supplementary assignment

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser .

Supplementary Assignment?

Discussion in ' Substitute Teachers Archives ' started by teachin4ever , May 30, 2008 .

teachin4ever Cohort

May 30, 2008

What exactly is a supplementary assignment? There's one available at a school I really like for third grade. Does that mean I would be shuffled around as needed?

subteacher8608 Rookie

Jun 7, 2008

Hi! I'll try to explain a S.A. to you...this could get kind of long. A supplementary assignment is created whenever an extra person(sub) is needed in a school. One of my districts has quite a few of them. They are normally for paraprofessional positions, but I have seen and picked up some for actual classrooms. For paras, these are normally for positions where a permanent person hasn't yet been hired, or the permanent person left the school and their replacement hasn't yet been hired. However, it depends on the needs of the school. For example, I picked up a supplementary assignment once for first grade. This was the first time I had ever seen one for any grade, so I took it mostly out of curiousity. I ended up teaching first grade, subbing for a long term sub covering a maternity leave. A couple weeks later, I saw the same thing, so I took it. I was really excited because the class was great! This time, I ended up being a floater - Kindergarten, second, first (my favorites!!). At the same school, I picked up a S.A. for third grade a few weeks ago. I didn't know if I would be floating or filling in for a LTS. As it turned out, I was subbing for a second grade teacher who was upstairs proctering for a practice MAP test. I was kind of surprised...normally, this kind of job would be put in under the teacher's name, and reported as release time. As I said before, what you will actually end up doing will depend on the needs of the school. If you really want to know, I suppose you could call the school. But as I have seen, just because it is a certain position one time, that doesn't mean that it will be the same the next time!! I still haven't figured out the high school S.A. Language Arts position (actually a hall monitor)...

Thanks for clearing that up for me, subteacher!! I wasn't sure if anyone knew what I was talking about!!

Jun 8, 2008

You're welcome! Glad I could help (and that you understood my novel)!

Tasha Phenom

I think they use it as a code anytime that it isn't being counted against a specific person as personal/sick time. For example, my school hires a supplementary reading tutor that comes in twice a week. She is paid as a SA because it isn't counting against anyone's sick/personal time. It sounds like the same thing is happening for all the positions that SubTeacher8608 posted about - the time isn't being taken away from an employee, so it is supplementary.

Jun 14, 2008

My district pays the same for a SA as they would if you subbed for a person. This goes for both para and teacher positions.

mandagap06 Devotee

Jun 18, 2008

subteacher8608 said: ↑ Hi! I'll try to explain a S.A. to you...this could get kind of long. A supplementary assignment is created whenever an extra person(sub) is needed in a school. One of my districts has quite a few of them. They are normally for paraprofessional positions, but I have seen and picked up some for actual classrooms. For paras, these are normally for positions where a permanent person hasn't yet been hired, or the permanent person left the school and their replacement hasn't yet been hired. However, it depends on the needs of the school. For example, I picked up a supplementary assignment once for first grade. This was the first time I had ever seen one for any grade, so I took it mostly out of curiousity. I ended up teaching first grade, subbing for a long term sub covering a maternity leave. A couple weeks later, I saw the same thing, so I took it. I was really excited because the class was great! This time, I ended up being a floater - Kindergarten, second, first (my favorites!!). At the same school, I picked up a S.A. for third grade a few weeks ago. I didn't know if I would be floating or filling in for a LTS. As it turned out, I was subbing for a second grade teacher who was upstairs proctering for a practice MAP test. I was kind of surprised...normally, this kind of job would be put in under the teacher's name, and reported as release time. As I said before, what you will actually end up doing will depend on the needs of the school. If you really want to know, I suppose you could call the school. But as I have seen, just because it is a certain position one time, that doesn't mean that it will be the same the next time!! I still haven't figured out the high school S.A. Language Arts position (actually a hall monitor)... Click to expand...

Jun 26, 2008

mandagap06 said: ↑ this sounds like a SA is the same thing as a long term assignment which we have in my area but nothin called a SA Click to expand...

TeachTN Comrade

Jan 19, 2013

I know this is a super old thread, but I found it recently when trying to figure out the answer myself. In case someone else is wondering as well, I recently had a supplementary assignment come up in a job I accepted. The High School I was at called it a SA because the classroom teacher had left the position and the new teacher had not started yet, so, as stated, this sub position did not count against someone in particular. I was weary about taking the position, but would have no problem doing so now again in the future.

MrsPoppy Rookie

Jan 23, 2013

In my area, it is basically a floater. I usually end up going class to class filling in for teachers while they pull out students for testing (DRA's, MLPP, Math RATs, etc.) I have never been in fewer than 3 classes, and have been in as many as 6 in a day.

Share This Page

Members online now.

Search by Keyword Submit search

What is a supplementary exam/assessment.

A supplementary exam/assessment is an additional form of assessment designed to assist in determining whether a student has achieved the academic standard required for a Pass grade of achievement. Students cannot apply for a supplementary exam or assessment . Eligible students will be contacted via their student email with information regarding the opportunity to complete a supplementary exam or assessment. You may be eligible for supplementary assessment in a course if the following conditions apply:

the final mark is in the percentage range 47 per cent to 49 per cent,
the course is graded using the Standard Grading scale (not available for Pass/Fail courses, such as WIL placements),
you have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct.

If you are granted a supplementary assessment, you will be given an interim grade of Supplementary Examination ( SU ) or Supplementary Assessment - Other ( SO ) on your record in USC Central when results are released. If you are granted a SU grade, your timetable for the centrally scheduled, deferred/ supplementary examination period will be emailed to your student email account as soon as it is available. For information on when the deferred/supplementary examination period will be held, visit scheduled examination dates .

If you are granted an SO grade, your course coordinator will be in contact with you regarding your supplementary assessment task and due date. There is no set release of grade date for supplementary exams/assessments. Your course coordinator will update your grade once your exam has been assessed. An email will then be sent to your UniSC email account confirming your change of grade has been processed. You can also check through USC Central > Grades . Refer to Supplementary Assessment - Procedures for more information.

Is this answer helpful? Yes No

Your cookie preferences

UniSA recommends the use of all cookies to provide you with the optimal experience while visiting our website. Choose below to accept the recommended settings or continue to adjust your individual preferences.

Adjust your settings

What is a Supplementary Assessment/Exam?

Supplementary assessment or examination is automatically available to all students under the following conditions, unless supplementary assessment or examination has not been approved for the course:

if the student has achieved a final grade between 45-49 per cent in a course
if a student who has successfully completed all of the courses within their program, with the exception of two courses in which they were enrolled in their final study period, a supplementary assessment or examination may be granted where the final grade in either or both of these courses, is less than 45 percent.

Is this answer helpful?

Search results.

How is a grade point average (GPA) calculated?
How do I drop (withdraw) a course?
What happens if I fail a course?
I've been granted a secondary assessment but a fail grade is displayed against my enrolment?
How do I get a student ID card?

Supplementary assessment
Information and services
Manage my program
Exams and assessment

If you received a grade of 3 – or a non-graded ‘N’ – you may be eligible for a supplementary assessment.

A supplementary assessment is designed to give you a second chance at achieving a passing grade for a course.

It isn’t a repeat of an exam or assignment – it’s designed to test you on the learning outcomes for the entire course, or specific learning outcomes tailored to you.

Supplementary assessment can take any form (for example, an oral or a written exam). The highest grade you can receive is a 4 or P .

Supplementary assessment is only granted in accordance with the Assessment Procedures .

There are no provisions to defer a supplementary assessment. You need to be available to sit your supplementary examination or complete your assessment.

Eligibility

Read the supplementary assessment section of the Assessment Procedures (Section 3, Part J) to find out if you are eligible to apply. You should also check the course profile for your course to see if it is supplementary-exempt or partial supplementary-exempt.

Once you’ve read the procedures and your course profile, and you think you meet the eligibility requirements, you can apply for a supplementary assessment.

If you have any questions about supplementary assessment, contact your school or faculty .

How to apply

You need to apply no later than 11:59pm (AEST) on the 4th calendar day after the release of the final grade for the relevant course. Late applications may be considered, subject to demonstration of exceptional circumstances.

Apply online

If one or more of the below criteria apply to you, you must apply using the application form below (PDF or Word version):

Your course grade was finalised after the official release date of grades.
You are enrolled at UQ College.
The program requirements (at the time of admission to the program) included additional provision for supplementary assessment.

Download the form in your preferred format:

PDF: Request for supplementary assessment, PDF (197KB)
Word : Request for supplementary assessment, DOCX (64KB)

Email the form to your faculty or UQ College by the deadline outlined above.

Check your student email address for information about the date and format of your supplementary assessment.

For supplementary exams, a notification will be published on my.UQ homepage where the timetable is available and a personal exam timetable will be emailed to your student email address.

Supplementary exams are held:

Semester 1: July
Semester 2: December
Year-long courses: December or July
Summer Semester: March.

Other forms of supplementary assessment (for example, orals, practicals or assignments) are held in:

Semester 1: July and August
Semester 2: December and January
Year-long courses: December and January, or July and August

UQ College supplementary assessment is held within the first 2 weeks of the following trimester.

Supplementary assessment results are typically finalised within:

Semester 1: within 10 calendar days of the supplementary date.
Semester 2: within 21 calendar days of the supplementary date.
Summer Semester: within 10 calendar days of the supplementary date.

Your results are entered into mySI-net by your relevant faculty and will be published to your studies report.

The result will be displayed as 'xSy', where:

'x' is the grade you were awarded before the supplementary assessment, and
'y' is the grade you achieved in the supplementary assessment.

Further information is available in Section 3, Part H of the Assessment Procedures .

Alternative exam arrangements
Applying for an extension
Be prepared on exam day
Deferring an exam
Exam timetables and venues
Final grades
Off-campus exams
Digital examinations
Requesting a late penalty exemption for a digital exam
Paper-based exams

Think you can get into a top-10 school? Take our chance-me calculator... if you dare. 🔥

Last updated March 7, 2023

Every piece we write is researched and vetted by a former admissions officer. Read about our mission to pull back the admissions curtain.

Blog > Essay Advice , Supplementals > How to Write Supplemental Essays that Will Impress Admissions Officers

How to Write Supplemental Essays that Will Impress Admissions Officers

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Alex McNeil, MA Admissions Consultant

Key Takeaway

Welcome to the wonderful world of supplemental essays.

If you’ve made it this far, there’s a good chance that you’ve completed (or at least have begun thinking about) your Common Application personal statement.

But believe it or not, you’re not done once you’ve sorted out your personal statement.

