Under aged International Students

Are you under the age of 18?

If you are under the age of 18 when you apply for your Student Visa; while in Australia you will require a legal guardian until you turn 18. There are two options:

If you turn 18 within the first 6 weeks of the commencement of a semester the University will take responsibilty for your welfare arrangements.
The Registrar, Mr. Tim Beckett must approve these arrangements. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will not grant your student visa unless it is satisfied that appropriate welfare arrangements have been made.

These arrangements will only be made once your offer has been accepted and a deposit paid to the university.
If you do not turn 18 within this timeframe the University will not be able to take responsibility for your welfare arrangements and you will have to put in place your own guardianship arrangements. In order order for the University to issue your Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment you will have to provide details of your guardianship and living arrangements in Australia. If you turn 18 after the first six weeks of semester you may want to consider commencing in the following semester, at which time you can apply for and move into campus accommodation.
A suitable relative may act as your guardian. Under migration law, a suitable relative is a spouse, parent, brother or sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, step-uncle/aunt/niece or nephew over the age of 21 and of good character, who has been nominated by a parent or legal custodian. This relative may already be in Australia whether temporarily or permanently, or may travel with you to Australia to act as your guardian.

Student Welfare

It is important to note that for all welfare issues the most appropriate person to liaise with is the Manager, International Student Services, Ms Ann Bell (ann.bell@anu.edu.au; ph: +61 2 6125 0679; fax +61 2 6125 5550)

Immigration Information

The Migration Regulations and Visa Condition 8532 require that a student visa holder who:

has not turned 18;
is not an AusAID or Defence student; and
will not be residing during their intended stay in Australia with:
a parent or person who has legal custody of them; or
a relative* nominated by a parent or legal custodian who is aged at least 21 years and is of good character,
must maintain arrangements approved by the education provider for the course to which the holder's visa relates, for the holder's accommodation, support and general welfare. * (Under Migration Regulation 1.03 a relative means a spouse, parent, brother or sister, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, step-uncle/aunt/niece or nephew over the age of 21)

Where ANU is responsible for the welfare of under 18-year-old students (Those students who turn 18 within the first 6 weeks of the commencement of the semester) the University must:

provide DIAC a signed statement confirming that appropriate arrangements have been made for the student’s accommodation, support and general welfare during their stay in Australia until they turn 18, and
notify DIAC in writing of any changes to the care arrangements.

This will only be done where a student turns 18 within the first 6 weeks of a semester.

Responsibilities of students under the age of 18 without a suitable relative to act as a guardian

If students under the age of 18 have welfare and guardianship arrangements approved for them by the University, then students must obtain their education provider's approval to change these arrangements if they wish to do so. Students must also abide by student visa regulations and University Rules and Policies.