Policies

These are the procedures that candidates may follow to appeal the result of an AMEB Licentiate of Music (LMusA) or Fellowship of Music (FMusA) examination and the policy which AMEB Ltd applies in considering such appeals. The Appeals Policy and Procedures are revised on the AMEB website, 27 February 2023.

Before submitting an Appeal

Before submitting an appeal, candidates are urged to discuss the examination report with their teacher or another professional experienced at presenting candidates for AMEB Level 3 examinations to ensure they have fully understood the expectations of the diploma level and interpreted the result awarded correctly.

Grounds for an Appeal

Appeals will only be considered on grounds where it is claimed there was one or more of the following:

• An apparent discrepancy in the written report between the examiners' comments and the published Objectives for level 3 or the specified attainments a candidate is to demonstrate in Sections I and II, and which makes the result awarded manifestly inappropriate; or
• An irregularity which may mean that the candidate did not receive a fair examination given all the circumstances.

Lodgment of an Appeal

An appeal can only be accepted within twenty-one (21) business days of the candidate’s receipt of the report. It should be submitted in the form of a letter to the AMEB Federal Office via email to online@ameb.edu.au. Appeals must come only from candidates themselves if they are aged 16 or over or from a designated person acting on a candidate’s behalf (e.g. a parent or carer).

When submitting a letter of appeal, appellants must:

• State their name, (and their relationship to the candidate if the appellant is acting on a candidate’s behalf);
• Attach a copy of the original examination report;
• State the ground or grounds for appeal;
• Summarise the basis for each ground; and
• Include any other relevant information on which the candidate may wish to relay.

The AMEB Office will acknowledge the letter of appeal within five (5) business days. All appeals are treated in confidence, and details will not be made available to any other parties.

Appeals Procedure

The appeals process may involve up to three steps:

1. Consideration by Head of Examining: The appeal and its supporting documents will be considered by the Head of Examining. If the Head finds the appeal allowed under the Grounds for Appeal, it is forwarded for review under (2) below. If the Head finds that it should be disallowed for one of the reasons specified under Grounds for Appeal or lacks merit because it fails to address any of the Grounds:
   1. Within fifteen (15) business days of receiving the appeal, the Head will give the appellant notice they intend to disallow the appeal and provide the reason for the proposed disallowance; and
   2. The Head must provide the candidate who submitted the appeal five (5) additional business days to provide any further information relevant to the appeal that might make it allowed.

If no further information is received, the disallowed appeal will be closed without further notice. No fee is charged.

2. Review by Chief Examiner (Practical): If under (1) above, the appeal is allowed, the Head will refer the appeal to the Chief Examiner (Practical), who will review all documents submitted by the appellant. The Chief Examiner (Practical) must reach a decision to uphold or dismiss the appeal, which is communicated to the appellant within a further fifteen (15) business days. No fee is charged. The appellant is given a further fifteen (15) business days to request the further and final step if they remain unsatisfied.
3. Determination by Appeals Panel: If the appellant remains unsatisfied with the review of the Chief Examiner (Practical) and appeals as allowed under (2) above, the CEO of AMEB Ltd will then, within a further fifteen (15) business days convene an Appeals Panel, comprised of two Federal Examiners who had not been involved in the examination, to deliberate and finally determine the appeal.
   1. The Appeals Panel will consider all documents submitted by the appellant together with the decision of the Chief Examiner (Practical).
   2. The Panel will meet with the appellant to allow them the opportunity to present any further submission in support of the appeal and respond to any question in relation to the appeal. The appellant may be accompanied by a support person, who must not be a qualified legal practitioner.
   3. The Panel must act impartially and fairly, having regard to the requirements of natural justice, but is not bound by the rules of evidence or legal forms.

The decision of the Appeals Panel must be made and communicated to the appellant within thirty (30) business days. The decision will be final. A fee of $100 will be charged.