That’s right—many colleges require you to write even more essays as part of your application. These essays are called supplemental essays , and you’ll usually write 0-4 per school you apply to.

Hopefully you’re starting to do the math… If I apply to 10 schools that require an average of 2.3 supplemental essays, then that’s 20+ essays I have to write on top of my personal statement!

And, to make matters more dire, supplemental essays are really important to your application. Schools only require them because they play a critical role in admissions decisions.

That’s why having good supplemental essay strategy matters. There’s no time to waste, and they need to be good.

But thankfully you’ve found yourself here, at the ultimate guide to supplemental essays. We—Alex, Ben, and Kylie—have compiled our years of admissions and essay-writing knowledge to tell you everything you need to know about writing supplemental essays. (And, as you’ll see, we also have more specific guides for the most common supplemental essay prompts.)

In this guide-to-end-all-guides, we start out with supplemental essay basics and then break down the supplemental essay strategies that have worked for our clients again and again. Once you reach the end, you’ll be able to download a free essay tracker to keep you organized and on track.

Ready? Here we go.

What are supplemental essays?

Supplemental essays are a kind of college essay.

As a refresher, recall that there are three main kinds of college essays:

Personal Statement: A personal statement is a singular essay that is the keystone of your entire application. It goes to all the schools you apply to, and it covers a topic that is deeply meaningful to you. Personal statements are typically around 650 words. (For more about personal statements, see our college essay writing guide .)

Supplemental Essays: Supplemental essays are essays required by specific schools. They typically have different prompts than the personal statement and are usually shorter in length.

UC Essays: UC essays are their own beast in the college essay-writing world. Their purpose is a blend of personal statement and supplemental essay. (For more about UC Essays, see our UC guide.)

Supplemental essays serve a unique purpose. The reality is that the majority of your college application has to be written with several colleges in mind, especially if you’re applying to schools through application systems like the Common Application or Coalition.

That means that the majority of the information admissions officers base their decisions on is relatively generic information that doesn’t address why you’re a good fit for their school in particular.

That’s where supplemental essays come in.

Supplemental essays give you the opportunity to tell an admissions officer why you belong at their school specifically. They also allow colleges to ask you questions based on what they’re looking for in applicants.

Imagine that you’re interested in adopting a new dog. You browse your shelter’s online photo gallery, see the statistics about the age and weight of each dog, and read the brief descriptions of their temperament. The online profiles give you quite a bit to go on, but you still can’t quite picture how each one would fit into your family. You need just a little more information. So you drive to the shelter, meet the animals, and ask the shelter staff more questions about the animals you’re interested in.

Okay, college admissions are obviously a lot different than adopting a dog. But you get the metaphor. Sometimes the information on the Common App alone isn’t enough. Admissions officers need more information about which students are going to be the best fit for their college communities. And the one tool universities have to get that specific information are supplemental essays .

In short, some schools require supplemental essays because they want to get more information about how well your academics, extracurriculars, values, or otherwise align with their institution.

What’s the difference between a supplemental essay and a personal statement?

We can look at the differences between personal statements and supplemental essays across three categories: purpose, length, and research.

Supplemental essays serve a very different purpose than personal statements. While personal statements are deeply meaningful reflections that go to all the colleges a student applies to, supplemental essays are school-specific. Your personal statement is a place for you to write about something related to one of your core strengths. Supplementals are opportunities for you to show how your core strengths make you a good fit for a particular institution. Since they have different purposes, you’ll need different writing strategies to approach each kind of essay with.

Essay lengths vary by school and type, but supplemental essays are generally shorter. The Common App personal statement, for example, is maximum 650 words. Supplemental essays, on the other hand, typically range from 100 to 400 words (although occasionally some will be longer). When added together, you’ll likely be writing at least a couple thousand words for your college applications.

Finally, personal statements and supplementals also require different levels of research. Whereas personal statements typically require no research, supplementals require a lot. Because supplemental essays are school-specific, you’ll need to do research about every single school you write a supplemental essay for. We’ll get into that more in a second.

So personal statements give admissions officers a deep insight into who you are, while supplemental essays build on that narrative and sometimes include school research.

How important are supplemental essays?

Supplemental essays are important. At schools with sub-20% acceptance rates especially, they alone can be the difference between a deny and an admit.

Take this story from Ben’s time at Vanderbilt as a cautionary tale:

A prospective engineering student has an unweighted 4.0, near-perfect test scores, and extracurriculars that show both reach and impact. But none of their essays says anything about why they want to study engineering or why they want to go to Vanderbilt. Because they can’t communicate why they are a good fit, they get denied.

Unfortunately, Ben saw this situation time and again.

Sure, you could write your personal statement about how much you love engineering or what a good problem-solver you are. But doing so still doesn’t allow you to talk about why you align with the engineering options at a particular school .

Supplementals are your one chance to communicate this information with admissions officers, so use it wisely.

Types of Supplemental Essay Prompts

Are you feeling overwhelmed yet? Don’t fret. While you’ll be writing a lot of supplementals throughout your application process, you won’t necessarily have to come up with unique ideas for each of them. That’s because most supplemental essay prompts can be broken down into seven common categories: “why us,” diversity, community, academic interest, “why this major,” personal challenge, and extracurricular activities. Because there are similarities between prompts, you can reuse some of your essay ideas and content from school to school—and we have a whole post about how recycle your essays effectively. For now, let’s take a quick look at the prompt types. If you’re interested in any in particular, you can click through to our more in-depth post about each.

These prompts ask students to write an essay that explains why they want to attend a particular institution, school, or program.

Some diversity prompts ask students to write about some aspect of their background or identity that makes them diverse. Other diversity prompts ask students to write about a time they engaged with diverse perspectives.

Community prompts ask students to write about some aspect of the community they come from. Other community prompts ask how a student will contribute to the college community they’re applying to join.

Academic Interest

These prompts ask students to demonstrate intellectual curiosity by elaborating on a particular academic interest.

Why this Major

These prompts allow students to make a case for why they want to study a particular major at a particular school.

Personal Challenge

Personal challenge prompts ask students to write about a moment or period when they encountered a personal challenge. Often personal challenge prompts will encourage students to think about how they grew as a result.

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities essays ask students to discuss one of their resume items.

Okay, so there’s lots of prompt types that ask you to do different things. But no matter the supplemental prompt type you’re responding to, your supplemental essays will have some commonalities in form and function. We’ll dive into those commonalities in the coming sections.

What should a supplemental essay look like?

Because supplemental essay prompts can be more direct than personal statement prompts, students often get confused about what a supplemental essay should look like.

Let’s use a simple example prompt: “Why do you want to attend X school?”

Since the prompt is formatted in the style of a straightforward question, many students (logically) begin their essays like this:

“I want to go to X school because it is a great academic fit for me. I love the location, and the weather can’t be beat. I know I would be happy there because there are lots of things to do. I would be so excited to work with Professor Y because their research is exactly what I want to do in the future. I love the traditions on campus and can envision myself joining in them, especially the annual puppy days before finals. Overall, I think I am a good fit”

While that essay directly answers the question, it doesn’t have an engaging hook or storyline. When you write a supplemental essay that explicitly addresses the question without paying attention to style and form, it reads more as a short answer question than an actual essay.

Like a personal statement, a supplemental essay should still be an essay. Even for supplemental essays under 150 words, there should still be some kind of essay structure. The essay should begin with a hook, build up a story, and offer a brief conclusion that ties everything together.

So now that you know that your supplemental essays should still be essays rather than short answers, let’s get to the juicy stuff: strategy.

The 3 best supplemental essay strategies

As with any part of the college application process, you should consider approaching your supplemental essays with an explicit strategy from the start.

Since supplemental essays are the main way for you to signal school and academic fit, your strategy will likely revolve around deciding when and how to demonstrate your academic, social, and value-based alignment with the school in question.

Strategic supplemental writing also means balancing your narrative across your personal statement and supplementals. Planning ahead to determine what information will go where can save you a lot of trouble later on in the application process.

Strategy #1: Do strategic school research.

The first step in writing good supplemental essays is knowing how to do school research. It’s also about knowing how to use your school research effectively. In the case of supplemental essays, “school research” means a lot more than simply googling a school and pulling out a few facts and figures. Unlike the research you did when building your school list, your supplemental essay school research is a lot more intentional and targeted.

Think of supplemental school research like the final stages before buying a car. Your initial research—the school list-building research—helped you narrow down all your options to find cars with the right facts and figures for your needs. But now you need to think in terms of specifics. Looking at Car A, you see that the infotainment is perfectly suited for your music-loving needs and the 4-wheel drive will let you drive to your favorite remote hiking destinations. Car B has all the safety features you could ever ask for and has enough cargo space to go on long road trips. For each car, you can explain exactly why you and the car are a good match.

In the same way, your supplemental essays will draw attention to the specific points of connection you have with a school. After reading your supplemental essay, you want your admissions officer to say, “Wow, they really belong here.”

But the mistake most students make when doing supplemental school research is that they look up a few professors or programs that align with their interests, and they plop those brief references into their supplemental essays without actually making it clear why they’re important.

While this method does show some effort and may impress admissions officers at schools with lower acceptance rates, it won’t cut it at schools where the majority of applicants get rejected.

Let’s go over how to do supplemental school research the right way.

How to do school research

This kind of school research may seem a bit elusive. There are so many places on a school website to look that it can be overwhelming. But the key to doing successful school research isn’t about finding those little nuggets of information.

It’s about creating a cohesive story that makes it seem only logical that you be admitted.

And how do you do that?

By looking at the values the institution holds dearly and positioning yourself in clear alignment with them.

It’s easy to find an institution’s values if you know where to look. Most often, they appear in the following places:

a) The school’s motto

We’ll use Lewis and Clark College’s motto as an example. A quick Google search of “Lewis and Clark College motto” informed me that their motto, in English, is “to explore, to learn, to work together.” Right off the bat, that tells us a ton about what Lewis and Clark College values and looks for in students.

If I were to write a supplemental essay (and—surprise!—one of their supplemental essays is actually about the motto), then it’d be easy to draw from areas of my own life that represent the values of exploration, education, and teamwork.

b) The school’s 5-year plan

Schools are future-minded institutions, so they always have plans that discuss where they want to be five or ten years down the road. These plans are written by university leadership and lay out values, goals, and strategic initiatives that the institution will be devoting resources to. They can tell you a lot in a short amount of time.

c) Departmental websites

Don’t just find an interesting professor and call it quits. Take the time to go through and actually read the website for your department of interest. Look at the kinds of research professors and students are doing. Departments often have a list of where students tend to end up after they graduate, so take note. Find anything you can about what the department looks like and values.

