What is special consideration?
Special consideration is a post-exam adjustment that we make to a candidate's mark. We do this to make allowances for some adverse circumstances, for example illness, bereavement, temporary injury or disruption to an exam.
What types of special consideration are available?
You can submit applications for different categories of special consideration:
- Present but disadvantaged candidates. Apply within seven days of the last exam of the syllabus affected.
- Candidates absent from a component for acceptable reasons. Apply within seven days of the last exam of the syllabus affected.
- Coursework-related special consideration (unrelated to the published component adjustments for November 2022). Apply before the exam, by the coursework submission deadline.
How do I apply?
The following instructions apply to these categories of special consideration:
- Present but disadvantaged candidates
- Candidates absent from a component for acceptable reasons
- Coursework-related special consideration.
To apply:
- Log in to Cambridge International Direct (Direct)
- Go to the ‘special consideration’ area
- Complete the relevant form(s)
- Submit them to us by the deadline.
Alternatively, you can download and then complete the relevant form(s) from the 'Support Materials' area of Direct and email back to us.
What is being ‘absent from a component for acceptable reasons’?
If a candidate is absent from a component for an acceptable reason we may calculate and award an assessed mark for the missing component. You can find more information, including some of the unacceptable reasons for special consideration, in section 5 of the Cambridge Handbook.
For the November 2022 series we are again expanding our special consideration process for candidates who unexpectedly, for an acceptable reason, miss some components they were entered for. As long as these candidates have taken at least one eligible component, they can receive a grade. This is a temporary measure in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
We cannot calculate an assessed mark for the following:
- Cambridge International A Levels where a candidate has not completed any A Level components (A2 Level components) in the exam series
- Any component that does not have a weighting e.g. an endorsed component
- Syllabuses where a candidate has only completed a component that does not have a weighting e.g. an endorsed component.
Usually, the minimum requirements for calculating an assessed mark are that the candidate should:
- Have covered the whole course.
- Have completed 50 per cent of the total assessment by component weighting in the relevant exam series. Carry-forward marks do not count. If the candidate has completed less than 50 per cent you should still apply and we will consider whether we can calculate an assessed mark.
I am an Associate Centre – how do I apply for special consideration?
Please apply using the relevant form rather than via Direct:
- Log in to Cambridge International Direct (Direct) and go to ‘Support Materials’.
- Download the relevant form(s).
- Complete and send them to your Cambridge Associate.
- You Cambridge Associate should check your form and email it to us within seven days of the last exam of the syllabus affected.
If you need help please refer to section 5.5 of the Cambridge Handbook.
Special consideration supplement
We know many of you have questions about special consideration and we have created a supplement (PDF, 440KB) to support you with this and help answer your queries.
How does Cambridge calculate marks for missing components?
There is more information about how we calculate a mark on our Calculating assessed marks page.
Are assessed marks fair?
Yes. In our Code of Practice, we say that candidates will be treated fairly in all circumstances (aim 5.2). To treat candidates fairly, our special considerations will not give a candidate receiving them an advantage over other candidates (5.2i).
The method we use to produce assessed marks reflects a candidate’s position relative to the other candidates for the components they have all done. This means it is designed to make sure that achieving each assessed mark is neither easier nor harder than achieving the same mark through completing the exam.
Of course, we strongly recommend that candidates plan to take all the components they can – it is better educationally, fairer for candidates, and reduces the risk that a candidate misses every component and cannot be given a grade.
Do assessed marks give candidates the same grade they would have got if they had taken the component? We are confident that grades awarded where candidates have assessed marks are appropriate because the way that they are produced does not give candidates an advantage or disadvantage.
There are syllabuses where performance on the different components does not always correlate strongly. It may be that some candidates perform better on paper 1 than on paper 2, while other candidates perform better on paper 2 than on paper 1. Where this is the case, it is possible that a candidate’s grade using an assessed mark might not be the same as the grade they would have got from taking the component. However, to treat all candidates equally, we award an assessed mark that reflects a candidate’s position relative to the other candidates for the components they have all done.
How might ‘absent for an acceptable reason’ work alongside component exemptions?
Example: you may have candidates taking a syllabus that has three components:
- Component 1: You apply for an exemption.
- Component 2: Your candidates sit the exam for this component at your centre.
- Component 3: Your centre then closes at short notice because of Covid-19.
- Candidates are unable to sit the exam for component 3. You apply for special consideration – absent for an acceptable reason.