How to apply for Special Consideration

Before proceeding with an application, you must read this information:

• Special Consideration Process
• Special Consideration Regulations
• Special Consideration Procedures and Guidelines Policy

Suitable supporting documentation must be included with all Special Consideration applications, and should normally be provided prior to the release of grades.

You are encouraged to gather all supporting evidence before beginning your application; however, you may submit your application before all documentation is available.

All required documents must then be provided within 10 working days of submission to prevent your application from being withdrawn.

If additional documentation is requested, it must also be supplied within 10 working days of your original application submission wherever possible.

Any documents provided after grade release will normally result in the application being declined.

Special Consideration Medical Forms

If your application is based on medical grounds, it must be supported with medical evidence from a registered health practitioner.  You will need to submit a Special Consideration Medical Form.

You must see your health practitioner close to the date of the assessment item for them to be able to make a diagnosis, and that they are provided with sufficient information regarding the timing of your assessments/exams (as applicable) to enable the health practitioner to provide beneficial supporting documentation. 

The Special Consideration Medical Form, or any other medical document, must be hand signed by the Health Practitioner, dated, and either have the Health Centre stamp or their Health Registration number noted on the form.

Please note: The UC Health Centre has their own electronic version of the Medical Form, which they will complete and email to you.  This UC Health Centre Special Consideration Medical Form is accepted by the Special Consideration  Team and must be uploaded to the application by the student. 

Other accepted evidence

If you are submitting an application which is related to a bereavement, appropriate evidence is a death notice from a newspaper or a letter from a medical practitioner, funeral director, minister of religion, religious leader, kaumatua or the police.  Please note that where the notice or letter does not indicate the relationship with the deceased to the student, you should include as evidence a letter stating the relationship.  This letter must be supplied by a third party. 

We are continuting to experience intermittent technical issues with the online application form. Please submit your application online as instructed below.  However, if you do not receive an email confirmation within 3 hours of submission, contact specialconsideration@canterbury.ac.nz for further instructions.

Apply for impairment or absence from a test/exam:

Special Consideration for Assessment (Missed Exam/test or Impaired Performance) form

Apply to be withdrawn from a course (backdated discontinuation):

Special Consideration for Late Discontinuation form

• You can submit multiple course(s) and/or assessment(s) in the one application form. Click the 'Add new row' link to add additional course and/or assessment items.        
• If your application is on medical grounds and you missed attending or submitting the assessment, you must see a Health Practitioner within 48 hours of the assessment due date.
• For impairment where you attended/submitted the assessment, the medical forms should be dated within 10 working days (but preferably earlier) of the date of the assessment item.
• Should you have difficulty obtaining a medical appointment with your own Health Practitioner within the required time as detailed above, please note there are other options available,
  e.g., 24 Hour Surgery; Riccarton Clinic; Emergency Consult; Practice Plus; Care HQ; and TeleHealth.  Please ensure you discuss with them the need to have them complete the SC Medical Form in relation to your impairment, which you will need to download to forward to them.

If you do not receive confirmation of your Special Consideration request within 3 hours of submitting the form, please contact specialconsideration@canterbury.ac.nz