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Informal Resolution
You need to have first attempted to resolve your concern through an request for informal resolution. If you have not completed this step of the process, you are not ready to submit an appeal to the SAB.
Academic appeals
- Academic appeals
- Informal resolution with original decision-maker
- Applications for review to the Faculty/School or Academic Panel
- Appeal to the Student Appeals Body (SAB)
Appeal to the Student Appeals Body (SAB)
You may wish to appeal to the Student Appeals Body (SAB) on the basis that the review decision made by the faculty/school or Academic Panel was:
- not based on merit
- not procedurally fair and reasonable, taking into consideration all relevant circumstances, and/or
- not made in accordance with relevant University rules, policies, procedures, local provisions and resolutions.
Appealing to the SAB is the final stage for reviewing an academic decision at the University. You need to submit your appeal within 15 working days of receiving the outcome of your application for review (or within the allowed timeframe if you are granted an extension).
Please note that if you have been awarded your degree you are no longer eligible to submit an appeal to the SAB. All appeals must be lodged prior to your degree being conferred. If you have lodged an appeal and you are due to graduate, you will need to withdraw from the graduation or conferral process until such time that your matter is finalised. Once your appeal is finalised, please contact the graduations team to proceed with your conferral.
Higher degree by research students
If you are appealing a decision associated with either the termination of your candidature or the examination of your thesis, you may elect to submit an appeal directly to the SAB within 20 days, without an application for review by the Faculty (see 4.2 of the Academic Appeals Rule (pdf, 98KB). In all other cases, you will need to submit an application for review first.
Requirements for a SAB appeal
For your appeal to be considered and heard by the SAB, you need to demonstrate that you have met all of the requirements for a SAB appeal. You can find more information about this in Part 5.1 of the Academic Appeals Rule.
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Application for review to the Faculty/School or Academic Panel
You need to have submitted an application for review to the faculty, school or Academic Panel, and received an outcome from this application for review in writing.
If you have not completed this step of the process, you are not ready to submit an appeal to the SAB.
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Breach of procedural process
You need to be able to demonstrate that the decision made by the faculty, school or Academic Panel was:
- not based on merit
- not procedurally fair and reasonable, taking into consideration all relevant circumstances, and/or
- not made in accordance with relevant University rules, policies, procedures, local provisions and resolutions.
If there is no breach of procedural fairness, the matter will not be heard by the SAB and the decision of the faculty/school or Academic Panel will stand.
Prepare your appeal
- If you believe that the academic decision was unreasonable, or that the Faculty, School or Academic Panel did not follow relevant University rules, policies or procedures, you may submit an appeal to the SAB.
- We recommend you seek advice from the Student Representative Council (SRC) (for undergraduate students) or the Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) (for postgraduate students) when preparing your appeal to the SAB.
- The SRC and SUPRA are familiar with University policies and procedures. They can advise if your matter may be appealable to the SAB and can help with your appeal statement. These services are free, confidential and independent of the University.
- Consider what you believe the Faculty, School or Academic Panel has done wrong.
- If you are adding new information that wasn’t available to you at the review stage by your Faculty, School or Academic Panel, explain why it wasn’t and why you are submitting it now.
- Collect all relevant documentation that you wish to be considered in your appeal.
To prepare a SAB appeal, you will need to provide a written appeal letter summarising the alleged failure of procedural fairness, in addition to all relevant supporting documents.
Appeal statement
- What academic decision are you appealing? Refer to the Faculty, School or Academic Panel’s decision if you are not sure. Please select a decision from section 1.5(1) of the Appeals Rule and include it in your appeal statement.
Example: 1.5(1)(a) a decision to award a mark or common result grade for a coursework assessment or unit of study in accordance with the Coursework Policy 2021
- Provide course or unit of study details in relation to the academic decision.
Example: I received a 73(CR) in Culinary Project 2 for the unit Culinary 101 in Semester 1 20XX.
- Why are you submitting an appeal to the SAB? The SAB may only consider an appeal that meets one (or more) of the three criteria outlined in section 1.6 of the Appeals Rule. Consider each criterion that applies. You only need to include one of the criteria in your appeal statement but may include two or all three if they are applicable and relevant. When considering the criteria, refer to the decision from the Faculty, School or Academic Panel in response to your application for review. Explain how your argument was not addressed. Think about the reasons listed in the review decision letter and why you believe the decision was unreasonable, or did not follow relevant University rules, policies or procedures.
