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Exam support if you have religious or essential beliefs
If your formal exams might be impacted by your religious commitments or essential beliefs, let us know.
The University is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment that respects and supports our students of all faiths, cultures and essential beliefs.
Find out about notifying us if you have religious commitments or essential beliefs that impact your exams.
The deadline to notify us for your Semester 1 exams is Sunday, 27 April 2025.
Commitments that impact the formal exam period
If your religious commitments or essential beliefs might impact the formal exam period (that is, Semester 1 or Semester 2 exams), you can let us know. When we schedule your exams, we’ll do our best to timetable your exams on alternative dates.
If we can’t accommodate your nominated dates within the formal exam period, we’ll contact you about sitting your exam(s) during the replacement exam period.
View the dates for the formal exam period and replacement exam periods.
How to submit
You'll need to Ìýfor Semester 1 exams with the required supporting documents by Sunday, 27 April 2025.
When completing the form, we'll ask you toÌýselect a religion from the list, or choose 'other'.Ìý
- Many commitment dates may already be pre-populated. Remove the dates that don't apply to you.
- Add any commitment dates not listed.
Supporting documents
You'll need to attach an official letter from your imam, pastor, rabbi or equivalent spiritual or community leader that includes:
- your full name
- a brief statement about how your religious commitments or essentials beliefs might impact your ability to sit exams during the formal exam period
- a physical signature and phone number of an appropriate representative
- the date the letter was created.
What happens next
Once we've reviewed the information you've provided, we'll send you an email to let you know that your form has been processed. Our Exams Team will do their best to schedule your formal exams around your commitment dates.Ìý
If your form is declined, we'll send you an email explaining why.
Updating your information
If your commitment dates change after you submit your form, you can submit a new form. You'll need to list all relevant commitment dates on your new form.
Submitting a new form each year
Once we've processed your form, it will remain in effect until the end of the calendar year.
You'll need to submit a new form each calendar year.
Your obligations to act honestly
The University expects you to act honestly and with integrity in all academic matters, and to uphold ourÌýAcademic Integrity Policy 2022Ìý(pdf, 350KB). This includes meeting integrity standards when you submit your form for religious commitments or essential beliefs.Ìý
Only submit information that is true, accurate and complete; and provided without the intent to mislead or gain advantage. If you wish to change information or documents once you’ve submitted, you'll need to submit a new form.
Fraudulent documents
Be aware of unregistered or fraudulent operators who claim to be able to provide the supporting documents you need for your application. There are strict requirements for who can provide you with your supporting documents.
Penalties
Submitting a fraudulent document or false information is considered misconduct under theÌýUniversity of Sydney (Student Discipline) Rule 2016 (pdf, 389KB)Ìýand will be treated seriously. If found guilty the University may initiate civil or criminal proceedings. We may also impose penalties such as:
- a fail grade and mark of zero for the affected unit on your transcriptÌý
- expulsion from the University without refund.
Privacy collection notice
The University of Sydney will collect and use the information you submit with this form to process your application for an exam date variation to support your religious or spiritual observance.ÌýÌý
The form requires you to upload a letter from a spiritual or community leader to support your exam date variation request. It also asks you to name your religion and to specify the dates on which important religious or spiritual commitments may impact your exam schedule. Ìý
The information you provide will be stored securely with strict access controls. It will only be accessed by a small number of University staff responsible for assessing your application. If your application is approved, your name and the dates you have identified will be used for exam scheduling and the attachment from your community leader will be purged. If your application is not successful, your community leader’s letter will be kept securely for one year to support any appeal you may wish to raise. For successful and unsuccessful applications, the data you submit on your form will be securely kept for one year to support any appeal processes and then it will be securely deleted.
Information you submit will also be used for de-identified, aggregated statistical reporting to help us assess and better understand and support the needs of students in exam scheduling.ÌýÌýÌý
We will not share your information with anyone outside the University without your consent unless we are required or authorised to do so by law.Ìý
We will store and dispose of your personal information securely in accordance with our Recordkeeping Policy 2017.Ìý
Providing the information requested on this form is voluntary, however if you do not provide all requested information we may not be able to process your application. Ìý
To learn more about how we will handle your personal and health information, how you can request to access or correct the personal information we hold about you, and who to contact if you have a privacy enquiry or complaint, please visit our privacy webpage.
Support for other exams and assessments
Exams during the intensive exam period
If your religious commitments or essential beliefs impact on the intensive session exam period (e.g. exams for Intensive January - S1CIJA) you canÌýapply for special arrangements.
Assessment tasks
If your commitment dates impact on an assignment, in-class assessment, quiz or small test, you canÌýapply for a simple extension.Ìý
Exams scheduled directly by your faculty or school
If your school or faculty has contacted you directly about an exam they’ve scheduled, you’ll need to discuss this with your school or faculty.
All other cases
For all other circumstances, you can check whether you're eligible toÌýapply for special consideration or arrangements.
We're looking at how we can make it easier for you to notify us of religious commitments and essential beliefs that impact on other exams and assessments. We thank you for your patience and cooperation while we consider solutions.
Last updated: 17 April 2025
