Students who are under 18

Students who are under 18 years of age at the time of visa application must have approved accommodation AND welfare arrangements in place. These arrangements must be approved by DIAC directly, or by RMIT.

The accommodation and welfare arrangements must befinalised before the visa application can be lodged.The Student Visa Applicant - Under 18 Form (pdf) must be submitted with the Offer Response Form (pdf).

Applications nominating family friends or relatives may take longer to process than those nominating a company.

Welfare arrangements approved by DIAC

DIAC will only approve welfare arrangements if the parents or guardian nominate that the student will reside with a relative who is over 21 years of age and of good character. For further information, please go to the following website: http://www.immi.gov.au/students/students/572-4/eligibility-student-18.htm

Welfare and accommodation arrangements approved by RMIT

If the parents or guardian cannot nominate a relative to DIAC, they need RMIT to sign a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) form. RMIT will only sign the CAAW form if the student has appropriate Welfare (caregiver) AND accommodation arrangements.

Welfare

There are two options:

a) The student enters into care arrangements with a care giving service (or company) approved by RMIT, International Services

Parents or guardians need to contact the approved companies directly. The approved companies are:

b) The parents or guardian nominate a relative or family friend to act as caregiver

The nominated person must meet the following conditions:

• Be 21 years of age or older
• Have the right to stay in Australia until the student turns 18
• Be of sound character, as evidenced by a police record check
• Must show an understanding of the responsibilities of a caregiver
• Must show an understanding of the obligations of student visa holders
• Must attend an initial interview with RMIT, International Services (prior to approval)

As it may take the nominated person some time to provide the evidence required, such applications need to be made well in advance.

If the student is applying late, it may not be possible to process the paper work quickly enough using this option. In such a case, a caregiver company should be engaged.

Once welfare arrangements have been approved by RMIT, students must obtain permission from RMIT, International Services to change their welfare arrangements PRIOR to the change taking place.

Accommodation

Students who are under 18 years of age must have permanent accommodation arranged before the visa documentation is issued. They are not able to use the temporary accommodation that is available to older students. If RMIT needs to sign the CAAW form, there are there accommodation options that are deemed to be appropriate for students who are under 18. These three options are:

1) Living with a relative

Living with a relative as approved by RMIT. In order to be an approved relative, the nominated person must:

• Be over 21 years of age
• Be able to stay in Australia until the student has turned 18
• Be of sound character (as evidenced by a police record check)

2) Living in Homestay Accommodation

Homestay accommodation must be found through an accredited homestay agency and approved by RMIT. International Services can place students in homestay accommodation upon request; a placement fee of $160.00 applies. Please see the homestay application form. Every effort is made to find a homestay to match the individual needs of the student, however there may be times when it is not possible to match all criteria.

3) Living in an Approved Student Hostel

Parents or guardians can arrange accommodation for the student in a hostel that is approved for the care of students under 18 years of age. These student residences include:

Once accommodation arrangements have been approved by RMIT, students must obtain permission from RMIT, International Services to change their accommodation arrangements PRIOR to the change taking place.

Unsuitable accommodation for under 18 students

Students under the age of 18 may not live in unsupervised apartments or houses. They must have a responsible adult living on the premises. A sibling or relative under the age of 21 is not considered to be a suitable responsible adult.

The accommodation arrangements for the student must be given to RMIT, International Services in order to have documentation prepared for visa applications. Any change in accommodation for students under the age of 18 must be approved by International Services staff. Students found living in inappropriate accommodation may be reported to DIAC.

Please note: you must have welfare AND accommodation arrangements in place.

Procedures

If you need RMIT to sign a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) form, follow these steps:

• 1. Parents or guardians make suitable welfare (caregiver) and accommodation arrangements for the student who is under 18.
• 2. Parents or guardians complete the Student Visa Applicant - Under 18 Form (pdf) nominating the welfare and accommodation arrangements.
• 3. Parents or guardians send the form to the nominated caregiver to complete their section, indicating that they accept the responsibility.
• 4. Confirmation of accommodation arrangements will be required.
• 5. The form is returned to RMIT, International Services, with the Offer Response Form (pdf).
• 6. The welfare and accommodation arrangements are assessed.
• If an approved care giving service (company) has been chosen by the parents or guardians, and accommodation arrangements are satisfactory, RMIT will issue the CAAW form for the student’s visa application.
• If the parents or guardian have nominated a relative or family friend to act as caregiver, RMIT will initiate the interview process for the nominated caregiver. The nominated person will need to bring their passport and police record check to the interview. If the interview is successful and accommodation arrangements are satisfactory, RMIT will issue the CAAW form for the student’s visa application.

For further information, please email: ISunder18@rmit.edu.au