- What supporting evidence do you have? Do you have any new supporting evidence that was not available at the time the Faculty, School or Academic Panel made its decision?
Supporting documents
You can include evidence with your appeal statement, such as medical certificates, relevant sections of University policy, forms or correspondence received to and/or from the University. Please be sure to include all evidence that you wish to be considered, as subsequent additions to your SAB appeal may not be accepted.
Submit your appeal
To submit an appeal to the SAB you need to log in and complete the online appeal against an academic decision/exclusion application form.
You will need to upload a written appeal statement and any other relevant evidence with your application.
If the supporting evidence is not in English, please ensure that the documents are translated by an accredited translation agency, such as NAATI.
Late appeals
If you require longer than the 15 working days allowed to submit your appeal, you need to contact the Student Appeals Unit at sau.appeals@sydney.edu.au before the deadline. You need to provide a reason why you should be granted an extension to submit your appeal and include evidence that support your request. If your extension is approved, you will be provided written advice on the new deadline for your submission.
What happens next
The Director, Compliance and Student Affairs will determine whether you have met the requirements for your appeal to be heard by a SAB, in accordance with section 5.1(3) of the Academic Appeals Rule.
If you have not satisfied requirements, you will be advised that your appeal does not qualify for a hearing and the decision made by the faculty, the school or Academic Panel will stand. You will also be advised of your right to apply for review by the Registrar if you think that the decision of the Director, Compliance and Student Affairs was not procedurally fair. Your application for review to the Registrar must be made within 10 working days of receipt of the decision, and explain why you think that the decision was procedurally unfair. The Registrar may decide to affirm or overturn the decision of the Director, Compliance and Student Affairs.
If the Registrar affirms the Director’s decision (that your appeal does not qualify for a hearing), the original decision made by the faculty, the school or Academic Panel is final. If you are a student visa holder and you have submitted an appeal to the NSW Ombudsman, the University is obliged to maintain your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) for the duration that your matter is being considered by them, but is not obliged to maintain your ongoing enrolment in your course at the University of Sydney during that period.
If your appeal moves to a hearing before the SAB, the SAU Appeals team will contact you to confirm the time, date and location for the hearing. It may take 4 to 8 weeks from the time you are notified that there will be a SAB hearing, to when the hearing takes place. Sometimes this may take longer due to the University break and exam period, as well as the availability of panel members. You will be given hearing details at least 10 working days prior to the hearing.
Hearing
Five working days prior to the hearing, you will receive a copy of the faculty, school or Academic Panel submission in response to your appeal.
We recommend that you discuss your appeal and the faculty/school or Academic Panel submission with an adviser from the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) or Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA). You may bring a support person or representative to the hearing. This may include a representative from the SRC or SUPRA, or another representative of your choosing. Please note, a support person may include but is not limited to a parent or friend. A support person or representative does not have a right to speak on your behalf, however the Chair of the SAB will consider any request for them to do so.
The SAB Panel will consist of three members, usually two staff and one student. A representative from the faculty, school or Academic Panel will be present, as well as a member of the Student Affairs Unit to facilitate the hearing. The SAB will review all written submissions prior to your hearing. You may be asked questions about your submission if the Panel requires further detail or clarification. The SAB Chair will give you the opportunity to respond to their queries.
Following the conclusion of the hearing, the SAB will consider all of the information presented, deliberate and will come to a decision. This process may occur on the same day, or in the weeks following your hearing.
Outcome
After the hearing, the Appeals Co-ordinator will provide you with a copy of the SAB decision report. This may take up to 20 working days. Please note, the decision of the SAB is final.
External appeals options
Options for further appeal include complaints to the NSW Ombudsman. The NSW Ombudsman can be contacted at Level 24, 508 George Street, Sydney 2000, by email at nswombo@ombo.nsw.gov.au, or by phone on 02 9286 1000.
Where relevant, applications may be made to the Anti-Discrimination NSW or the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Last updated: 05 November 2024
