Supplementary assessment

A supplementary assessment gives you another chance to show that you have met the learning outcomes for a unit you have narrowly failed.

If you are eligible, you must successfully complete an extra assessment task set by your Unit Convenor.

Some units do not offer supplementary assessment because of external-accreditation rules or specific learning requirements.

Check your unit outline to see: 

  • if the unit is eligible for a supplementary assessment

  • the type of supplementary task you may need to complete.
     

Supplementary assessment is usually not available for:

  • outcome units 

  • work placement, practice or internship units

  • level 4 (honours) or thesis units

  • study tour or exchange units

  • units where external accreditation does not allow supplementary assessment. 
     

To be eligible for a supplementary assessment you must meet the following criteria:

  • You have received a fail grade in an eligible unit, with a final mark between 45 and 49 (inclusive).

  • You have submitted all assessment tasks for the unit.

  • You have not had any marks deducted in this unit because of an academic misconduct finding. 

Your grade and mark after a supplementary assessment

If you pass the supplementary assessment, your final mark and grade for the unit will be updated to 50 SP (Passed Supplementary).

If you attempt the supplementary assessment but do not pass it, your grade will change to SN (Failed Supplementary), and your original mark (45–49) will stay the same.

If you choose not to attempt the supplementary assessment (that is, you reject the offer), or you do not accept the offer by the deadline, your original fail grade (N) and mark (45–49) will stay the same. 

Example scenarios

Linda receives her final mark and grade for FIN20014 Financial Management which is 46 N. She submitted all of her assessments during the semester and didn’t have any academic misconduct issues. She checks the Unit Outline and sees that the unit offers supplementary assessments. She also sees that the Unit Convenor has noted the supplementary assessment is likely to be an invigilated exam. Linda needs to keep an eye on her student email following the release of results. As she meets all requirements for a supplementary assessment, she will receive an offer from the Assessment and Progression team. Linda needs to accept this offer by the deadline and follow any other instructions in the email. She knows from the Unit Outline that she should start preparing to sit an exam for her supplementary assessment.

Weixiang recently completed an internship unit BUS80027 Business Internship Project. He had some challenges managing his time and workload during the semester and received a final mark and grade of 49 N. He submitted all of his assessments during the semester and didn’t have any academic misconduct issues. 

Weixiang thinks he is eligible for a supplementary assessment but isn’t 100% sure. He needs to check his Unit Outline and will see that this unit BUS80027 is not eligible for supplementary assessment because it is an internship unit. 

Even though Weixiang meets the student requirements for a supplementary assessment, this unit does not offer them.

Alex is a third-year student who enrolled in ART10002 Technology and Society as an elective. Alex received a final mark and grade of 45 N for this unit. As mentioned in the Unit Outline, this unit offers supplementary assessments. Alex submitted all of their assessments for the unit; however, they lost marks for a guilty academic misconduct (Tier 1) finding for the first assessment. This means Alex does not meet all of the eligibility criteria and cannot be offered a supplementary assessment. 

Fathimath was also enrolled in ART10002 Technology and Society. She received a final mark and grade of 49 N. Fathimath submitted all of her assessments and did not have any academic misconduct findings. She attempts the supplementary assessment and passes it successfully. Fathimath’s mark and grade is updated to 50 SP. 

For more information, you can refer to the AskGeorge FAQs website and the Assessment and Results Policy.

Last to complete assessment

If you have passed all units for your award except one, you may be able to apply for a last to complete assessment.

To apply for a last to complete assessment, you must meet all of the following criteria:

  • You have passed all units for your award except one.

  • You have made a genuine attempt and failed one unit in your final teaching period.

  • If that unit is required to complete your course and is not offered in your final teaching period, the failure can be in your second-last teaching period.

A genuine attempt means you have completed all of the unit’s assessment requirements (as set out in the Unit Outline), and have achieved an overall mark between 40 and 49%.

  • You have not previously been granted a last to complete assessment in your course.

  • You are not enrolled in a nested course and you intend to proceed directly to the next stage of your course.

  • If you are enrolled in a nested course, you are only entitled to one last to complete assessment while you are completing the final stage of that nested course.

Note: A ‘nested course’ is a course with exit points at multiple award levels. This may apply to you if you are doing a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or master’s level course.

How to apply for a last to complete assessment

Submit an application by midday, five working days after final results are published in your final teaching period. You cannot submit an application until all your results are published. Aside from exceptional circumstances, a last to complete will not be granted if failure of the unit was caused by academic misconduct.

You’ll find out if you’ve been granted last to complete assessment via your Swinburne student email account, so make sure you check your Swinburne email regularly or redirect it to an email you check frequently.

You’ll need to respond promptly to requests for action or information supporting your application.  

Outcomes

If you’re granted a last to complete assessment and your final result for that unit will be based on the outcome of the last to complete assessment. Students that pass the last to complete assessment task will be awarded a mark of 50 and an SP Passed Supplementary grade for the unit.

Students that attempt the last to complete assessment and do not pass will be awarded an SN Failed Supplementary grade for the unit. Their final mark for the unit will be the mark they achieved in that last to complete assessment task. 

Students that do not attempt the last to complete assessment will be awarded a mark of 0 and an SN Failed Supplementary grade for the unit.  

See Understanding Your Results for more information on grades and what they mean.

For more detail about supplementary assessments and last to complete assessment, see the Assessment and Results Policy.

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