Younger Students Policy and Procedures
1) Introduction
If you are an international student under the age of 18 and wish to study at Murdoch University, special accommodation arrangements have to be met before you can accept your offer letter. These arrangements are required by the Australian Government and only if appropriate accommodation, support and welfare arrangements are in place the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will grant your student visa. The arrangements have to be maintained for the duration of your student visa or until you turn 18, depending on what happen first.
To find more information regarding your student visa you can go on the DIAC website: Follow the link and choose the country of your passport and your main course of study. Follow the options step by step. Option Eligibility will give you more information regarding students under the age of 18.
2) Living options
As a student under the age of 18 you have four different accommodation options while studying in Australia at Murdoch University:
1. Living with a parent or legal custodian
2. Living with a close relative (nominated by your parent or legal custodian)
3. Living with a non-relative (close family friend) or cousin (approved by Murdoch University)
4. Living with the education provider (in this case Murdoch University)
Option 1: Living with a parent or legal custodian
If you live with a parent or a legal custodian while you are under the age of 18, they provide accommodation, support and welfare for you. You should also indicate this on your student visa application form. If your parent or legal custodian is initially not living in Australia you can also bring them to Australia. They can apply for a short stay visitor visa or a Student Guardian visa. However DIAC will give you more information regarding the arrangement under this link.
Where you nominate a parent or legal custodian, DIAC and not Murdoch University is responsible for approving this arrangement. At the same time the parent or legal custodian is your guardian.
Option 2: Living with a close relative
DIAC considers the following relatives as appropriate carers: brother or sister, step-brother or step-sister, step-parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, aunt or uncle, step-aunt or step-uncle, niece or nephew, step-niece or step-nephew. Please note that cousins will not be accepted as close relatives (please see Option 3). Your parent or legal custodians will need to give their permission for this arrangement on your visa application form and your relative must be nominated through the form Nomination of a student guardian from the DIAC website.
All relatives must be aged over 21, they must be eligible to stay in Australia until you turn 18 or your visa expires and they must be of good character by providing police clearance. If your relative is initially not living in Australia you can also bring him/her to Australia. Or your relative must make an application to DIAC for an appropriate visa. They can apply for a short stay visitor visa or a Student Guardian visa. However DIAC will give you more information regarding this arrangement under this link.
Where you nominate a close relative, DIAC and not Murdoch University is responsible for approving this arrangement. At the same time the parent or legal custodian is your guardian.
Option 3: Living with a non-relative (close family friend) or cousin
When you consider staying with a non-relative, this person has to be a close family friend for a minimum of 2 years. You can also stay with your cousin, who will be seen as an equivalent. Both people have to be over the age of 21 and have to take responsibility for your accommodation, support and welfare.
Where you nominate a non-relative (close family friend) or cousin, DIAC is NOT responsible for approving this arrangement. Murdoch University has to approve this arrangement. At the same time Murdoch University is your guardian unless your parents appoint the non-relative (close family friend).
For this purpose please get in contact with the International Liaison Officer named below to discuss your options. Murdoch University confirms your accommodation arrangement through a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation/Welfare Arrangements (CAAW) letter that you also need to get your student visa granted. The date when the accommodation arrangement commences will be stated on your CAAW letter. While you live with a non-relative (close family friend) or cousin a Murdoch University staff member will meet with you every two weeks until you turn 18.
Option 4: Living with Murdoch University in a host family
If you cannot stay with a parent, a legal custodian, a close or non-relative while you are under the age of 18, Murdoch University as your education provider will make appropriate accommodation, support and welfare arrangements for you. Murdoch University confirms this through a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation/Welfare Arrangements (CAAW) letter that you also need to get your student visa granted. The dates when the accommodation arrangement commences will be stated on your CAAW letter. You also must not travel to Australia before the day that your welfare arrangements will commence and you have to agree to stay with your host family until you turn 18.
Murdoch University’s preferred accommodation provider is the Australian Homestay Network. That means you will live with a host family for the time being under 18 or until your visa expires. To apply for homestay you first need an offer letter from Murdoch University and then you can either contact your education agent (if applicable) or the Australian Homestay Network directly. You will receive a confirmation after your have successfully applied for homestay and you need this confirmation for your official registration with Murdoch University under step 3) Registration and acceptance of offer.
While you live with the host family a Murdoch University staff member will meet with you every two weeks until you turn 18.
When you apply to live with Murdoch University, DIAC is NOT responsible for approving this arrangement as the Australian Homestay Network is already approved by Murdoch University as preferred provider. At the same time Murdoch University is your guardian unless your family appoints the host family.
More information about homestay is given here.
3) Registration and acceptance of offer
You first have to apply for Murdoch University and receive an offer letter for the course you have applied for. If you are an international student under the age of 18 you have to sign the Murdoch University Arrangement Form for International Students under 18, which you will receive with you offer letter, and hand it in together with your acceptance of offer form. After Murdoch University has received both documents, you will receive the Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter together with your Confirmation of Enrolment (COE). You can then apply for your visa. Please visit the DIAC website for further information on how to apply for your student visa. You furthermore will meet with the International Liaison Officer every two weeks after the semester commencement, based on your availability.
If you want to change your welfare arrangements (e.g. from Murdoch University to welfare provided by a relative), you must first consult Murdoch University and inform DIAC if necessary. You have to make sure that you maintain to have adequate welfare arrangements until you turn 18 or your visa expires.
Murdoch University will also pick you up from the airport. You just have to follow this link and register online for the free pickup service, which will go online a few weeks before the semester commencement date. There are two complementary drop-of points (CBD and Murdoch University campus) that are free of charge. For any information regarding additional drop-offs and potential additional fees please get in contact with Murdoch University. However before you register please make sure you will not get picked up from your relatives or host family.
If you have any questions or need further assistance you can contact:
Nicolas Castagnette
International Liaison Officer
n.castagnette@murdoch.edu.au
Phone: +61 (8) 9360 6777
4) Your next steps
Once you have successfully applied for Murdoch University, you will receive an offer letter and additional information regarding your studies with us. If you are an international student under the age of 18 as explained above, you have to take the following steps before you can accept your offer letter to make sure you comply with your student visa conditions.
Step 1: Apply for Murdoch University
Step 2: Receive an offer letter from us with additional accommodation information
Step 3: Choose your accommodation 1, 2, 3 or 4 and seek approval from Murdoch University if you have chosen option 3 or 4. Information about this process will be given with the additional accommodation information which you receive with your offer letter.
Step 4: Fill in the Murdoch University Arrangement Form for International Students under 18 which you will receive with your offer letter. Please remember that both you and your parent/ legal custodian have to sign it.
Step 5: Hand in that form together with your Acceptance of offer form as explained in your offer letter.
Step 6: Receive a CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment) that you need to apply for your visa.
[Optional Step 7: Receive a CAAW letter from Murdoch University, if you chose to live with a non-relative/ cousin or a homestay family]
Step 8: Apply for your visa. More information is given on the DIAC website.
