FACTORS AFFECTING EXAM PERFORMANCE

If you believe that your performance in a paper based exam has been adversely affected by illness or extenuating
circumstances, you can apply to have this taken into account during the results determination process.
This is called an application for special consideration.

What can be taken into account?

We will only consider illness or extenuating circumstances that impact on the day(s) of your exam(s). We will not
consider any illness or extenuating circumstances that occur during the revision period. Usually if your
circumstances are on-going then special consideration is not appropriate and you should contact
concessions@icaew.com to discuss Alternative Examination Arrangements (AEAs).
Extenuating circumstances are situations outside your control, such as the serious illness or death of a member of
your family or a close friend.
Before the exam, if you feel unable to make a reasonable attempt at the exam you should think about deferring. If
you decide to attempt the exam you do so at your own risk.
If there is a significant disturbance in the exam hall, the Chief Invigilator will note it and report it to the Assessment
Manager. You must report all incidents or illness which you wish us to know about, even if you told the Chief
Invigilator at the time. Please note that we cannot offer special consideration to candidates who do not submit an
application to the assessment team, regardless of the circumstances.

What evidence should I supply?

You should apply in writing, to the Senior Assessment Manager. Please include:
details of the circumstances experienced during the exam period.
which specific exams were affected
clear information about how you felt your exam performance was affected
appropriate supporting evidence (see below).

Applications without appropriate evidence will not be considered. The evidence must be:
up to date. The evidence must have been issued during the exam period and at the latest no more than two
days after the date of the last exam attended.
from an appropriate source. Where the circumstances are medical, evidence must be provided from a GP or
other medical practitioner.
independent. Supporting letters from relatives or friends are not acceptable.
sufficiently detailed. The evidence must give details of the circumstances (including the symptoms where
medical evidence is provided) and confirmation as to how the exam performance may have been affected.
Statutory Fit notes are unlikely to give enough information to support your application. ICAEW will not contact third
parties for further information (even if you have given permission) or make any other enquiries on your behalf.

When should I apply?

The deadline is two weeks after your exam. If the circumstances affected more than one exam, then the deadline
will be two weeks after the last exam day. It is your responsibility to ensure that all the relevant information
reaches the Assessment team by this deadline. Late applications will not be considered.

Who should I write to?

Applications should be sent by email to concessions@icaew.com or by post to:
The Senior Assessment Manager
ICAEW, Metropolitan House
321 Avebury Boulevard
Milton Keynes
MK9 2FZ
United Kingdom
Because of the strict deadline, we recommend that you send your application by a secure method which includes
a signature as proof of receipt. Proof of postage will not be accepted as proof of delivery.

What happens next?

ICAEW will acknowledge your application, and will provide a response based on the evidence provided within 15
working days. Once we have responded, you will have up to seven days to appeal against the decision, should
you wish to do so (guidance on making an appeal can be found below). Note that ICAEW will not contact you to
request further evidence if that which is submitted is not appropriate the decision will be based on the
application you submit and it is your responsibility to ensure you have read and understood the criteria in full.
The Assessment Team will collate your evidence and your provisional exam result. If appropriate, these are then
presented to the Assessment Committee.
The Committee will only consider adjusting marks if an adjustment would change a fail to a pass. The maximum
adjustment is two marks. This means that, if your final mark is more than two marks below the pass mark, the
Committee will not consider your application. The Committee would not be able to judge whether you failed the
exam because of your circumstances or because you were unable to answer the questions to the required
standard. ICAEW is committed to maintaining exam standards and so this rule is not negotiable.
Where appropriate evidence is presented and the provisional exam result is less than three marks below the pass
mark, the Committee will consider the evidence carefully. Each case will be considered on its individual merits.
If your case is present to the Committee, the outcome will be communicated when you receive your marks.
However, any adjustment the Committee agrees is made before results are issued and will not be shown
separately on the results letter.
The decision of the Committee is final. ICAEW will not enter into further discussion or accept any further evidence
after results have been issued.

GUIDANCE FOR APPEALS AGAINST SPECIAL CONSIDERATION DECISIONS

If ICAEW has rejected your application for your circumstances to be reviewed by the Assessment Committee, you
may submit an appeal to the Assessment Team. You will need to outline the reason for your appeal and include
your candidate details, referring to any relevant evidence, or we will not be able progress the appeal. You must
submit the appeal within seven days of our original decision a successful appeal would be referred to the
Assessment Committee and therefore sufficient time to address the appeal prior to the Committee is essential.
The Head of Assessment or delegated responsible party will review your application and provide a response
within 15 days. The outcome of this appeal will be final. Should the appeal be upheld, the application will be
referred to the Assessment Committee and the standard special consideration procedures will apply.
If results have been published and you did not submit an application for special consideration, you have no
recourse to appeal. You cannot appeal against the Assessment Committees decision if your case has been
reviewed. If you have obtained evidence to support your application, which has not been considered by ICAEW
already and could influence the original decision, you should submit this to support your original application, as
this could lead to a positive outcome without the need for an appeal.