For instance, take this press release from the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech. The headline says, “The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is investing nearly $12 million in four College of Engineering faculty members this fall through its prestigious program for outside-the-box thinkers .” There you go. Without even reading on, you can tell that out-of-the-box thinking is a popular characteristic among these Georgia Tech faculty members. You could then craft your supplemental essay around a time you showed out-of-the-box thinking yourself.

The beauty of this strategy is that it works no matter the kind of supplemental essay prompt you’re responding to. It is as applicable to a “diversity” or “why us” prompt as it is to an “extracurricular” one.

Setting your supplementals apart using school research

Take this example, which we sent out recently in our newsletter .

Say you’re interested in attending Johns Hopkins University to study business.

You set out to answer their supplemental prompt: Founded on a spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity or your community) and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. (300-400 words)

You could talk about how devoted you’ve been to DECA and mention a JHU business faculty member whom you admire. But that essay wouldn’t be memorable at all. Admissions officers have likely read hundreds of similar essays.

Instead, using your newfound school research knowledge, you start by googling JHU’s strategic plan . You keep diving deeper. You find that they have a specific initiative to engage more with their local community in Baltimore. You dive even deeper and see that part of that initiative revolves around encouraging the JHU community to shop locally .

Ah ha! You actually created a holiday market at your school and invited local vendors to participate. You brought your community together, and you helped them make the decision to buy from local businesses.

You now have a story that shows your business interests and connects seamlessly with the values at Johns Hopkins University. And it’ll lead to a supplemental essay admissions officers haven’t read before.

Okay, that is a very specific example. Remember, school research needs to be specific to you and your interests. When you are clear about your strengths and keep your own activities in mind, you can point your research towards what the school does that most clearly relates to you.

Strategy #2: Make a case for school or academic fit.

Each supplemental essay should have a specific purpose. We’ve already established this fact in this guide, but it’s worth restating. One of your application essays needs to make a case for school or academic fit. There’s no other way to slice it.

Institutions are like people. They have unique personalities, values, and preferences that attract students and community members to them. A single school will not be the right fit for every student. That’s why it’s so important to take academic and school fit into account when building your school list, and that’s why institutions factor these considerations into their admissions decisions.

What is “academic fit”?

“Academic fit” is particularly important when you’re applying to a specific major (like computer science, engineering, music, etc.). The concept is fairly straightforward.

It measures how well your academic background and interests meet the standards of a particular school or program. While academic fit includes measurements like your weighted and unweighted GPA, the level of rigor you’ve taken throughout high school, and your standardized test scores, it isn’t just about your statistics. It is also relevant to how you talk about your intellectual vitality in your essays.

This could look like showing disciplinary alignment. If you’re dead set on studying business but you’re applying to a school without a business program, for example, then you won’t have good academic fit, no matter how solid your academic record is.

It could also look like showcasing your intellectual curiosity or an academic passion. These kinds of academic values can signal to an admissions committee that you are a good fit for the program.

What is “school fit”?

“School fit” is a way to categorize how well you align with the overall vibe and intellectual community of a school. Academic fit is part of school fit, but school fit encompasses more. It’s like a friendship test. Do your personalities mesh well? Do you have similar values? Can they meet your needs and vice versa? Do your extracurricular activities align? Do you envision yourselves having a future together?

School fit is important because you don’t want to end up at a school that doesn’t align with your wants and needs across these categories. Transferring is always an option, but being mindful of school fit from the start can help you get it right the first time.

When it comes to your supplementals, signaling those intangible measures of school fit can also be one of the best tools in your application toolbox. Because they’re intangible, they’re harder to communicate. But communicating them correctly can help set you apart.

Overall, academic and school fit are application essentials. If your academic background hasn’t prepared you for a particular college environment, or if you can’t clearly communicate why you’re a good academic fit, then an admissions officer might believe that you’d be better off elsewhere. Similarly, there’s no point in applying to a school that you’d be miserable at, and there’s no point in admitting you to a school that you’d likely transfer from anyway. Keeping the concepts of “academic fit” and “school fit” front and center meets student and institutional needs.

How to show academic fit

We’ve written on Reddit about the importance of academic score in college admissions. While each institution has its own process, academic scores are usually some kind of measurement of a student’s academic success in high school, calculated based on statistics like GPA, number of rigorous classes, and standardized test scores.

Since academic scores are based on things that have already happened, you have very little control over them as you put together your application.

To a certain extent, there’s nothing you can do to overcome a low academic score. That’s why it’s important to put the right schools on your school list .

But what you do have control over is how you communicate academic fit.

Remember that your entire application should cohere to form a unique personal narrative . Your academic alignment with the programs you’re applying to is part of that narrative, and supplemental essays are a fantastic place for you to drive home why you belong in a particular program.

It’s often easiest to show academic alignment in “why us,” “why this major,” and “academic interest” supplemental essay prompts. But it is possible to accomplish with other prompts, too.

No matter the supplemental you’re writing, consider applying these tips to show academic fit.

a) Think about the academic values the admissions committee will be looking for.

You’ve already done your school research and have probably learned something about the values a school is looking for. Now you can think more specifically about what kinds of values admissions committees will be looking for in their applicants. Make a list of these values.

Here are a few values we’ve looked for as admissions officers to get you started: teamwork, creative thinking, resilience, leadership, communication, intellectual curiosity, real-world applications.

Once you have your list of values, start circling the ones that apply to you and your experiences the most. Then you’ll be able to incorporate those values into your supplemental essays.

b) Consider how your previous experiences relate to your future goals.

Another approach to showing academic fit is thinking linearly about how what you’ve done in high school relates to your future academic and career goals.

Especially with prompts that ask you to reflect on concrete experiences, taking this approach can be a great way to bridge the gap between your resume and academics. Showing an admissions officer why your background experiences make you a natural fit for a specific program can be an effective supplemental essay strategy.

Overall, remember: schools want students. When in doubt, show academic fit.

How to show school fit

How you show school fit will depend on the type of school you’re applying to. There are three main levels: the institution as a whole, individual schools or colleges, and particular majors or programs. Each level requires a different school fit focus. Let’s start by going through the types:

Level 1: The Institution

For some schools, you apply to the institution as a whole. Think liberal arts colleges or other schools that don’t require you to declare a major upon application.

Level 2: Schools & Colleges

Other schools have you apply to a college or school. Think of applications that have you choose a “college of arts and sciences” or “a school of engineering.” These are institutions within an institution, so the dynamics are a little different.

Level 3: Major

Finally, others yet will have you apply directly to the major you want to study. If you indicate the major you want to apply to, or if you’re asked to respond to a “why this major” supplemental essay prompt, then you’re likely applying directly to a major.

For each of these levels, school fit will look different because the community you’re applying to join has a different makeup. So bear those differences in mind as you consider the two following tips about aligning with school fit:

a) Write supplemental essays that connect your extracurricular activities to major or program fit.

One way to demonstrate school fit is by showing that you’ve already been doing what students at that institution do. We’ll pretend that for one of your extracurriculars, you participate in hack-a-thons.

Let’s also say that during your school research, you found that your top-choice computer science major values technical skills and diverse perspectives. Finally, we’ll also pretend that the first hack-a-thon you did was a special event intended to introduce more girls to computer science, and you found it a really empowering experience.

Using what you know about school fit, you can craft a supplemental essay about one of your hack-a-thon experiences that shows the technical skills and diverse perspective that you bring to the table. Writing your essay in a way that highlights a convergence of your background with their offerings is exactly what your supplementals need to do.

b) Write supplemental essays around community values.

Especially if you’re applying to an institution as a whole, you can also consider incorporating institutional values into your supplementals. These values, taken from your school research, don’t necessarily have to be about academics.

Let’s return to our Johns Hopkins example about organizing a holiday market to encourage students to shop at local businesses. That example seamlessly demonstrates school fit because it hinges on values the student shares with the institution. While the example may gesture towards academic fit because a holiday market is inherently related to business, it doesn’t do so explicitly. The focus is more on the underlying community values.

All this talk about fit is also to say that none of your applications will look exactly the same. Because institutions have different makeups and expectations, the shape your application narrative takes will vary from institution to institution.

Strategy #3: Highlight your strengths.

Every college essay you write should be rooted in a strength.

If you’ve read any of our other guides or blog posts , you’ve likely seen this statement before.

We say it again and again because it’s true. And very important.

Admissions officers don’t admit students at random. They admit students who will be good additions to their community. All communities need a range of people and personalities—strengths, if you will.

To help admissions officers know how you’ll add to their campus, it’s critical that you tell them what your strengths are.

That doesn’t mean literally writing, “I am a strong critical thinker.”

What it does mean is writing essays that demonstrate positive characteristics about yourself.

Recall that application strengths can include things like critical thinking, open-mindedness, problem-solving skills, a passion for justice, artistry, and more. These kinds of traits are what you want your admissions officer to learn about you from any piece of writing you submit with your application.

We’ve already covered how to write strengths-based personal statements in our college essay writing guide .

But when you’re juggling a personal statement and several supplemental essays, it can be tricky to balance your strengths in an authentic way.

Juggling Your Strengths

You don’t want all your essays to talk about the same strength. You also don’t want your strengths to seem disparate or unrelated. And you really don’t want to come across as braggadocious.

It’s therefore important that your essays all tie together to form a cohesive application narrative .

So writing strengths-based supplementals requires a certain kind of balancing act.

Picture your college application narrative as a seesaw (stick with me for a second—I promise this is going somewhere). Imagine that your personal statement is the base of the seesaw. Without anything else on the seesaw, it is you in your most genuine, balanced form. It is the fulcrum upon which your entire application narrative rests. But it’s not yet complete. It’s limited in how much information it actually reveals about you.

Now imagine that you add in all your application data—your transcript, test scores, activities list, and letters of recommendation. We get more information, but the application data are heavy, weighing it down on one side. Your application narrative becomes slightly off-kilter. We see the strengths you describe in your personal statement, but they’ve become filtered through the lens of your application data.

Finally, we add your supplemental essays to the other side. They stitch together your personal statement and data to create a roundedness to your application narrative. They restore balance.

That means that the strengths you write about in your supplemental essays have to complement those in your personal statement. And the strengths in both have to make sense alongside your application data.

While your personal statement should be about a core strength, your supplemental essays should be about different strengths that support and cohere with your personal statement. It’s all about how you disperse your strengths across your essays. You want to show depth AND diversity.

