Ask - /faq/5740/final-subject-assessment/

The policy outlining final subject assessment states that you may be granted the opportunity to undertake final subject assessment if you have a maximum of 12.5 points required to complete your degree (course) and:

• The failed subject was undertaken in one of your final 2 half-year periods of subject enrolment
• The failed subject is worth up to 12.5 credit points, with a final result of 40-49%
• Failure in the subject was not a result of:
• • a finding of student academic misconduct,
  • failure to participate in a component of assessment that was a hurdle requirement, or
  • failure to attend or participate in the subject as required.

Final subject assessment is only available once to a student in respect of a particular course and is not available in all courses or all subjects. The maximum subject mark available after final subject assessment has been satisfactorily completed is 50%.

The following faculties and graduate schools do not offer final subject assessment:

If you are granted the opportunity to undertake final subject assessment (FSA), you will be notified after your results have been finalised for the half-year period. 

Students cannot apply for final subject assessment; if you are eligible you will be automatically considered. You will be notified if you are offered this assessment following the formal release of results.

If you are offered and accept final subject assessment:

• If you satisfactorily complete the final subject assessment, the maximum subject mark available is 50%
• If you do not satisfactorily complete the final subject assessment, the mark you receive will become your final mark for the subject, even if it is lower than your original mark.

If you are offered and do not accept final subject assessment:

• The mark that you have currently obtained for this subject will become your final mark.

In cases where there is more than one fail in the relevant half-year period(s) that meet the conditions for final subject assessment, the subject for which final subject assessment may be offered is determined by giving preference to failed subjects in the following order;

1. a subject that is compulsory or core in the course or major; 
2. a subject undertaken in the most recent teaching period;
3. the subject with the highest mark.

Some examples are given below. In these examples the student has 8 subjects remaining in their final year of study.

Example 1. If you failed a core subject and an elective subject in your penultimate half-year period of study and only had one core subject remaining at the end of your final half-year period of study, you may be offered final subject assessment for the core subject.

Example 2. If you failed an elective subject in your penultimate half-year period, failed a different elective subject in your final half-year period, and only had one elective subject remaining at the end of your final study period, you may be offered final subject assessment for the elective subject undertaken in your final half-year period of study.

Example 3. If you failed two elective subjects in the same study period of your penultimate half-year period, and only had and only had one elective subject remaining at the end of your final study period, you may be offered final subject assessment for the elective subject failed with the highest mark.

Students who have just completed their penultimate half-year of study

If you failed a subject in your penultimate half-year period of study, you may be considered for final subject assessment at the end of your final half-year period. You should try to make up the subject in your final half-year of study (if possible). If you failed an elective subject, you can re-enrol in the same subject you failed, or another subject that meets your course requirements. If you have repeatedly failed an elective subject, you should consider enrolling in a different subject that will meet your course requirements.

Final subject assessment is never guaranteed; even if you meet the conditions for final subject assessment as outlined in the policy, your faculty can decide not to offer you final subject assessment. Trying to make up the failed subject gives you the best chance of successfully completing your degree at the end of your final half-year period of study.

If you failed a core subject that is not offered in your final half-year period of study, you will need to wait until you have passed all of your other subjects in the next half-year period before you can be considered for final subject assessment.

Students who have just completed their final half-year of study

If you a failed a subject in your final half-year period of study, you should re-enrol (and attend class) as if you were not eligible final subject assessment. This will put you in the best position if you ultimately need to complete the subject again. Your enrolment can be amended later if you are offered, and successfully complete, the final subject assessment.

Additional assessment is usually conducted during the special or supplementary exam period. If you are offered additional assessment through the final subject assessment rule, you will generally not be assessed in time to graduate in the main round of ceremonies for that half-year period. You must be available to complete the final subject assessment when you are notified which may be during the scheduled time (as noted above) or at another time. You will be given three days' notice of the scheduled assessment time.

If you think you may be offered final subject assessment and your student visa is due to expire, you should:

1. Enrol in your final subject
2. Request to extend your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
3. Apply for a new student visa before your existing visa expires.

• You may not be offered FSA
• If you are offered FSA, your assessment may be scheduled after your visa expiry date
• You may fail the FSA and need to retake the subject.