary of the reasons why you believe your assessment work deserves a higher mark. These reasons must be directly related to:

• the academic quality of the work, and/or
• a failure in procedure.

Grounds for Assessment Complaints

A student is eligible to submit an assessment complaint if they have evidence of one or more of the following grounds:

• The mark or grade was not based on the specified assessment methods provided as part of the Course Profile
• Work submitted within specified times was incorrectly assessed as a late submission and thus not marked or given a compromised mark as a consequence of the alleged late submission
• Your progress in the course was disadvantaged because feedback was not provided in accordance with the Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
• Local assessment procedures (including assessment handbooks and/or course outlines) were not complied with
• The Assessor demonstrated bias against you, which affected your mark or grade. This complaint allegation must be supported by evidence of specific instances.
•  An error occurred in calculating the final mark or grade
• The Assessors written feedback is inconsistent with the final grade
• The standard applied to marking was incorrect or inconsistent with statements elsewhere provided on which you relied.

Ineligible Requests for Review or Re-mark

The following reasons will not qualify a student as an eligible student for the purposes of an assessment complaint:

• personal or medical problems which must be dealt with through deferred assessment in accordance with the procedures for Supplementary Assessment
• financial or other consequences of a failed grade
• the need for additional marks to get a pass or higher grade for the assessment
• dissatisfaction with the grade or mark awarded
• a study overload
• a grade inconsistent with those received by you in other courses.

Assessment of appeal application for grounds

If your appeal application is found to have grounds by Student Affairs, the University will attempt to negotiate a mutually agreeable resolution between you and the respondent (e.g. the Head of School or relevant decision maker).

When there is a mutually agreeable resolution, your appeal comes to an end.

If a mutually agreeable resolution cannot be achieved your appeal will be referred to the Student Complaint Appeals Committee for determination.

If you are not happy with the outcome of your appeal, you may seek external review. You are able to do this at any stage of the process. A number of external agencies may be able to assist, depending on your type of complaint.