Here’s an example breakdown of strengths:

a) Personal statement: problem-solving skills

b) Supplemental 1: passion for justice

c) Supplemental 2: teamwork

Without even reading the corresponding essays, we get a sense of who this person is by their strengths alone. We can envision them primarily as a problem-solver, but we also see that they use their skills to pursue justice. And we understand that they are someone who does all these things alongside others rather than as a lone wolf.

Just one of these strengths alone wouldn’t give the whole picture. It’s about finding the right mix of breadth, depth, and balance.

How to organize your supplemental essays

There are countless spreadsheets out there that can help you track and organize your applications and supplemental essays. It’s a good idea to browse through a few of them and see what format works best for you.

But we believe that one of the most efficient ways to organize your supplemental essays is to categorize them by prompt type.

Sorting your essays by prompt will allow you to group similar prompts together. That means you’ll have an easier time seeing where there’s overlap between essays, which will allow you to reuse ideas or snippets across your applications to write them more efficiently. (Using the same material for multiple supplemental essays is allowed, but there’s a right and wrong way to do it. We have a whole post on recycling your supplemental essays .)

Key Takeaways

There you have it! Everything you need to know about writing a supplemental essay. If you haven’t already, check out our mini-guides that cover the most popular supplemental essay prompts. You’ll find even more specific strategies and examples to guide you on your supplemental essay writing journey.

If you want to see some outstanding supplemental essay examples before you get started, head on over to our college essay examples .

When you're ready, grab your essay tracker and give your supplementals a go. If you need any more guidance, our Essay Academy program is chock-full of more strategies, insights, and examples from our team of admissions professionals.

Interested in more admissions insights? Read our next post , where we go behind the admissions curtain to reveal how admissions offices actually process tens of thousands of applications.

Happy writing!

Liked that? Try this next.

How A Selective Admissions Office Reads 50k Applications In A Season

How to Write a College Essay (Exercises + Examples)

How to Write a Community Supplemental Essay (with Examples)

Touring Colleges: What You Need to Know

"the only actually useful chance calculator i’ve seen—plus a crash course on the application review process.".

Irena Smith, Former Stanford Admissions Officer

We built the best admissions chancer in the world . How is it the best? It draws from our experience in top-10 admissions offices to show you how selective admissions actually works.

Jump to menu
Student Home
Accept your offer
How to enrol
Student ID card
Set up your IT
Orientation Week
Fees & payment
Academic calendar
Special consideration
Transcripts
The Nucleus: Student Hub
Referencing
Essay writing
Learning abroad & exchange
UNSW Advantage opportunities
Employability
Peer support
International students
Equitable learning
Postgraduate research
Health Service
Events & activities
Emergencies
Volunteering
Clubs and societies
Accommodation
Health services
Sport and gym
Arc student organisation
Security on campus
Maps of campus
Careers portal
Change password

Supplementary Exams

Where students are unable to attend their final exam, due to illness, events or misadventure, a supplementary exam may be given. The supplementary exam period is published at the beginning of each year (see Key Dates for Exams ), it is an official exam session and students should make themselves available for them if and when required.

Supplementary exams are managed by the UNSW Exams team, except for AGSM, ADFA, Art & Design and the School of Optometry. Please contact these schools directly for further information.

A supplementary exam may be awarded to students where:

illness or misadventure has prevented a student from completing their end of term exam, and their absence can be proven to be beyond their control.

Students must complete a special consideration application with supporting documentation via the Special Consideration portal .

a student is in their final term at UNSW and is considered a potential graduand . These students do not need to complete a special consideration application as they will be awarded a supplementary exam at the discretion of the School. If you want to make enquiries about your eligibility - please contact your School.

In all cases, the form of the supplementary assessment need not be identical to the original assessment, but it must assess the same learning outcomes.

Students will be notified of their eligibility for a supplementary exam via myUNSW only.

Note: The supplementary exam timetable can only be finalised once all special consideration applications have been assessed.

For Term 3 2024 students will be notified that their supplementary exam has been approved no later than Wednesday 18th December. The supplementary timetable gets created and released gradually, as we follow-up on all of the students approved for their supplementary exams from the final exams that only ended the previous week(s). Each student will be able to see their timetable seven (7) days prior to their exam via myUNSW, e.g., it is a staggered release, if your supplementary exam is going to be on a Monday then it will be able to be viewed on your myUNSW timetable the Monday before. Please continue to check your myUNSW timetable every day until your exam appears. Please note : The seven (7) day notice does not apply to students receiving a potential graduand supplementary exam. If on Wednesday 18th December your supplementary timetable has not been updated and you have been awarded a supplementary exam, please contact us at [email protected] . Term 3 2024 supplementary exams will take place on Monday 6th through Friday 10th January 2025.

Please familiarise yourself with key exam dates via the Key Dates page .

Dates for exams
Rules and policy
Exam delivery types
Inspera assessment platform
Exam locations and transport
What you can take into exams
Supplementary exams
Contacts and FAQs

Supplementary Assessment

The majority of referral assessments take place during August and early September. Students will receive a written invitation from their faculty team to re-take nominated assessments during June or July. Students must then respond by the deadline given confirming whether or not they will take the assessment, and will need to pay the required fee when instructed.

Full details will be given provided by your faculty team. If you are expecting to re-take assessments and have not received notification by the middle of July, it is strongly recommended that you contact your faculty by phone to check your status. Failure to receive notification because your address details are not up to date will not be considered as a special case.

Terminology

Referral is the re-taking of all or part of the assessment or an alternative assessment for a failed module in order to achieve the pass mark. Referral assessments are usually taken in August/September at the end of the academic year in which the module was failed.“

Taking Your Exams Off Campus

The University of Southampton campuses are Highfield, Avenue, Boldrewood, Winchester School of Art, Southampton General Hospital, National Oceanography Centre and Malaysia.

You may take in-person assessment(s) off campus, please refer to the information below before completing your 'Off campus application form'.

If you are unsure if your assessment(s) are in-person or online please still complete and submit your application.

The timetable showing dates, times and the format for the supplementary assessment period (due to run from Monday 18 August - Friday 29 August (excluding Bank Holiday Monday 25 August but possibly including Saturday 23 August), will be published here under 'Useful downloads' at the bottom of this page by 1700 (UK time) on Friday 18 July 2025.

Venues to be used for hosting Off Campus assessments

University of Southampton Malaysia (UOSM) A British Council for USA/Canada please email [email protected]

Please note, there is a deadline to apply and fees involved, read the whole webpage for this information. Take the following steps if you wish to sit off campus:

Step 1) Contact the venue you are intending to sit at, provide them with the date ranges of the assessment period and ask them if it is possible for them to host the assessment for you. If they say yes, find out who will be arranging these assessment(s) (a representative) and ask for their contact details, you will need; their name, telephone number and email. Note this has to be a specific person, so we can liaise with them, it cannot be generic details from their website.

Step 2) Once you have gained the above required details, you can fill in the ‘Taking your Exams Off Campus Application form’. For Supplementary assessments please complete and submit the form by 1700 (UK time) on Friday 18 July 2025.

Application window - Monday 30 June to Friday 18 July 2025

PLEASE REFER TO THE PERMISSIONS TABLE WHICH CAN BE FOUND UNDER 'USEFUL DOWNLOADS' AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

Payment can be made on our online store from Monday 30 June - Sunday 21 September 2025.

The University charges £20 per in-person referral assessment, up to the maximum payment of £100 (even if you are sitting 5 or more assessments)

University of Southampton (UOS) - £415 at a British Council/other institution payable to University of Southampton (UOS). This is a one off payment for Semester 1 and Semester 2. This is still payable if you are absent for your examination(s).

British Council fees - if you are sitting at a British Council/other institution, additional fees may be involved. Please contact your representative at the venue directly for this information. This is not payable to UOS.

University of Southampton Malaysia (UOSM) -100RM per in-person assessment if you are a UOSM student or 250RM per exam if you are a non UOSM student. This fee is still payable if you are absent for your assessment(s) and it is payable directly to UOSM. Please email [email protected] for further information.

Please note if you sit your assessment at UOSM you are also required to pay the re-sit fee of £20 per in-person assessment (up to the maximum of £100). This fee is payable directly to the University of Southampton.

Please note if you miss the deadline to pay you will receive an invoice

Fees for supplementary assessments apply if you are:

Repeating the year and attending lectures and other taught sessions (known as Internal Repeat, with a status of Repeat attending)
Repeating the year but not attending lectures or other taught sessions (known as External Repeat, with a status of Repeat non attending)
Re-taking a failed assessment in order to achieve the pass mark (known as Referral).

Fees may not apply if you have experienced ill health or other circumstances and have been allowed an additional attempt by the Special Considerations Board. Please contact your Faculty for confirmation

Please use our store by clicking Online Store and then search for 'referral fee'.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Once you have read and understood all the above, please use the link below to make your request

Contact details

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0) 2380 599599

Useful Downloads

Permission Table

AskUs - Current Students: Current Students

Have a question? Find your answers 24/7 on AskUs.

What is a supplementary exam?

A supplementary exam is an additional exam (or other form of assessment) that may be approved for a student in the following circumstances:

A student who has come close to passing a subject and meets the relevant College guidelines for awarding a supplementary exam.
A student who has applied for special consideration due to unexpected circumstances impacting their performance during the first exam.

This is a second chance to pass the subject and students must pass the supplementary exam to gain a pass overall. The best possible result from a supplementary exam is SP (supplementary pass) or SS (supplementary pass in an ungraded subject). Supplementary exams are scheduled after the formal exam period, and may not be available for all subjects, or for all examination types.

If you require further information, contact [email protected] .

See also: How and when can I apply for special consideration in exam marking?

Was this answer helpful?

Answers others found helpful.

When are supplementary and deferred exams scheduled?
Who can apply for special consideration for an exam?
When can I access my timetable for a deferred or supplementary exam?
What does special consideration in exams mean?
Who can apply for special arrangements in an exam?
Current Students
Log in to your account
Send us an enquiry
Future Students
Search Tips
Book a call

Study with us
Our research
For community & partners
Student Portal

What is a Supplementary Assessment Task and how do I know if I qualified for one?

Support home
Ask a question

Updated 07/09/2023 11.26 AM

A Supplementary (or 'Supp') Assessment Task is a second opportunity to pass a unit. This is granted if you have an otherwise good record in the unit and your exam was close to a pass mark.

You can't apply for a Supplementary Assessment Task; this is granted by your college . You will know if you have been granted a supplementary if you see the result code 'NS' on your record.

