Additional instructions for international students under 18 years of age (Foundation Studies) If you will be under 18 years of age at the start of your Foundation Studies and intend to apply for a student visa, you need to have adequate accommodation and welfare arrangements in place before the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) processes your 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. If you are under 18 years of age and applying for other ACU programs, the University does not issue Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) form and does not take responsibility for students under the age of 18. Therefore, your family needs to arrange appropriate guardianship arrangements. Please refer to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA)’s website for information on this process and Form 157N Nomination of a student guardian.

Options for under 18 student accommodation and welfare arrangements

If you decide to travel and live with your parents, legal custodian or relatives in Australia, you must apply to DHA for approval. If you decide to take this option, ACU will not be responsible for your welfare and accommodation arrangements, and therefore ACU will not issue a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter with your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).

To apply for a student visa you need: Confirmation of enrolment (CoE) and Form 157N

For further information, visit the DHA website.

For further information about ACU courses and how to apply, please refer to ACU International website.

You may request ACU to take responsibility for your welfare and accommodation arrangements until you turn 18 years of age if you are enrolling in the ACU Foundation Studies Program. If you decide to take this option, you will be required to use only university approved service providers for your accommodation and welfare arrangements. The university will issue a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter, together with your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), for the purpose of applying for a student visa.

To apply for a student visa you need: Confirmation of enrolment (CoE) and CAAW

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

      Miguel Cordero Residence (Sydney only)
      Website: https://www.acu.edu.au/student-life/student-accommodation/sydney-accommodation
      Phone: +61 2 9739 2676
      Online Application Form

    2. *Should you decide to arrange your accommodation with Scape Student Living or Miguel Cordero Residence 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

 

Your parent or legal custodian will need to sign a service agreement with your preferred welfare and accommodation service providers and pay any necessary fees. Your service providers will forward copies of your signed agreements to ACU as evidence that you have engaged their services. Please note the period of our care will only extend from the date of your arrival in Australia up to your 18th birthday, as this is the minimum requirement of your student visa. You may choose to remain in this welfare and accommodation arrangement with your providers beyond the date of your 18th birthday.

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.

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