Extension Policy

1. In accordance with the policy of the Sydney College of Divinity, it is a requirement of a student’s course unit that all assessment tasks be completed by the due dates set by the lecturer and published in the unit outlines.
2. Late assessment tasks without an approved extension will attract an automatic penalty deduction of 5% of the marks available for the item of assessment for every day (including weekends and holidays), or part thereof, beyond the date and time of submission (or any extension granted).

Example: A student submits an assignment worth 50 marks four days late. Total mark available = 50. Penalty for being four days late = (5% of 50) x4 = 10 mark penalty. The student’s original mark for the quality of their work is 40. The student’s final mark will be reduced to 30 (40 – 10 = 30).

3. Assessment tasks submitted without an approved extension beyond 10 days after the due date will receive a zero mark and will NOT be annotated by the lecturer.
4. An extension of an assessment task due date may be granted on the following grounds:

a.    medical illness (certified by medical certificate);
b.    extreme hardship, and/or
c.    compassionate grounds

5. In such cases (which are generally understood to be beyond the student’s control) an extension of up to 28 days may be granted without penalty but only if requested prior to the assessment due date. The student should send a sufficiently worded email or letter with the title “Application for Extension” including supporting documentation to the lecturer for authorising prior to the due date. The student’s full contact details must be included. The Registrar must be provided a copy of this correspondence also, either by email CC or copy of the written letter. The student will then be informed of the result of the request by the lecturer.
6. In extreme cases, extensions beyond 28 days may be granted. Such extensions must be applied for in writing, including supporting documentation, and addressed to the Faculty Board of St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College setting out the extreme circumstances. The Faculty Board, or a subcommittee of the Faculty Board, will consider such an unusual extension and notify the student of the outcome in writing.
7. If the unit’s assessment includes an examination and an extension is granted then arrangements will be made for an alternative examination to be given to the student within the extension period.
8. At the end of a semester, no grade other than a ‘Fail’ will be ascribed by the Faculty Board to any unit where none of the assessment tasks have been completed.

Additional Regulation(s)

9. A unit which is ascribed an Extension (E) grade or an Incomplete (I) grade is considered to be an 'open' unit, with its final mark as yet unresolved. Any remaining assessment task(s) must be completed prior to the commencement of the subsequent semester. If the remaining assessment task(s) are not completed prior to the subsequent semester, then the student's study load for the new semester will be reduced by one (1) unit for each 'open' unit from their previous semester. This reduction in a student's study load may effect eligibility for scholarship assistance provisions offered by St Andrew's and for government student allowance schemes (e.g. Austudy), both of which typically mandate a particular study load. If the student was enrolled in the final semester of their course, then any remaining assessment task(s) must be completed in order for the student to become eligible for graduation.