These are managed by your Unit Coordinator and can be issued immediately after unit results are released. This is finalised within 15 working days.

If you have questions about this contact your Unit Coordinator or Lecturer.

Authorised by the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications 2016 © University of Tasmania, Australia. ABN 30 764 374 782. CRICOS Provider Code 00586B

Copyright statement
Web accessibility

Vice-Chancellor
Leadership and Governance
Education Quality
Sustainability
Staff Directory
Staff Profiles
Staff Online
Office of Human Resources
Important Dates
Accept and Enrol
Student Forms
Jobs for Students
Future Students
Scholarships
Class Registration
Online Courses
Password Management
Western Wifi - Wireless
Accommodation
The College
Whitlam Institute
Ask Western
Staff Email
WesternNow Staff Portal
ResearchMaster
Citrix Access
Student Management System
Exam Timetable
Oracle Financials
Casual Room Bookings
Staff Profile Editor
Vehicle Bookings
Form Centre
WSU SharePoint Portal
Learning Guide Management System (LGMS)
Student Email
My Student Records (MySR)
WesternLife
WesternNow Student Portal
My Exam Timetable
Student Forms (eForms)
Accept My Offer

Study with Us

International
RTO Programs
English & Testing Programs
Microcredentials
Undergraduate Degrees
Postgraduate Degrees
Doctorate (PhD)
Research Degrees
The Academy
Application Pathways
Bonus Points
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Courses
International Programs
Enrolling 1st time
Orientation
Orientation Sessions
How uni works
What to expect at uni
Session calendar
Summer Session
Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Education)
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research, Enterprise and International)
Senior Vice-President
Vice-President (People & Advancement)
Vice-President (Infrastructure and Commercial)
Vice President (Finance) and Chief Financial Officer
Departments A-Z
Our History
Competitive Intelligence & Analytics
Services and Facilities
Student Life
Student Clubs
Out and About
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Programs
Penrith Observatory
SBG Branded Merchandise
Student Representation
Student Collectives
Campus Maps
Safety and Security
Getting to Uni
Shuttle Tracker
Division of Infrastructure and Commercial
Western Growth
Chinese Medicine Centre
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture
Institute for Culture and Society
The MARCS Institute
Research Centres
Research Groups
NICM Health Research Institute
Translational Health Research Institute
Business Services
Giving to Western
Working in the Community
Working with Schools
Employ a Student or Graduate
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement and Education
Community Directory
Equipment Access
Centre for Western Sydney
School of Medicine Body Donor Program
Staff Giving
Office of People
Indigenous Employment
Office of Governance Services
Learning Futures
Mission, Goals and Strategic Plan
Work Health and Safety
Organisational Development
Department A-Z
Brand website (staff login required)
Engaging with Schools
Service Unlimited
Staff Benefits
Schools, Institutes and Research Centres
Equity and Diversity
Policies and Procedures
Applying to study
Important dates
Fees and costs
Services and facilities
Online systems
Student Misconduct Rule
- Review of Grade
- Supplementary Assessments FAQ
Academic Progression
Semi Permanent Unlimited Live
Western Digital Story Telling Project

Supplementary Assessments FAQ

In 2021 changes to the University's Assessment policy mean that some students who have failed by a small margin may be eligible to apply for a supplementary assessment to pass the subject. Please read below for eligibility criteria and frequently asked questions.

How do I know if I am eligible for a supplementary assessment and how do I apply?

Students may be eligible to apply for a supplementary assessment after the official notification of final subject results. Please see the Procedures Section of the WSU Assessment Policy for details of eligibility and the application process or read below.

Clause 54 of the University’s Assessment Policy states that students will be eligible to apply for a supplementary assessment attempt where they:

a. have failed a subject either by failing one item with an assessment weighting of less than 50% or multiple items whose cumulative total amounts to less than 50% of the marks available and

b. have come within 5% of the passing grade for the subject (scoring 45-49%).

Students who have failed the subject due to a finding under the Student Misconduct Rule will not be eligible for a supplementary assessment.

Students in end-on Bachelor (Honours) programs and subjects with exceptions approved through the Program and Subject Approvals process (for example, clinical placements) are not eligible for supplementary assessments.

Students must apply for a supplementary assessment in writing to the Subject Coordinator by completing the WesternNow Supplementary Assessment Request form within 5 working days of the official notification of results. Supplementary assessments will only be considered when the conditions in clause 54 of the WSU Assessment Policy are met.

Please note that clause (55) of the University's Assessment Policy states that Supplementary Assessment attempts are not available for threshold assessments.

How can I check my eligibility to apply?

Please see below four scenarios that can assist you in understanding how you can calculate your eligibility to apply for a supplementary assessment.

Scenario 1 - Eligible for supplementary assessment

Where fail is due to failing a single assessment item worth less than 50%

* Failed assessment item

Scenario 2 - Eligible for supplementary assessment

Where fail is due to failing multiple assessment items and total of both is less than 50%

* Failed assessment items

Scenario 3 – NOT Eligible for supplementary assessment

Where fail is due to failing a single assessment item that is worth 50% or more

Scenario 4– NOT Eligible for supplementary assessment

Where fail is due to failing multiple assessment items and the total of both is worth more than 50%

Will I have an exam for my supplementary assessment?

I sat a deferred exam - can i still apply for a supplementary assessment, how long do i have to apply after i have received my final result, am i eligible for a supplementary assessment even if i don't submit one or more assessments.

The Subject Coordinator will confirm eligibility.

What result will I achieve after I have completed a supplementary assessment?

How many attempts will be allowed for my supplementary assessment.

Mobile options:

Return to standard site
Back to Top

International Students

Launch your career at UWS

University Life
Our Campuses
Business and Community
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
HDR Research
Why Western
Western Sydney University Online
Misconduct Rule
Study with Integrity
Student Completions
Student Support
Working with us
Career Development
Salary and Benefits
Manager/Supervisor Toolkit
Future Staff
Staff Services
Researchers
Current Students
Community and Industry
Alumni Awards
Alumni Spotlight
Alumni Benefits
Alumni Affinity Groups
Alumni Publications
Alumni Giving

Western Sydney University

Emergency Help
Right to Information
Complaints Unit
Accessibility
Website Feedback
Compliance Program
Admissions Transparency

Supplementary Exam: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re a 2023 Matriculant looking to be accepted into a tertiary institution or hoping to become employed, passing Matric and receiving your certificate is one of the essentials. However, due to various circumstances, Matric exams may have been an overwhelming struggle, resulting in you not meeting the minimum requirements to pass Grade 12 and enter your planned future. But all is not lost – you may qualify for a supplementary exam or second national exam, allowing you a second chance to improve your marks.

BrightSparkz would love to help you master that tricky subject before your supplementary exams. Get an expert tutor for your supplementary exam!

Why should you consider a supplementary exam?

Unlocking university doors : With enhanced Matric marks through supplementary exams, targeting a competitive degree or university becomes more achievable. Our expert tutors guide you in meeting specific university requirements, from attaining a Bachelor’s Degree Pass to achieving requisite subject marks.
Targeted Learning : A supplementary exam lets you zero in on one subject rather than juggling multiple. This focused approach can significantly enhance your understanding of the subject matter and your performance. Having fewer subjects to worry about means you can dedicate your attention, effort, and resources towards mastering the nuances of that specific subject.
Extended Preparation Time : A supplementary exam comes with the advantage of additional time for preparation. Having already spent a year studying the subject, you have nearly six more months to delve deeper. You can optimally utilise the time with a BrightSparkz tutor who will provide personalised guidance, keep you on track, and significantly boost your chances of achieving a higher grade.

Supplementary exam vs rewriting your Matric

If you didn’t get the results you were hoping for in Matric, you qualify to write a second national exam (previously called supplementary exams) in the year immediately after your Matric final. You can also re-enrol for your Matric year and retake the end-of-year exams up to 5 years after you complete Matric.

Amended Senior Certificate

If you Matriculated more than 5 years ago, you can apply for an Amended Senior Certificate. All second national exams (for supplementary exams and Amended Senior certificate exams) will now be written in May/June 2024, while re-enrolling in Matric will mean you retake all Matric exams. Including mid-year, prelims and finals at the end of the year.

We’ve matched thousands of parents and learners with their ideal tutors. Book a tutor today .

A pupil studying for their supplementary exam

Do I qualify to write a supplementary exam?

According to the Department of Education , you qualify for a supplementary exam:

If you did not pass Grade 12 but must pass 2 subjects to obtain your NSC. You can register to retake any number of subjects for your supplementary exam. However, you must have written these subjects during your final year exams.
If you were medically unfit or had another special reason for being absent for an exam.
In the instance of a death in your immediate family, you may register for the supplementary examination.
If you provide evidence that you qualify for admission to a higher education institution or occupation but do not satisfy the requirements, or if you are one requirement short of meeting the minimum admission requirements for a higher certificate, diploma and bachelor’s degree programs, you can register for supplementary exams.
In a case where an irregularity is under investigation, provisional enrollment for supplementary examination may be granted, pending the outcome of the investigation.
If you could not write or complete one or more of the National Senior Certificate examination question papers for reasons other than illness or injury. The school principal must submit a report to the Head of the assessment body.

Qualifying for IEB supplementary examinations

Qualifying for the IEB second national exam is very similar to the NSC exams. However, there are some differences.

Missed one or more examination papers: If you missed one or more papers in your final year for legitimate reasons such as illness or trauma, you can apply for the supplementary examination.
Require a maximum of two subjects to achieve NSC: If you are just short of a maximum of two subjects to obtain the National Senior Certificate to achieve a higher category of achievement or to meet the specific entry requirements for further studies, you are eligible to apply. However, proof of the entry requirements from the relevant institution is necessary.
Subjects already taken: For the supplementary examinations, you can only register for subjects you wrote in the previous end-of-year examination.
Maximum of two subjects: If you haven’t met the minimum promotion and certification requirements but are short of two subjects to obtain the National Senior Certificate, you can register for a maximum of two subjects for the supplementary examination in the following year. These must be subjects you sat for in the previous end-of-year examination.
Registering for Life Orientation: You can also register for Life Orientation, which comprises an internally assessed component and a common assessment task, as one of the two subjects for the supplementary examination. The re-assessment of both components must be completed within the supplementary examination period.
Combining Subjects: Candidates repeating one or more subjects may combine their subjects with meeting the current National Senior Certificate requirements and earning a National Senior Certificate.
Medically unfit candidates: If you were medically unfit and couldn’t attend one or more external examinations, you could register for the supplementary examination.
Meeting specific faculty or occupational requirements: If you do not meet the minimum higher education faculty requirements or the requirements for the specific occupation in the end-of-year examination, you may register for the supplementary examination in the following year, in a maximum of two subjects.
In case of death in the immediate family: If a death occurred in your immediate family or other special reasons prevented you from attending the exam, you could register for the supplementary examination.
Irregularities: If your case is under investigation due to an irregularity, you may be granted provisional enrollment for the supplementary examination, pending the investigation’s outcome.
Inability to complete the end-of-year examination: If you cannot write or complete the end-of-year examination for a valid reason, you can write the supplementary examination for the specific examination question paper you did not complete.

