Students under 18 years of age
Visa requirements
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) requires all international students who will be under 18 years of age when entering Australia on a student visa, to have appropriate accommodation, support and welfare arrangements in place. When you apply for a student visa, you will need to provide evidence that you will be living with a parent, custodian or relative, or that the University has approved your care arrangements.
Registration with the University
All international students who will be under 18 years of age must register their proposed accommodation and welfare arrangements with the University before they accept their offer of place by completing the relevant form. Registrations for the Under 18 Supervision Program may take several weeks, depending on the proposed accommodation arrangements.
Welfare arrangements
International students under 18 years of age can meet DIAC's visa requirements in the following ways:
Option 1: Live in Australia with a parent or custodian
When you apply for your student visa, your parent or legal custodian must hold or have applied for a visa that allows him or her to remain in Australia until you turn 18. They can for example apply for a short stay visitor visa or a Student Guardian visa
Option 2: Live in Australia with a relative approved by DIAC
A relative can be your sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew. He or she must be over 21 years of age and of good character, and hold or have applied for a visa that allows him or her to stay in Australia until you turn 18. They can for example apply for a short stay visitor visa or a Student Guardian visa.
Option 3: Agree to one of the care arrangements approved by the University
The care alternatives approved by the University of Melbourne are:
- Live in one of the Residential Colleges of the University of Melbourne
- Enrol in the University of Melbourne Under 18 Supervision Program
CAAW form
If the University accepts responsibility for your care arrangements (Option 3), you will receive a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) together with your Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) for the purpose of applying for a student visa.
Deferring course commencement
If you have received an offer of place from the University, but you wish to defer commencement of your studies at the University until after you have turned 18 years of age, you will need to submit an online request to defer your offer.