Outcome of an Appeal

If an appeal is upheld at any stage of the process, it will be determined whether an upward revision of the result or an opportunity to sit for the exam again without charge is appropriate. Any fee charged for the Appeal will then be refunded.

This policy is for candidates who are involved in taking an assessment in the following AMEB examinations:

• ATMusA Associate Teacher of Music
• LTMusA Licentiate Teacher of Music
• Associate Diploma in Musicology
• Associate Diploma in Harmony and Counterpoint
• Associate Diploma in Orchestra and Arrangement
• Licentiate Diploma in Musicology
• Licentiate Diploma in Harmony and Counterpoint
• Licentiate Diploma in Orchestra and Arrangement
• Associate Musicianship – written & aural
• Licentiate Musicianship – written & aural
• ASPA Associate in Speech & Performance – Teacher or Performer
• LSPA Licenciate in Speech & Performance – Teacher or Performer
• APCA Associate in Professional Communication
• ADPA Associate in Drama & Performance – Teacher or Performer
• LDPA Licentiate in Drama & Performance – Teacher or Performer

The purpose of this policy is to set out the procedures that candidates must follow should they wish to appeal their examination result.

Please note that we treat all appeals in confidence and will not make details available to any other parties.

Procedure for appeals
Candidates may contact the AMEB Federal Office no later than 14 days from the date of receipt of results, stating their name, candidate number and the nature of their appeal. Please provide as much information as possible to enable a thorough investigation to be carried out. All appeals should be clearly marked as appeals.
An appeal can only be made once the exam result has been received.

Only one appeal per candidate will be accepted. This may come from either the candidate themselves (if they are aged over 16), their teacher, music studio, or a designated person acting on the candidate’s behalf (e.g. a parent or carer).

Appeals will be considered in cases where it is claimed that there was:
• A procedural error on the part of an examiner or examiners; or
• An apparent discrepancy between the examiners’ written comments and the result awarded, in relation to the published criteria or syllabus objectives.

All appeals consist of three levels.

First Level Appeal
The first level of appeal is to the AMEB Federal Office:
AMEB Ltd
Level 27, 150 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000 OR
office@ameb.edu.au

Acknowledgement of the appeal will be issued within 14 days of receipt of the appeal letter.

A review will be carried out by an appropriate AMEB staff member, who may be an AMEB examiner (but who is not the original examiner) of the exam paper and a judgement made about whether the appeal should be upheld or rejected.

The appellant will be informed within 28 days of receipt of the appeal whether the appeal is successful. If no response to the appeal decision is received within 28 days of the decision being communicated to the appellant, AMEB will close the appeal and no further correspondence will be entered into.

Second Level Appeal
If the appellant is unhappy with the judgements made in the first level appeal, then they have the right to a second level of appeal. This should be delivered to the AMEB Federal Office clearly marked as an appeal. The second level appeal involves a review of the decisions made in the first appeal by an AMEB-appointed Appeals Panel and a judgement made about whether the decisions reached in the first level of appeal should be upheld.

Once the judgement has been made the appellant will receive written confirmation of the outcome. Second level appeals must be made no later than 14 days from the date of the previous decision.

Appellants will be informed within 28 days from the beginning of the second stage of the process whether the appeal is successful. A fee of $50 will be applicable per candidate which will be refunded if the appeal is successful.

If no response to the appeal decision is received within 28 days of the decision being communicated to the appellant, AMEB will close the appeal and no further correspondence will be entered into.

Third Level Appeal
If the appellant is not satisfied with the decisions reached in the second level appeal, they may take their appeal to the third level which consists of a review by an independent representative who has no direct involvement with AMEB Ltd. The decision of the independent representative will be reviewed by the AMEB Board of Directors and a final decision taken.

Outcome
If an appeal is upheld, AMEB Ltd will decide on the appropriate outcome. This may be an upward revision of the result, or an opportunity to sit for the exam again without charge. Following a successful appeal any appeal fee(s) paid will be refunded in full.