• Section 1 - Background and Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Part A - Advice to Students
• Part B - Concerns About Due Dates
• Part C - Disputes Over Due Dates
• Part D - Disputes Over Receipt Date
• Part E - Formal Extensions of Time for Individual Students
• Section 5 - Definitions

This Policy applies only to subjects commenced prior to 1 November 2021.

Section 1 - Background and Purpose

(1) The University requires fair consistent and transparent treatment of late submission of assessment tasks as set out in this Policy.

(2) The standard penalty for late submission of assessment tasks is 5% of the marks for that task for each delay in submission of a day or partial day up to a maximum of five (5) working days after the due date.

(3) Assessment tasks will not be accepted after the earlier of the following occurrences:

1. the fifth (5th) working day after the due date; or 
2. feedback on the assessment task has been returned to any student by the Teaching Team member.

(4) These penalties apply only to individual assessment tasks worth 15% or more of the total assessment for the subject.

(5) Late Submission of take home examinations is not permitted.

Section 2 - Scope

(6) Applies to:

1. All campuses 
2. All subjects
3. All staff assessing student work 
4. All students submitting assessment tasks 
5. Assessment tasks worth 15% or more of the total assessment for the subject

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(7) For individual assessment tasks worth 15% or more of the total assessment for the subject, penalties for late submission shall be 5% of the total possible marks for that task for each delay in submission of a day or partial day up to a maximum of five (5) working days after the due date.

(8) Assessment tasks will not be accepted after the earlier of the following occurrences:

1. the fifth (5th) working day after the due date; or 
2. feedback on the assessment task has been returned to any student by the Teaching Team member.

(9) Late submission of take home examinations is not permitted.

(10) Excluded from the day count are: Saturdays, Sundays, University Holidays (aka Shutdown days) and Public Holidays.

(11) Included in the day count are: days that fall within Study Vacations, University mid-semester vacations and/or University end of semester vacations.

(12) It is recommended that assessment tasks are not scheduled for submission on the day before a weekend or holiday and that School office activities and tutorial times are taken into account when setting due dates.

(13) If submission is by surface mail in Australia or from overseas, the date stamp showing the date of processing by the relevant Post Office must be the same as (or prior to) the due date.

(14) Advice that late submission will be penalised and about processes for seeking extensions of time for submission must be published in the Subject Learning Guide along with a reference point to the relevant policies and procedures.

(15) Students must seek a formal extension to submit after the deadline where there are extenuating circumstances. The extension must normally be sought at least three (3) days prior to the submission date. In exceptional circumstances a retrospective application may be accepted.

(16) Where an extension of time has been formally sought by the student and granted by a member of the Teaching Team, this policy and the same penalties apply to the revised due date.

Section 4 - Procedures

Part A - Advice to Students

(17) Students should be advised in the Subject Learning Guide of the anticipated assessment tasks, the due dates for those tasks and the penalties for late submission. They should also be advised of the process for seeking individual extensions of time for submission.

Part B - Concerns About Due Dates

(18) A student who feels that the advised due dates are not reasonable should discuss their concerns with the Subject Coordinator or Instance Leader. Any decision to adjust due dates for the whole class must be made by the Subject Coordinator.

Part C - Disputes Over Due Dates

(19) After discussion as indicated in Part B, students who continue to feel that there is a problem with the anticipated due date for an assessment task should approach the Course Coordinator for assistance.

(20) If the Course Coordinator cannot resolve the dispute, the Associate Dean, Learning & Teaching should be approached for a determination on the matter.

Part D - Disputes Over Receipt Date

(21) A student who wishes to dispute the date the assessment task was submitted (and therefore the penalty applied) should present their complaint in writing to the Subject Coordinator, giving their reasons for the dispute.

(22) If the Subject Coordinator cannot resolve the dispute, the Chief Examiner for the subject should be approached for a determination on the matter.

Part E - Formal Extensions of Time for Individual Students

(23) A formal application for an extension of time may be made by an individual student in the event of extenuating circumstances such as illness, injury or other circumstance. This application must normally be made at least three (3) days prior to the submission date for the assessment task. This Policy and Procedures then applies to the revised date approved by the member of the Teaching Team.

Section 5 - Definitions

(24) Examples:

(25) For the purpose of this Policy and Procedure:

1. Day – 24 hours beginning at one minute past the time nominated on the date nominated for the submission of the assessment task; includes any part of a day
2. Due date – date and time nominated in the Subject Learning Guide or as advised by a member of the Teaching Team.
3. Study Vacation: any of the periods set aside by the University, normally as class-free time, for purposes of completing assignments and/or preparing for examinations. Study Vacations are published each year in the La Trobe Academic Year Calendar available from http://www.latrobe.edu.au/calendar.
4. Subject Learning Guide: the document distributed or provided online to students at the beginning of semester with substance including details of subject content, expected learning outcomes, assessment and assessment criteria, reading guide, staff contact information, and advice on plagiarism.
5. Submission – delivery, either electronically or by post or by hand, prior to the time and date nominated in the Subject Learning Guide or as advised by a member of the Teaching Team. In the event that the item is submitted by post or electronically, the date stamp on the item is the delivery date. Items delivered by hand are considered delivered upon receipt.
6. Teaching Team: The Subject Coordinator, Instance Leaders and other staff teaching the subject, including sessional staff.
7. University Holiday: a day decreed annually by the University as a day on which the University will be closed. Also referred to as a Shutdown. University Holidays are published each year (under the heading ‘Public Holidays’) in the La Trobe Academic Year Calendar available from http://www.latrobe.edu.au/calendar. Mid-semester and end of semester vacation days are not University holidays unless specifically proclaimed to be such.
   1. For example:
      1. Good Friday and Easter Monday are Australian Public Holidays. Easter Tuesday is a University holiday. Remaining days in the Semester One mid-semester vacation are vacation days.
      2. In 2014, the University Christmas Shutdown will comprise Wednesday 24 December to Thursday 1 January inclusive. Of those days, Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December), Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January) are Australian Public holidays. Wednesday 24 December, Monday 29 December, Tuesday 30 December and Wednesday 31 December are University Holidays.
8. Working day(s): Excluded from the day count are: Saturdays, Sundays, University Holidays/Shutdown days, and Public Holidays. Included in the day count are: days that fall within Study Vacations, University mid-semester vacations and/or University end of semester vacations.