QCE AARA: access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and illness and misadventure

What AARA covers

QCAA recognises three broad grounds:

• disability, impairment or medical condition;
• illness and misadventure (for example being unable to attend an exam, or having your performance significantly and adversely affected);
• other circumstances that create a barrier to assessment.

QCAA's updated AARA policy (Memo 006/26) applies from 2026. It puts more emphasis on principles and decision-making, consultation with students and parents or carers, and supporting documentation, rather than treating a diagnosis alone as enough.

Examples of arrangements include extra time, rest breaks, alternative-format papers, a reader or scribe, a computer or assistive technology, and a variation to venue. Arrangements must be reasonable and keep the assessment valid: they change access, not the standard you're assessed against.

Who applies and how

1. Talk to your school early, ideally in Year 11 or as soon as a condition is identified.
2. Your school consults with you (and your parents or carers where appropriate) and gathers evidence showing how the condition affects your ability to read, respond to or take part in assessment, not just the diagnosis.
3. The principal either approves and reports the arrangement (principal-reported AARA) or submits it to QCAA for approval (QCAA-approved AARA), depending on the arrangement.
4. The school tells you the outcome.

Internal assessment AARA is managed by your school within QCAA's rules. AARA for external assessment is normally included in the same application.

2026 deadlines for external assessment

Illness and misadventure

For external assessment, apply if you:

• can't attend or attempt the assessment because of illness or misadventure;
• attend and complete it, but your performance was significantly and adversely affected; or
• start but are forced to abandon it.

Applications can be lodged from 14 days before the external assessment period starts until 7 days after your final external assessment. The application must identify the illness or misadventure, explain its effect and include evidence. Tell the supervisor straight away if something happens during an exam, and get documentation as close to the time as you can.

AARA vs QTAC's Educational Access Scheme

Many students affected by long-term difficulties apply for both.

For how the external assessment fits into your subject result, see internal vs external assessment. For exam-day rules, see QCE exam day: what to expect.