Remember, the internal assessment of the Grade 12-year, including practical or oral assessment marks where applicable, will be used to meet the internal assessment and external examination requirements.

Like the second national exams, the IEB NSC supplementary examinations are there to give you a second chance to fulfil your academic goals. Therefore, if you meet the qualifications, seize this opportunity and make the most out of it.

Read more: Blanked Out During An Exam – What To Do

Registering for supplementary exams & when they take place?

Contact the Department of Education via your school.
Applications will close on 8 February 2024. But avoid further stress and register as soon as possible after receiving your results.
The supplementary examinations will take place in May and June 2024.

Receiving your exam results by SMS

If you’d like to receive an instant SMS as soon as your results are released, sms your examination number to 45856. Once the Matric results are released, you’ll receive them. Please note there is a cost of R1.50 for each SMS.

How many subjects can I register for?

You can register to rewrite as many subjects as you like, provided you were registered to write these in 2023. However, you must pay a fee for each subject you rewrite. If you want to write a different subject, you will have to register to take this subject with an institution like UNISA.

What do I need to register?

The only method to apply for the NSC June examinations is by submitting a physical application form. These forms have been sent to candidates’ schools and district offices for your convenience.

Include the following documents with your application:

Your completed and signed application form.
Signed Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act form.
Certified copy of your ID.
Your latest Statement of Results.

You can submit your completed application by dropping it off at the Education District Office that is closest to you.

You’ll receive an SMS notification after your application is processed and verified. Finally, once all applications have been captured and verified, you’ll receive another SMS instructing you to check your registration confirmation online.

How do I prepare for my supplementary exam?

Past exam papers.

Past exam papers are some of the best revision forms. Access several papers for various subjects directly from the Department of Education’s examinations past papers .

This is also an excellent time to consider tutoring. Our tutors will assist you with those tricky sections of work you just can’t seem to grasp on your own. They will help ensure you cover all the material needed before your rewrite. You will improve your chances of improving your marks by getting support systems in place well in advance.

Contact us via our book a tutor page, and we’ll set you up with a tutor who will be there with you every step of the way. We want to see you succeed and assist you in achieving the marks you need and are capable of.

Read more: Tips To Manage Your Matric Year

What do I do if I don’t qualify to write a supplementary exam?

If you don’t meet the criteria for a supplementary exam, you have the following options:

Re-enroll for the NSC at a school without delay if you are younger than 21 years old. Enrol as a part-time candidate at a Public Adult Education Centre if you are older than 21.
Register for the Senior Certificate (SC) examination, a school leaving qualification for adults and out-of-school learners.
Alternatively, if you were unsuccessful in your examinations, you could consider vocational education and training. There are 50 Public Further Education and Training (FET) colleges across all provinces of South Africa, comprising over 300 campuses or teaching sites.

As a 2023 Matriculant, passing Matric exams is a vital stepping stone towards higher education or employment. But if you stumbled, there’s still hope through supplementary exams. These exams allow for focused, in-depth study on fewer subjects, paving the way for improved performance. With extra preparation time, personalised guidance from BrightSparkz tutors can significantly boost your chances of a higher grade. Remember, with the proper support and determination, a supplementary exam can be your passport to fulfilling your academic or career aspirations.

We’ve matched thousands of parents and learners with their ideal tutors. Book a tutor today .

Helpful resources

For answers to other frequently asked questions about supplementary exams, visit the education.gov.za website .
For information on IEB supplementary exams, read this .
You can also find out what your “Bachelor’s pass”, “Diploma pass”, and “Certificate pass” mean here .
You can view the NSC June Exam table here .

To book a tutor please complete the form below (hourly rates start at R350/hr* online):

First Name *
Contact Number *
Province * Eastern Cape Free State Gauteng Kwa-Zulu Natal Limpopo Mpumalanga North-West Northern Cape Western Cape
Year Matriculated *
How did you hear about us? * Google Search Friend/Colleague School counsellor / teacher BrightSparkz Email Newsletter Facebook Instagram Linked In My Online School (please select below): Cambrilearn Think Digital Academy UCT Online HS Testpapers.com Testpapers.com
Please tell us more about your Matric supplementary exam requirements * Include the subjects which you've registered to re-take.
I agree to being contacted regarding the service I'm enquiring about, and verify that the information provided by me is accurate and correct
I'd like to receive your monthly newsletter with tips and tutoring specials.
Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Need to knw whr to register for rewrite

Hi Innocentia

We have sent you our Matric Rewrite information via email. Please check your email, and once we have received the required details back from you, we can get right onto finding a suitable tutor for you.

We look forward to assisting you!

Kind regards, Ashleigh

Hi, I need the same assistance as Innocentia.

Thank you for your enquiry!

We unfortunately do not assist with confirming / registering learners for re-write exams and are not familiar with the processes involved. You may however, be able to get further information and assistance from one of the below:

– http://www.education.gov.za/ – https://www.brainline.com/

If you are still able to register for your exams and would like to then go ahead with a tutor to assist you in preparing, please feel free to get in touch with us via [email protected] , and we will be glad to confirm the best possible tutor for you.

I hope you’re able to sort everything out.

Hi, My name is Lidia, Please advise as to what marks will be utilised in the matric certificate ….Is it the 2019 October/November or the 2020 supplementary exam … Thanks

Hi Lidia. Whichever marks are the highest will be the ones that appear on your Matric certificate.

Good morning my leader. i would like to know if my 2020 supplementary results are higher, will they automatically be uploaded and enrolled as my new NSC results?

Hi Snenhlahla, yes, if your supplementary results are higher, these will replace your current NSC results.

Hello, if I applied to rewrite but my mark for the rewrite is lower, do they automatically take the higher of the two?

Hi Lily, yes the higher of the two marks will appear on your final Matric certificate.

Is it not that they consider ur latest results irrespective of whether low or high?

Hi Marvin, your highest marks are the ones that will appear on your final Matric certificate.

Hi there, I just wanted to make sure. I wrote my NCS finals in 2015 and failed 2 subjects (Math/Physics) and enrolled for SC exams this year. Since I’m only rewriting the two subjects will my other subjects such as Civil engineering be affected when applying for the Amened Senior Certificate?

Hi Chris, only the two subjects you’re rewriting will be affected.

All I need to know is that am I registered for the supplementary exams to write in November 2020?

Hi Babalo, you will need to check with the Department of Education to find out if you’re registered.

Hi Tessa I need to know if I can register at my previous school to re-write my matric?

Hi Eunice, yes you should be able to register at your previous school to rewrite, provided you meet the other criteria to rewrite as explained in this article.

Can i still register to rewire want to upgrade my maths

Hi Patricia, unfortunately the closing date for applications was in January. You can register to take Maths again next year with a distance learning school like Unisa.

If you failed Pure Maths and didn’t do very well on physics, can you rewrite but change to Math Lit and Tourism?

Hi Jada, you can only do a supplementary exam for subjects you already took in Matric, BUT you can redo the last year if you want to do other subjects, either through a distance learning center like UNISA or with your old school, if they’ll let you.

I also need to know where to register, am from Pretoria, Soshanguve.

Hi Tshegofatso

Thank you for your enquiry! We would be happy to assist you with an excellent tutor to prepare you for your Matric re-write exam.

We do not assist with confirming / registering learners for re-write exams, however if you require any further information regarding registering for your exam, please take a look here:

Once you have registered for your exam and would like to go ahead with a tutor, please feel free to get in touch with us via [email protected] , and we will confirm the best possible tutor for you.

Thanks, Ashleigh

i need to register for matric upgrate .. how do i do it ?

Hi Kgomotso

Greetings. I’d like to if one qualifies to rewrite subjects (2) provided that they only wish to improve thier marks and not because of some life ordeal.

Hi Simphiwe. In this case, you’ll need to register with your school or a distance education institute like UNISA to retake the entire subject for a year – you won’t be able to just write supplementary exams in June.

Hi I did my matric in 2011 I didn’t pass but I qualify for supplementary exams so will I be able to supplement this year if possible?

– http://www.education.gov.za/ – https://www.brainline.com/

Fees for 2 subject English and life science

Hi Constance

Thank you for your enquiry! I have sent our Information & Rates brochure through to you via emial. Should you require any further information, please free to get in touch with us via [email protected] .

I didn’t know the if the closing date was the 19th of January. Is there a possibility that I can still re-write? It’s only one subject, Life Sciences.

We unfortunately do not assist with confirming / registering learners for re-write exams. You may however, be able to get further information and assistance from the below:

If you are still able to register for your exam and would like to then go ahead with a tutor to assist you in preparing, please feel free to get in touch with us via [email protected] , and we will be glad to confirm the best possible tutor for you.

I hope you’re able to sort everything out.

Good day. I was struggling to get my results at school and now I am late for the supplementary exams registration please help what can I do now.

Hi I pass my matric this year with a national diploma but I want that diploma to a bachelors degree.

Hi Thembakazi

We unfortunately do not assist with confirming / registering learners for re-write exams, and are not familiar with the processes involved in upgrading your pass type from a National Diploma to entry into a Bachelors degree. You may however, be able to get further information and assistance from the below:

Good day, I would like to re-write my matric accounting but I did my matric in 2008 will I still be able to re-write? If so will I be provided with study material by my previous high school? I would also like to know when the matric re-write will be?

We unfortunately do not assist with confirming / registering learners for re-write exams. You may however, be able to get further information and assistance from one of the below:

If l passed last year but with 30s what will happen if I do metric rewrite and fail during matrix rewrite

Hi I just want to know when is the last day of matric rewrites exams, and the marking starts when and ends when?

Hi Zithulele

We unfortunately are not familiar with the processes / timelines involved in Matric rewrite exams. You may however, be able to get further information and assistance from one of the below:

hello can I ask it possible to register before 6 Feb to supplement exams?

If you are still able to register and would like to get a tutor to assist you in your exam preparation, please feel to get in touch with us via [email protected] .

