Post-examination communique regarding the May/June 2023 examinations

Dear Unisa Student 

On 3 July 2023, Unisa concluded its May/June 2023 examination period. Our records indicate an increase in student engagement with online learning activities. In the first semester academic period of 2023, Unisa received over 3.1 million student assignments and examination submissions. This demonstrates a strong commitment to learning and active participation from our students. We have also noted a significant decline in the non-usage of proctoring tools, as our students are more familiar with Unisa’s proctoring and invigilation tools.

Below is an outline of the pertinent information that brings to conclusion the May/June 2023 examination period:

1. Results codes on students’ academic records 

We have noted that students may require additional explanations on the results codes reflecting on their academic records. The table below reflects the description of the results codes and the required actions: 

2. May/June 2023 examinations

The May/June 2023 examination period catered for first semester modules with the original scheduling of the May/June 2023 examination period, students writing their second examination opportunity (see section 3 below) and year module supplementary examinations. Students who were unsuccessful in their second examination opportunities are advised to re-register for their modules. Unisa does not grant third examination opportunities to students to rewrite their examinations. 

3. Undergraduate students are granted two examination opportunities. 

Unisa implemented a new provision in the Assessment Policy, which grants an undergraduate student writing a module’s examination in the first examination opportunity, an automatic additional opportunity to rewrite their examination.

Paragraph 6.6 of the Assessment Policy refers:

A student registered for an undergraduate module is entitled to use two consecutive opportunities per module to take the examination. Except if College rules provide otherwise, a student may write the examination during either the first or the second examination opportunity.

A student who takes an examination for the first time during the second examination opportunity and fails is not entitled to an additional examination opportunity. Where a special FI concession was granted to an individual student for a specific module, the student will not be granted a supplementary examination after failing the FI assessment.

For the above reasons, the aegrotat system will not apply to undergraduate students. In accordance with policy, Unisa does not grant third examination opportunities to students to rewrite their missed examinations. In such cases, students are required to re-register for the module.

Please note: Modules with portfolio (evidence-based) assessment, continuous assessment, practical assessment or experiential assessment and those modules that require research reports do not have a second examination opportunity.

Students who are granted a second examination opportunity do not need to re-register for the module.

4. Submissions made by students through the contingency link for module codes for which they have not registered

We have observed that certain students have submitted their examinations through the contingency link for module codes they have not registered for. These students normally utilise other module codes after the lapse of the submission time of their registered module examination. Please be aware that such submissions are automatically rejected by the system. As a result, students who have made such submissions will receive an "absent from examination" result outcome. The rules regarding second or supplementary examination opportunities (refer to section 1) will be applicable in such cases.

5. Aegrotat applications 

Undergraduate students may not apply for an aegrotat. Undergraduate students are entitled to use two consecutive opportunities per module to take their examinations (see section 3). The second examination opportunity caters to missed or failed examinations in the first examination opportunity. Undergraduate students who apply for an aegrotat will automatically receive a system error.

Aegrotat applications are only permitted for postgraduate students who missed their first examination opportunity to write their online examinations. Postgraduate students who were adversely affected by loadshedding and/or network challenges during their examinations or who experienced the death of loved ones or illness during the examinations are requested to apply online for an aegrotat within 10 days of their scheduled examination sitting. Aegrotat applications are not considered after the release of marks. Aegrotat applications will not be processed for postgraduate students who missed their second examination opportunity. Students are advised to visit the Aegrotat and Special Exams (unisa.ac.za) web page for the application process. The institution no longer processes aegrotat applications submitted via e-mail.

In accordance with policy, Unisa does not grant third aegrotat opportunities to students to write their missed examinations. In such cases, students are required to re-register for the module.

Please note: Modules with portfolio (evidence-based) assessment, continuous assessment, practical assessment or experiential assessment and those modules which require research reports are not granted an aegrotat opportunity.

Students are advised to send all examination-related enquiries to exams@unisa.ac.za

6. Non-use of the proctoring (invigilation) tools 

Unisa utilises three proctoring tools for its examinations. Students were forewarned that non-use of the proctoring tools would result in their marks being withheld. Such students would have received either an “absent-supplementary” or an “exam script rejected” outcome as their final result. A student who did not use any of the required proctoring tools when writing a module's exam in the first examination opportunity, will be granted another examination opportunity in the next module examination. A student who did not use any of the required proctoring tools when writing a module's exam in the second examination opportunity, will have to re-register for the relevant module. Further transgressions in this regard will result in formal disciplinary proceedings. A student who feels aggrieved by their outcome after non-use of the proctoring tool may appeal the university’s decision by completing the online appeal form; their marks will released should they be successful. Students have until 31 August 2023 to submit their appeal on the Microsoft form.

