Accommodation and welfare arrangements for students under 18 years of age
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) requires all international students who will be under 18 years of age upon entering Australia to study, to confirm that they have appropriate accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements in place. When you apply for a student visa, the following options are available to meet this requirement:
Option 1: Living with a parent or custodian
One of your parents or legal custodian must be eligible to remain in Australia until you turn 18. You can bring a parents of custodian to Australia on a Student Guardian visa.
Option 2: Living with a relative
A relative can be your brother, sister, step-parent, step-brother, step-sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, step-grandparent, step-aunt, step-uncle, step-niece or step-nephew. They must be over 21 years of age, of good character and eligible to remain in Australia until you turn 18. You can bring a relative to Australia as your guardian on a Student Guardian visa.
Option 3: Approved care arrangement
You will need to choose one of the following care alternatives which have been approved by the University of Melbourne.
- Live in one of the University's affiliated Residential College; or
- Enrol in the Trinity College Under 18 Supervision Program which provides tutorial and pastoral support for overseas students under 18 years of age
The University will only sign the DIAC Education Provider's Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation/Welfare for a Student Under 18 Years of Age form (CAAW form) once the residential college or Trinity College have advised International Admissions that you have enrolled in one of the above three options. The CAAW form will then be sent to you by email and you must provide it to DIAC along with your student visa documents.
Alternatively, you could submit a defer commencement of your studies at the University until after you have turned 18 years of age. Please refer to Request for Deferral of Offer.
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