Hi I did my matric last year and failed one subject Life Sciences so im late for supplementary registration is the a way that i can still register…..plz help

Hi Andisiwe

Where to register for rewrite matric I’m from taung

Hello my name is Puleng Thabana and I’d like to write a supplement exam but in November not February so is it possible if I could register? I’m originally from Bloemfontein

Hi I need help please ???? I wrote my supplementary exams a year ago and unfortunately did not meet the requirements, would I be able to write again and if so when?

I want time for supplementary where do i get

We unfortunately are not familiar with the processes of Matric rewrite exams and do not have access to timetables. You may however, be able to get further information and assistance from one of the below:

Hi I want to know the registration dates for matric re_write in november coz now its already closed

Hi Ithabeleng

We unfortunately are not familiar with the processes of Matric rewrite exams and do not have access to timetables or registration dates. You may however, be able to get further information and assistance from one of the below:

Eish me 2 ithabeleng i want to knw the registration dates for matric re write in november so plz if u hear something inform me plz my whatsapp 0792222791 plz

where do u register I’m northern cape kuruman

We unfortunately are not familiar with the processes of Matric rewrite exams and do not have access to timetables or registration information. You may however, be able to get further information and assistance from one of the below:

Hi am Lulu I didn’t pass my matric in 2018 so I need to supplement English and history please help me

Hi Lulu, you will need to register to retake these subjects, either at your old school or with a distance learning provider like UNISA. If you are 21 or older, you’ll need to apply for an Adult Basic Education Certificate.

I did my matric in 2008 ,so I wanna upgrade my results so how to register ,I’m in vereeniging

Hi Potsisho

Hi I matriculated in 2016 but failed 2 subject i was asking if it is possible that i can upgrade the two subject that i failed if i dont want to do a suppliment?

hi I just want to know if i can supplement my maths and physics BT im in varsity doing a course I don’t like in help

Sorry for the delay in reply. Did you find the information you were looking for or do you still have questions about a matric re-write?

Kind regards,

Hi I matriculated in 2007 but I failed my maths and physics so I would like to supplement both subjects so hw do I do it.

HI Thembelihle. You will need to apply for an Amended Senior Certificate. You can find more information here: https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/SeniorCertificate(amended) .aspx

Hi my name is Zelda,I was in grade 12 class of 2015 but didn’t pass.so I just wanted to know whether i qualify to write supplementary exams or not.

Hi Zelda. You will need to apply for an Amended Senior Certificate. You can find more information here: https://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/SeniorCertificate(amended) .aspx

hi i to know if i can write a different subject in my supplementary exams so like instead of core math i can write math lit

Hi Kiara. You can only write supplementary exams for subjects you originally took in Matric. For different subjects, you will need to apply to do the subject for the year with a school or a distance learning institution like UNISA.

Hello, I have a question… I failed matric 2014 in Eastern Cape and I just wrote one subject which I passed in Western Cape, which I needed to pass to get my certificate… Now question is am I gonna get my certificate in Western Cape or Eastern Cape?

Hi Somila. Unfortunately we’re not associated with the Department of Education, so we can’t be sure! Please get in touch with the department here: https://www.education.gov.za/AboutUs/ContacttheDBE.aspx

I need to see supplementary timetable 2019 November

Hi Fortune. Supplementary exams are no longer written in November. They are only written in June of the following year. The Department of Education will release the schedule within the next couple of months.

Hi i wrote my Matric 2015 unfortunately I didn’t make it, so I wrote my supplementary exam in 2016 when I check my results they said a pending… Please help.

Hi Zodwa. Unfortunately we aren’t associated with the Department of Education, and we can’t help! You can try to get in touch with them here: https://www.education.gov.za/AboutUs/ContacttheDBE.aspx

Hi Ashleigh, I wanted to ask if i do not qualify for supplementary exams because i did not fail or anything irregular… I just want to improve my Maths marks… What can i do?

Seconding that, I write ieb exams… Are there going to be supplementary s in 2020?

Hi Oscar. Yes, IEB students can also write supplementary exams in June 2020. However, you still need to meet the requirements: https://www.ieb.co.za/pages/iebnscsupplementaryexaminations

Hi Oscar. You’ll need to register to rewrite the subjects. You can do this with the same school, or with a distance learning provider like UNISA.

I finished my matric 2018 so I want to re-write so is it possible to re-write where i was doing my matric or they won’t allow me?

Hi Lerato. You should be able to write with the same school. You will need to get in touch with them to ask though!

in my supplementary exam i registered for one subjects is it possible to register for the other one i failed

Hi Zakhele. You can register for any subject that you took in Matric last year – you will just need to pay the registration fee for every subject you register for.

Can you write supplementary exam in another school

Hi Felow. You will need to register to write your supplementary exams with the same school you wrote your Matric exams in last year.

I just want to know the difference in difficulty between the original finals and supplementary exams

Hi Letapata. The difficulty of the original finals and supplementary exams is the same. You will just have 5-6 extra months to study!

I want to rewrite my matric and I need help about it

Hi Nomathemba. The Department of Education is the best place to go for help with registering for supplementary exams or rewrites. You can find their FAQ’s here: http://www.education.gov.za/Curriculum/NationalSeniorCertificate(NSC)Examinations/tabid/338/Default.aspx and their contact details here: https://www.education.gov.za/AboutUs/ContacttheDBE.aspx

Is is possible to supplement in another Provence?

Hi Dikeledi. You will need to contact the education department through your school to confirm that you can write in another province.

Hi I wanted that if I write supplementary exam and it happens that I fail will I still have another chance to write.

Hi Kamogelo. You’ll only have one chance to write the supplementary exams. If you fail, you will need to apply to retake the subject in 2021, either through your school or a distance learning center like UNISA.

Hi there.I want to know whether the June 2020 supplementary exam will be like any November exam or much more difficult?In order to be prepared do we study the entire year’s syllabus as we did for November exams at school?(Or should we use past June exam papers as a guideline on what needs to be studied?)Will we write the exact same June paper as the fellow Matrics of 2020?Do we write on the same date as the Matrics of 2020?I heard that if we don’t do as well as expected in June,the DBE will automatically allow a “final” chance to take the exam in November 2020 once again.Is this true? MANY THANKS AND APOLOGIES FOR THE LONG QUESTIONS!

Hi Nawal. The supplementary exam is NOT the same as the June Matric exams, and will not happen on the same date. All the Matric work will be covered in the exam, so you can prepare by going through old November exam papers. The supplementary exams will be at the same level as the November exams, not more difficult. You won’t be allowed to take another exam in November, but if you don’t do well you can retake the subject with a distance learning center like UNISA next year.

I matriculated in 2017 and i passed with Diploma…im 20 years old….i wanna suplement one subject….is it possible to rewrite at my old school???

Hi Pretty, you’ll need to redo the whole subject with a distance learning institute, like UNISA. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to do this through your old school.

Hi I need advice please, I passed my matric with a bachelors. I failed maths literacy and passed biology with 30%, supplemented 2009 and failed both. does it mean i failed my matric? do i need to re-write

Hi Malehlohonolo, if your certificate says you “achieved a bachelor’s pass” as you say, then you passed Matric!

Hi There, my daughter matriculated in 2016 and didn’t get a good mark for maths, what is a way forward to improve just the maths mark.

Hi Cindy. As your daughter is now older than 21, she will need to register with an Adult Education & Training Center, to write her Amended Senior Certificate. You can find more information and a few options here: http://www.abet.co.za/adult_matric_study.html

Hi, I just wanted to find out if it’s possible to take life science as a supplementary subject even though I didn’t take life science in high school.

Hi Queen. You’ll need to take Life Science as an additional subject through your old high school or through a distance learning center like UNISA.

What happens if I fail my supplementary paper does my old result come back or I lose every thing

Hi Thuthukani. If you fail your supplementary exam, your final result will be the highest mark you got (either in your Matric final or for the supplementary).

Hello is too late to want to register for my supplimentary exams, I’m in ivory park

Hi Karabo, unfortunately the closing date for registration was 31 January. You still have options though: you can apply to redo the subject(s) you’d like to improve next year, through your old school or a distance learning center like UNISA.

hello ,..I would like to upgrade my matric results… I did my matric at 2012 and I pass with a diploma

Hi Paulet, you’ll need to apply at an Adult Basic Education & Training center in order to redo the subject(s) you’d like to improve upon.

Hi, I need some information on how to register for a rewrite in November 2020 I failed 2 subjects last year

Hi Agriment,

Unfortunately rewrite registration for 2020 closed on 31 January 2020. You will need to apply to rewrite your Matric in 2021, either with your old high school or at another school.

hi, I could register to rewrite with ieb by the 31st of march is there any chance I can register after the lockdown.

Hi Keitumetse, you can now register for rewrites online by 30 April – please check the Department of Education’s website for more information.

dear sir/maam i need you to assist me for a rewrite exam for nov-dec 2020 suplementary,i was write supplementary on 2019 but i did not meet the requirement!..so may can you help me to register for exam?. HOPE FOR POSITE RESPONSE.THANKS

yoursfaithfully ginya n

Hi Nyandano,

Because you wrote supplementary exams in 2019, you will now need to apply to rewrite your Matric in 2021, with your old high school or any other school.

Hello, how can I check if am registered to re-write my November 2020 exams?

Hi Warren, you’ll need to check with the Department of Education to find out if you’re registered.

Hi, I would like to be informed about whether there is still a possibility that I can register now to supplement some of my subjects in November, I could not register ealier during the year and I thought I would go to college, but I’ve been practising for the whole of 2020 and I now know I can do better. I matriculated 2019 and I am turning 19 years on November.

Hi Gift, unfortunately the closing date for applications was in January. You can register to retake some of your Matric subjects next year with a distance learning institution like UNISA.

I have subject certificate of matric I was doing 6 subjects so I passed four I need advice what to do I need a mentor to what to do exactly to have matric which subjects to do I need to further my studies

Hi Chris, please look at the website of the university or college that you want to go to, and see which subjects you need to pass to get into the course you want to take. Most colleges and universities also have student advisors who can help you decide, for free.

hi i wanted to know if supplementing an exam means you improve your final mark out of 75% and then they add the 25% you obtained in your matric year? or do you write out of 100%? and would also like to know if you take a provincial test or a dbe test

Hi Mahlasela. A supplementary exam is written out of 100%. If the mark you get for your supplementary exam is better than the mark you got for your Matric exam, then your new, better mark will appear on your Matric certificate. If it’s not better, the old mark will still be on your Matric certificate. The test is a national level DBE test.

