The constitution of the Student Appeals Panel (SAP) is explained in Part 5.5 of University of Sydney (Student Academic Appeals) Rule 2021 and section 5.5(3) states that "At least six members of the Student Appeals Panel will be undergraduate or postgraduate students of the University".
The role of the SAP is to provide one student member to sit on the Student Appeals Body (SAB) at hearings. SABs hear University-level appeals against academic decisions, and this provides an opportunity for student SAB members to participate in deciding the appeal outcomes of fellow students.
The appointment is for a minimum of one calendar year. SAP members can also be called upon to sit on panels similar to SABs called Student Disciplinary Appeal Committees (SDACs) to hear appeals against student misconduct findings and/or penalties. This is explained in Part 5 of the University of Sydney (Student Discipline) Rule 2016.
To apply for SAP membership, you must meet the following requirements:
SAP members will be invited periodically throughout 2026 to voluntarily participate in SABs or SDACs. The only formal requirement to sit on an appeal hearing is that the student member is not from the same faculty as the appellant; the appellant’s faculty will be identified at the time of invitation.
A training session will also be provided and chaired by a solicitor either working for or commissioned by the Office of General Counsel (OGC).
Active members can expect to be invited to attend approximately one to five sessions in 2026. At the completion of a student’s term on the SAP, the student may request a letter noting their commitment and involvement with SAB and SDAC hearings signed by the Registrar for inclusion on their resume.
Generally, applications are open in the first half of Semester 2 each year for membership the following calendar year. Once applications open, apply for membership by sending an email to sau.appeals@sydney.edu.au with the subject 'Expression of Interest – SAP membership 2026 [surname/SID]'.
Late or incomplete applications are unlikely to be considered so please ensure that all parts of your application are present and submitted on time.
You need all the documents listed when you apply:
You can expect to receive an outcome about your membership by early November. If you're approved for membership, you need to complete compulsory in-person training in early December.
