If you will be under 18 years of age at the start of your Foundation Studies course, you must have appropriate accommodation and welfare arrangements in place before the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) can process your student visa.

Please note that the University will not enrol international students who are under 17 years of age at their course start date under any circumstances.

For Foundation Studies students under 18, accommodation and welfare arrangements must be made through service providers approved by the University, in accordance with University policy.

If you are under 18 years of age and applying for other ACU programs, the University does not issue a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) and does not take responsibility for students under 18. In this case, your family must arrange appropriate guardianship. Please refer to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) website for more information, including Form 157N (Nomination of a Student Guardian).

In these circumstances, ACU does not approve or monitor accommodation or welfare arrangements for students under 18 years of age.

Admissions Process

In order to begin your admission process and apply for the Foundation Studies Program at ACU, please follow the steps below:

1. Visit the ACU website and find more information about the program and the ACU Under 18 International Students Policy and Procedures.

2. You may register and submit an application via the Online Application System yourself or contact an ACU agent in your country who can submit it on your behalf and assist you with the student visa process. We strongly recommend international students seek guidance from our agents due to the complexity involved in student visa applications.

For enquiries about your application prior to accepting your offer, contact our International Admissions team at international.admissions@acu.edu.au

3. If you are approved for entry into the Foundation Studies Program you will receive an offer from the International Admissions team outlining all of the program details. You must carefully read all information and meet the conditions of your offer before proceeding to the next step.

4. If you will be under 18 years of age at the start of your studies and want ACU to be responsible for your welfare and accommodation arrangements, you will need to contact one of the university approved accommodation service providers and one of the approved welfare service providers to confirm the arrangements before accepting your offer. You must also arrange your airport transfer with the service provider approved by ACU.

How to apply for your Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter:

1. Select and arrange your accommodation and airport transfer with ACU’s approved list of service providers below, based on your own research of our approved service providers and review of costs/services.
   
   Australian Homestay Network (AHN) for accommodation and airport transfer
   Website: www.homestaynetwork.org
   Email: melbourne@homestaynetwork.org
   Phone: +61 3 9458 9000
   Online Application Form
   
   Scape Student Living
   Website: www.scape.com.au
   Email: bookings@scape.com.au
   Phone: 1300 068 8088  International: +613 9977 8088
   
   

2. *Should you decide to arrange your accommodation with Scape Student Living, you must also separately arrange your airport transfer with AHN. Please click here to book your airport transfer.
   
   

3. Select and arrange your welfare service provider from ACU’s approved list of service providers below, based on your own research of our approved service providers and review of costs/services.
   
   ISA Student Guardians
   Website: www.studentguardians.com/
   Email: info@studentguardians.com
   Phone: +61 3 9663 2887
   Online Application Form
   
   Professional Student Care (PSC)
   Website: www.pscaustralia.com.au/
   Email: info@pscaustralia.com.au
   Phone: +61 3 8838 8976
   Online Application Form
   

The Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) confirms the period during which ACU accepts responsibility for the welfare and accommodation of eligible Foundation Studies students and is reported to the Department of Home Affairs as part of the visa process.

Your parent or legal guardian will need to sign a service agreement with your chosen welfare and accommodation providers and pay any applicable fees. Your providers will then forward copies of the signed agreements to ACU as evidence that you have engaged their services.

Please note that ACU’s responsibility for your welfare will extend from your arrival in Australia until your 18th birthday, in line with student visa requirements. You may choose to continue with the same welfare and accommodation arrangements after you turn 18.

5. Visit our website to pay the required tuition fees. You must also arrange and pay for your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

6. E-mail the following documentation to international.finance@acu.edu.au:

• Both service agreements from your providers for accommodation and welfare;
• Offer acceptance form – completed in full;
• Student GTE Declaration – completed in full;
• Evidence of payment of the required fees.

The International Finance team will review your documentation and issue you a CoE and a CAAW letter.

For general enquiries about accepting your offer, contact our International Finance team at international.finance@acu.edu.au

7. After you have completed the steps above, you may apply for your student visa.

For general enquiries about enrolments and your stay in Australia, contact the International Support Team.

If ACU has concerns about the welfare of an under 18-Foundation Studies student for whom it has accepted responsibility, the University will follow safeguarding and escalation processes in accordance with its policies and legislative requirements.

For further information, please refer to the Under 18 International Students Policy and Procedure document.