Applications
Find out how the application process for HSC exam provisions works and who does what. Applications can start as early as Year 10 for some students, and most are due by the end of Term 1 of an HSC course year.
Application process
There are 5 stages in the application process:
Someone identifies that a student might need support
A student, parent, caregiver or school identifies that a student might need exam provisions to support them accessing the HSC exams.
Everyone discusses the process
The school explains the exam provisions process to the student, parent or caregiver. Together, they identify:
- how the student’s condition or disability will affect them in the HSC exams
- what exam provisions can support the student
- what supporting information NESA requires for each of those provisions.
Everyone collects supporting information
The student, parents and caregivers collect supporting information for those provisions, such as medical reports or the reading or writing tests. The school collects other supporting information, such as teachers’ comments and a student’s writing samples.
The school applies
The school finalises the application and attaches all the supporting information. The student and their principal confirm that the application is correct. The school submits the application. Most applications are due by the end of Term 1 of the HSC year.
NESA reviews the application
We review the application. We tell the school the outcome, and at the same time tell the student that we have done this. The school tells the student what our decision is and why.
Schools manage the application process
Schools apply for exam provisions on behalf of their students through Schools Online. This is the website that allows principals and selected staff to view and maintain information about their school and students. To access Schools Online, principals can:
- call Student Records on 02 9367 8001 to set up an account
- use that account to give staff members access.
We recommend schools nominate 2 points of contact for this process. They should be members of the school learning and support team, such as a Year adviser, school counsellor or other nominated teacher who is familiar with the student. Schools can have different contact people for each student.
Schools Online process
There are 7 parts to the Schools Online application process:
- General information
- School and student details
- Medical/Hearing/Vision/Learning disability provisions
- Supporting evidence
- Teacher comments
- Student declaration
- Principal declaration
Supporting information
It is critical that schools include all the supporting information needed for each provision requested. Without it, we will not be able to review the application and make a decision. In some cases, schools can appeal our decision and may provide new supporting information with the appeal, but this causes delays.
Find out what we need by reviewing 2 pages:
- the Supporting information page for all applications
- specific requirements for the most common provisions, which you can find by searching for them using the Types of provisions page.
Students, parents and caregivers are part of the process
Students benefit from early and complete applications for exam provisions. Late or incomplete submissions create uncertainty and might not give students time to practise with their approved provisions or to use them in any school-based tasks. For applications lodged close to the HSC exams, we might not be able to review and approve them in time.
To make sure applications are submitted early and complete, students, parents and caregivers should be involved throughout the application process. They should talk to the school about:
- how the student’s condition or disability impacts them throughout their schooling
- what support the student needs to access both everyday schooling and the HSC exams
- when the student has a specialist medical appointment scheduled (so the school can give the student medical forms for the specialist to fill in at the same time)
- any changes in how the condition, disability or medication impact the student.
Complete, relevant and recent information is important
We have made the application process as practical and efficient as possible. In most cases, there is no cost or only a minimal cost in applying for exam provisions.
We only need specific information for each exam provision (see the Supporting information page). The information must be relevant to the provision being applied for, complete and recent. Students, parents and caregivers should talk to their school to confirm they know what is needed before seeking a specialist report or any other supporting evidence.
Schools can gather most supporting information. This includes:
- reading tests
- spelling tests
- writing samples (usually from HSC school-based assessment tasks).
We need teachers to comment on how school-based adjustments have impacted the student in exam situations. Collecting this information should be part of a school's usual practice to evaluate how well those adjustments are working.
For many (but not all) provisions, we also need medical, hearing or vision reports. In most cases, students can get these reports as part of their usual health appointments at no extra cost.
You can add provisions to your application
It is important that applications are provided early and complete, so that students know the outcome early and can practise with any approved provisions.
But in some cases, students might want to ask for an extra provision after NESA has decided on your application. In this case, the school can submit a variation to the application.
To find out more about how this works, students, parents and caregivers should speak to their school.
Application timeframes vary based on condition or disability
Most applications for exam provisions:
- open at the start of Term 4 of the year before the HSC exams
- close at the end of Term 1 of the HSC exam year.
This timeframe allows schools to gather the relevant information, apply and appeal if appropriate. But timeframes vary for students with long-standing conditions or disabilities and students who have only recently needed exam provisions.
| Condition or disability status explained | Applications open | Applications close |
|---|---|---|
| Stable | Year 10, Term 4 | The end of Term 1 of the HSC year |
| Changeable | Term 4 of the year before the HSC | The end of Term 1 of the HSC year |
| New or not yet stable | Term 3, Year 12 | The end of week 6 in Term 3 of the HSC year |
| Emergency | 4 weeks before exams start | Exam day and during the exam period |
Condition or disability status explained
Students with a stable functional impact include students with:
- diabetes
- vision impairment who need braille
- hearing impairment
- physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida
- long-standing developmental coordination disorder that causes illegible or painful writing.
Students with a changeable functional impact include students with:
- specific learning disorders
- ADHD
- epilepsy
- Crohn’s disease
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- Ross River fever.
Students with a new or not yet stable functional impact include students with a newly diagnosed psychiatric or neurological disorders.
Applications for these students should only be submitted after the student has had a medical intervention or done therapy. These applications also need to include details of what strategies the student is already using as part of their supporting information.
We will review applications outside the normal application period for students who develop a condition or disability (or their condition or disability changes) after the application close date.
Students with a functional impact that is an emergency include students who have recently:
- been in a car or sporting accident
- broken their arm
- had surgery.
Ask for emergency provisions immediately, both before and during the HSC exam period. Call NESA Student Support on 02 9367 8117.
Additional resources
Contact NESA Student Support
You can contact our Student Support team to discuss your circumstances.