I was in matric 2008 and failed History and Math literacy! In 2009 i wrote my supplementary that two subjects and i past history with 30% and failed my math literacy again. Does that mean i qualify for my NCS?

Hi Porcia-Jazdine. You need to pass Maths or Maths Literacy, 2 languages and Life Orientation in order to pass Matric.

Hi, My name is Lidia, I qualified to study a diploma… And I registered 3 subjects for supplementary exam in November to improve my chances for a bachelor degree… Please advise what happens if my marks go lower than the 2019 exam…. What marks will be used on my matric certificate….

Hi Lidia, your final marks will be whichever ones are higher. Good luck!

Hello What’s going to happen if you decide not to rewrite but you registered?

Hi Dinah, you don’t have to write just because you registered, but you probably won’t get a refund.

When the department of education will open for supplementary exam 2021 exam

Hi Nomozizi, normally the Department of Education opens registration in January. You can keep an eye on this blog – we will update it as soon as the information is available!

Hey , do i have a choice to write at a center designated for Supplementary exams (if i may ask where) and not at school? because i really don’t want to write at my school. i’d prefer if i wrote my supplementary exams elsewhere

Hi Una, it depends where you register – you can register with your old school, or you can register with your provincial department and write at another center.

Hi I would like to know ..if I failed 2 subjects math lit and life sciences and I applied to rewrite it but then I decide I only want to rewrite 1 subject and that’s math lit will I still be able to pass my matric if I write 1 subject ?

Hi Jamie, it would depend on the subject – you need to pass Maths or Maths lit in order to pass your Matric, so you will need to rewrite this. But you don’t need to pass Life Science in order to pass Matric IF you’ve passed all your other subjects.

Good day I registered at hlogotlou circuit for writing supplementary but dua to covid we didn’t write they said we will write during November but today I went to collect my time table and they said they can’t find my time table so I don’t know what to do or where can I find it please help

Hi Rebotile, you should get in touch with the provincial education department to find out if they have your details, and to get your schedule from them.

Good morning. What happens when you get a lower mark in your sups compared to the grade 12 mark

Hi John. Whichever mark is higher will appear on your final Matric certificate – in this case, your original Grade 12 mark.

Hello I registered to rewrite but I have decided that I am no longer rewriting. Does that mean my marks are going to be 0 when they comeback or will my marks stay the same as they were in matric?

Hi Kay, no, your mark will remain what it was in Matric.

Dear sir/madam, I passed all my subjects in 2019 and went on to study in 2020 but would like to improve my math result in 2021. Could you kindly inform me of the procedure I would have to take and whether I am able to rewrite at my old school? Kind regards Simon

Hi Simon, you will need to register to rewrite this subject either part time or full time at a school or distance learning institute.

Do I have to rewrite at my former school??

Hi Thapedi, you don’t HAVE to rewrite at your former school, but you do need to write at a school near to you, so this is often the best option.

Hi, I wrote my matric in 2013 and have a diploma pass. I have failed Maths and would like to know if I will be able to do Maths Lit instead, if yes do I have to register with the department to do Maths Lit? Thank you.

Hi Sara, you can register with the Department to do Maths Lit as an Amended Senior Certificate subject.

Hi I would like to know when are the registrations at abet for someone who matriculated in 2013 but didnt make it ?

Hi Phumi, you will need to register by 28 February online, or 12 March in person.

I passed with highcertificate and I want to improve 4 subjects, please help

Hi Gladness. If you wrote Matric in 2020, you can register to write supplementary exams. If you wrote your Matric before 2020, and are under 21, you will need to register to redo your Matric year at a school either part time or full time. If you are over 21, you can register for the Amended Senior Certificate.

Comments are closed.

Why We Exist B-BBEE Status Blog Careers Contact Us Corporates & NPOs COVID-19 Statement Project 10 000 Schools Sparkz Club

Where We Operate

Popular subjects & grades, other services.

Homeschoolers Language Boot Camps Learn@Home Little Sparkz Matric Re-Writes Online Tutoring Readers & Scribes Remote Learning Study Skills Crash Course

Newsletter Sign-Up

I am a footer code snippet!

To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Supplementary Handouts

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Creating supplementary handouts is not a requirement for the research poster genre, however they might be useful for your audence — especially when your poster is featured at academic conferences, for example. Providing handouts of your presentation materials allow your audience to engage directly with the content through a tangible summary of your research.

It is not necessary to include your entire poster or the content of your presentation on a handout, but rather to reiterate the research questions and results. When creating a handout, ensure that the organization of your content allows for accessible reading and utilizes a consistent layout. As a general rule of thumb, be certain to include citations and your contact information, on your handout.

Handout Examples

Below, you'll find supplementary handout examples that coorespond with the horizontal and vertical posters provided in the " Formatting Considerations " section of this resource. Feel free to click on the link to download the individual PDFs or view them here at your convenience.

Composed by Rachel Atherton
Composed by Victoria Ruiz

Student Representative Council
Collectives
The Board of Directors
Student News
Governance & Documentation
Initiatives
Academic Advocacy
Free Legal Advice
Join a Club or Society
Start A Club
Club Resources
Special General Meeting
Role Vacancies at QUT Guild
Volunteering
Special circumstances

Sometimes life gets in the way of your studies. Depending on what your circumstances are and what you are seeking, you can apply for:

An assignment extension
Special consideration
A deferred exam
A supplementary assessment
Withdrawal without academic and/or financial penalty

1. Assignment Extension

Automatic 48-hour extension.

* Extension requests will open 48 hours before the assignment due date and close 48 hours after the due date.

Some units may not be eligible, please check your unit outline.

If you have already applied for a Formal Extension, you cannot receive another 48-hour extension on top, however; if you apply for the 48-hour extension you can then apply for the formal extension if required.

The 48-hour is included in your requested extension time (for example a student applies for a 7-day extension during their 48-hour (2 days) extension they will be granted an extra 5 days.

Longer Extension

Consider this option if you cannot submit your assignment on time due to special circumstances and need extra time to work on your assignment. Special circumstances include:

Health conditions
Family or personal circumstances
Employment-related circumstances
Unavoidable commitments

You must apply for an extension on or before the assignment due date and provide supporting documentation to support your claim.

Late Extension

If you need more time to submit an assignment and it’s already past the 48-hour late period, your request will only be considered if you can provide proof of an exceptional situation that stopped you from turning it in on time. This is done through the extension portal.

This proof needs to clearly show what the exceptional situation was and how it prevented you from submitting the assignment.

For instance, just having a note from a doctor saying you were sick isn’t enough. The note must also explain how serious your illness was and how it affected your ability to submit the assignment.

2. Special Consideration

Consider applying for special consideration if you have submitted – or plan to submit – your assignment on the due date but feel that your special circumstances reduced the quality of your work. If approved, QUT can choose to:

reconsider the final unit grade. But be careful, reconsideration of you grade does not guarantee an increase of your grade. QUT may choose to leave your grade unaltered after reconsidering it.
issue an alternative or additional assessment item.
re-weigh your assessment. Let’s say you have a 20% assignment, 20% quiz and a 60% exam, but special circumstances impacted your performance in the assignment. QUT may reduce the weight of the assignment to 0% and increase the quiz to 40%.
give you a late assignment extension. This outcome is only relied on where a student fails to submit an extension application on time due to extenuating circumstances.

Unlike assignment extensions, special consideration only applies to students who are experiencing:

Health issues, except for minor illnesses that only lasted 1-2 weeks and occurred a week (or more) before the assessment due date; and
Personal/family circumstances.

You must apply on or within 3 days of the assessment due date.

Application:

Please note that Special Consideration is a significant concession that requires either a major health condition or a personal/familial circumstance that occurred before the due date for an assignment/exam, and which have adversely impacted upon your ability to complete assessment items to your usual standard.

This application will need to be supported with appropriate documentation detailing the special circumstances that impacted your performance. You must apply on or within 3 working days of the assessment due date.

Available outcomes are determined by the appropriateness to address the special circumstances, and include the following:

No change to the assessment item or final grade;
Completion of an alternative or additional assessment of a similar academic level;
The ability of the student to demonstrate the unit learning outcomes;
Whether this reweighting is equitable;
Any inherent requirements of the course.
Academic concessions applied for and granted in the relevant teaching period
The duration and extent of special consideration with reference to the assessment item/s
The student’s level of achievement in all assessment items in the unit with reference to the learning outcomes.

The full policy can be found in Manual of Policies and Procedures, Student Academic Concessions Policy, Section 9.

Review the decision:

If you are dissatisfied with QUT’s decision for the type of special consideration that may be applied , or the decision to reject your application, you will need to submit a Review of Academic Ruling (embed link for Review of Academic Ruling below) to dispute this.

3. Deferred Exam

Consider applying for a deferred exam if you are physically unable to attend your exam due to special circumstances and would like to sit your exam at a later date. You must apply on or within 3 days of your exam.

Also keep in mind that:

You cannot defer an already deferred exam. If you extenuating circumstance are present the day of your deferred exam, attempt your exam where you are able to and apply for special consideration.
You cannot defer your exam if you attended it, regardless if you left early or not. The most you can do in this scenario is apply for special consideration.

4. Supplementary Assessment

Consider applying for supplementary assessment (’supps’) if:

You failed a unit with a grade of 3; and
You would like a second chance at passing the unit; and
This unit is not a designated unit; and
one of your final 96 credit points (for students in a degree that is 3 years or more fulltime); or
one of your final 48 credit points (for students in a degree that is less than 3 years fulltime.

Students may be granted supplementary assessment in a limited number of cases where a grade of 3 has been achieved. This limit is such that the maximum number overall in a course is:

two in the final 96 cp in coursework programs of three or more years full-time duration or equivalent, or
one in the final 48 cp in coursework programs of less than three years full-time duration or equivalent.

5. Withdrawal Without Academic and/or Financial Penalty

Consider applying for withdrawal without academic and/or financial penalty if your special circumstances

caused you to fail a unit; or
forced you to withdraw from a unit after the census date; and you would like QUT to
wipe the fail grade from my academic record; and/or
waive any obligations to pay the unit’s tuition fees.

You must provide independent supporting documentation to prove to QUT that:

These circumstances must have:
made its full impact on your academic performance or after the relevant census date for that teaching period;
made it impracticable for you to complete the unit that semester
been beyond your control; and
been severe, uncommon and abnormal for you.
You have 12 months to submit this application, counting from day you completed or withdrew from the unit.

Download and read our Withdrawal Without Penalty Checklist and Student Guide to determine your eligibility to apply for special circumstances.

supplementary assignment

IMAGES

VIDEO

COMMENTS