Students under 18 years of age

If you are an international student under 18 years old, you must have approved accommodation and welfare arrangements in place before you can accept your offer to study at Murdoch University. This is a requirement set by the Australian Government.

Your student visa will only be granted if these arrangements are confirmed and approved, and they must stay in place until you either turn 18 or your visa ends, whichever comes first. Failure to comply may result in exclusion from Murdoch University and cancellation of your student visa.

Requirements for parents or legal guardians

International students who are under 18 at time of acceptance are required to provide details of parent or legal guardian, regardless of the welfare arrangement option chosen. A parent or legal guardian/custodian must provide consent before you can accept your offer.

A legal guardian/custodian is defined as person(s) with parental responsibility (anyone who can lawfully determine where the child/children is/are to live). If one parent, or legal guardian/custodian, has lawfully been made solely responsible for making decisions as to where the child/ children is/are to live, then only that parent or person needs to sign the consent form and provide the required documentation. For more details about your visa and these requirements, visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

A Under 18 International Student - Parent/Legal Guardian Consent Form is required to be completed by the parent or legal guardian/custodian who is to agree to the conditions in the student’s Letter of Offer and confirm the accommodation and welfare arrangements in place for your child.

This form must be completed and returned to Murdoch International Admissions if you are a direct applicant, or via your Murdoch University pathway provider if you are a pathway student.

Accommodation options

As a student under the age of 18 you have two accommodation options while studying in Australia at Murdoch University:

• Live in a Murdoch University’s approved accommodation provider
  
• Live with a parent or close relative

Live in a Murdoch University’s approved accommodation provider

If you cannot live with a parent or a close relative while you are under the age of 18, Murdoch University will help arrange appropriate accommodation, support and welfare arrangements for you. With this option, Murdoch University is responsible for your welfare unless your parent officially appoints someone else as your legal guardian. 

Murdoch University will issue a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter, which is needed for your visa. The dates when the accommodation arrangement and welfare arrangements commence will be stated on your CAAW letter. You must not travel to Australia before your welfare arrangements commence, and you must agree to stay on the arranged accommodation until you turn 18 or until your visa expires.

Murdoch University’s preferred accommodation provider is the Australian Homestay Network (AHN) or Murdoch University Campus Living Village (CLV) in conjunction with the provider of Welfare arrangements, ISA Student Advocates. To apply for these arrangements, you can either contact AHN or CLV in conjunction with ISA Student Advocates directly or via your education agent (if applicable).

You will receive a confirmation after you have successfully applied for accommodation, please forward this information to Murdoch International Admissions if you are a direct applicant, or via your Murdoch University pathway provider if you are a pathway student.

Live with a parent or close relative

You can live with your parent or a close relative (like a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or sibling) while you are in
Australia. Please note that cousins, distant aunts and uncles will not be accepted as close relatives by the
Department of Home Affairs. Your parent must officially nominate this person using the appropriate form when
applying for your visa.

To qualify, the relative must:

• be over 21 years old
• be allowed to stay in Australia until you turn 18 or your visa ends
• provide a police clearance to show they are of good character.

A list of relatives accepted by the DHA is provided on Form 157N Nomination of a student guardian to your application.

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 Department of Home Affairs student guardianship arrangements form.

If your relative is initially not living in Australia, you can also bring them to Australia. Your relative must make an application to the Department of Home Affairs for an appropriate short stay visitor visa or a Student Guardian visa.

The Department of Home Affairs will give you more information regarding including family members.

Where you nominate a close relative, the Department of Home Affairs and not Murdoch University is responsible for approving this arrangement. At the same time the parent or legal custodian is your guardian. 

Next Steps

To get ready for your visa and studies at Murdoch University, follow these steps:

1. Pick one of the two accommodation options.
2. Fill in the Murdoch University Under 18 Welfare and Accommodation Arrangements form. Both you and your parent or legal guardian/custodian must sign it.
3. If your parents want to officially appoint a guardian, they must also complete the Form 157N Nomination of a student custodian to your application.
4. Submit all completed forms along with your Acceptance of Offer form as explained in your offer letter.
5. Once everything is approved, Murdoch University will send you a CoE and CAAW letter (if required).
6. Use your CoE and CAAW to apply for your student visa. Visit the Department of Home Affairs website for more information.