APPEALS

The grounds for appeal must be related to the ACT's procedures or their application. The appeals process will consider whether the ACT's procedures are consistent and have been fairly and properly applied.

The principal grounds for appeal are:

• extenuating circumstances that were not revealed for valid reasons prior to receipt of the result notification
• that a substantial procedural irregularity* occurred which had an impact on a candidate’s performance
• ACT’s published procedures were not adhered to, for example if relevant information received by the ACT was not taken into consideration
• the assessment decision was biased or discriminatory.

* the irregularity must be the ACT’s sole responsibility.

Circumstances not accepted as grounds for an appeal:

• claims of being unaware of, or not understanding, the examination rules and regulations
• requests for further reviews of marking of a candidate's work
• if a candidate wishes to challenge academic judgement
• if a candidate believes that their assessment performance was affected by extenuating circumstances either before or during their assessment such as illness or a technical failure. ACT’s Special Consideration policy applies in these circumstances
• if a candidate wishes to apply for reasonable adjustment retrospectively, once an assessment result is known.

Furthermore, applications will not be accepted from candidates who have passed the assessment, from candidates awaiting results and anyone applying as a third party on behalf of a candidate. More than one appeal may not be made on the same grounds, by the same appellant.

If you would like a copy of the ACT Appeals Policy you can download it here:

Appeals will be lodged with the ACT’s Assessment Operations Manager who will follow and co-ordinate a two stage process as outlined below:

Stage 1: Initial Review of the Application

• The appeal application will be acknowledged within 2 working days 
• The Assessment Operations Manager will conduct an initial review of the circumstances presented and will decide whether the appeal criteria has been met. This may involve an evaluation of the assessment process with relation to assessment validation and the administrative processes involved with marking and the recording of marks
• If the appeal application is considered valid, this will be communicated to the candidate within 7 working days and the ACT will follow Stage 2 procedures below
• If the appeal application is rejected, this will also be communicated to the candidate with reasons within 7 working days

Stage 2: Refer to Appeals Review Panel meeting

In the event that the appeal application is considered valid, the ACT will convene an Appeals Review Panel consisting of the ACT’s Director of Awarding Body, ACT’s Chief Assessor (who will act as Chair) and a person entirely independent of the assessment process.

The Appeals Panel will consider the:

• papers relating to the appeal circulated to the panel for their consideration;
• evidence as presented by the candidate;
• evidence provided by the Senior Assessor for the paper concerned. 

The decision of the Appeals Review Panel will be communicated to the candidate in writing within one month of receipt of an appeal.

The decision will either be that the appeal is not upheld, in which case the original assessment outcome remains unchanged, or that the appeal is upheld, and the original mark may be adjusted. 

Timelines