CSET and CTA students are requested to refer to their college communication regarding its application of non-use decisions (rules).

Students who exited the Invigilator App for a period of more than 10 minutes

For the May/June 2023 examination period, we forewarned students who were out of the app for a period of more than 10 minutes that they would have their marks withheld. Unisa has taken a decision to provide students who have been identified as being out of the invigilator app for more than 10 minutes a concession to have their marks released with a final warning letter. This concession will only be applicable for the May/June 2023 examination period.

All enquiries relating to invigilation or proctoring processes should be referred to Proctoringenquiries@unisa.ac.za

7. Academic misconduct 

We continue to maintain our zero-tolerance stance against cheating and plagiarism during online examinations. Students who have been identified through the proctoring tools or other evidence to have transgressed the examination rules have been referred to the Student Disciplinary Office.

Often students who have been identified of suspicious misconduct have raised concerns about the length of time it takes to finalise their disciplinary cases. Disciplinary proceedings take a long time to finalise due to the comprehensive process of gathering evidence, and adherence to strict protocols in accordance with the disciplinary policy and legal provisions, which enable well-informed decisions about the appropriate penalties for students who have been found guilty of misconduct. Such penalties for misconduct have ranged from students being awarded a 0% final mark, to three-to-five-year suspensions and expulsions from the university.

The consequences of academic misconduct are quite severe, as students are not only suspended from continuing their studies at Unisa but at other South African universities.  Those students who receive communication from the Disciplinary Office should await further communication from the Disciplinary Office on the type of sanction they have received. Enquiries relating to disciplinary processes may be sent to Examscriptdisciplinary@unisa.ac.za  

8. Students who submitted their examination answer scripts on the Invigilator App and not the official examination platforms 

Students were instructed to submit their examination answer scripts via the official myExams platform. In cases where students experienced challenges with the myExams platform, they were advised to submit their answer scripts using the contingency links. We have noted that some students did not submit their answer scripts via these platforms, but rather via the Invigilator App. The university has resolved to accommodate these students by processing their marks through alternative processes.

9. Corrupted and password protected scripts

Students who submitted irrecoverable corrupted scripts will be granted an additional opportunity to write in the next module examination. This concession will only apply to first-time writing students (see section 3 above). No further opportunities are granted to students after their second opportunity. Such students are requested to re-register for the applicable module(s).

Students who submitted password-protected scripts were contacted during the marking period to provide the relevant passwords. Students with unresolved password-protected scripts are requested to re-register for the applicable module(s).

Students may send their e-mails to exams@unisa.ac.za for queries regarding irrecoverable corrupted scripts and password protected scripts.

10. FI Concessions

Students are reminded that FI-concessions only apply to students who have less than 24 credits outstanding to complete their qualification. Students must have written the previous examination and failed the examination in the one/two outstanding module(s) during the last examination session. Furthermore, students should have attained at least a 30% examination mark for the outstanding modules for an undergraduate module and a 40% examination mark for a postgraduate module.  FI concessions are granted as second examination opportunities. Students who have exhausted two examination opportunities (via supplementary or aegrotat) will not be identified for an FI concession and are required to re-register for their outstanding modules. We anticipate finalisation of the FI concession process by 28 August 2023.

11. May/June 2023 mark release

The university has commenced the staggered release of the May/June 2023 examination results.  We anticipate that most marks will be released by 7 July 2023. All mark release enquiries should be addressed to exams@unisa.ac.za

Students may apply to purchase a copy of their examination scripts or to have their scripts remarked by 31 July 2023. The online remark application form is available on myUnisa. Log into myUnisa and navigate to the Examination Results tool in the administrative section. Applications for remarks can also be sent to remark@unisa.ac.za Students may purchase their scripts by sending an e-mail to purchasescript@unisa.ac.za. Your student number must appear in the subject heading. Please note that the remarking or the purchasing of a script is not possible where the script is flagged for a disciplinary offense.           

Unisa will only attend to enquiries received from your myLife e-mail address. Communication received from personal e-mail addresses will not be responded to in line with the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013.

We wish our students well as they embark on their learning journey with us.

Kind regards
University Registrar