Guideline: Accommodation and Welfare Arrangements for International Students Under 18 Years

Purpose

To provide guidance on the management of international students who are under 18 years of age at the commencement of their program, and who have been issued a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter by the Australian National University (the University).

Overview

This Guideline is to be read in conjunction with relevant University policies, including the Policy: Admissions (Coursework) and Procedure, and Standard 5 of the ESOS National Code and Immigration Guidelines - Welfare Arrangements for Students Under 18.

Definitions

Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) means the signed document issued by the University to the Department of Home Affairs under the authority of the PEO to confirm that the University approves the accommodation and welfare arrangements of an under-18 international student while they remain under 18 and enrolled at the University.

Carer Service means the third-party provider of welfare support and non-academic supervision to international students under the age of 18 years. The ‘guardian’ refers to the individual responsible for providing this supervision. They are not a legal guardian for the student.

ESOS National Code means the latest version of the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018.

Notice of Non-Compliance means a notice that is provided electronically by or on behalf of the PEO to an international student who is under 18 years of age and the subject of a CAAW letter that contains information about the student’s breach of a CAAW condition.

Principal Executive Officer (PEO) has the meaning given in the Procedure: Admissions (Coursework).

Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS) is the system used to report changes to a student’s program and Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).

Student critical incident has the meaning given in the Procedure: Student critical incident.

Under 18 International Student Agreement Form means the document signed by an accepted international student who is under 18 years of age and their parent(s) or legal guardian in which the parent(s) or legal guardian nominates whether they want the student to reside in University- approved accommodation while they remain under 18 and enrolled at the University or not.

Guideline

Under 18 International Student Pre-Arrival Management

1. For an under-18 international student to accept an offer with the University under a CAAW, they must return the following documentation to the Admissions & Scholarships Office:

a. completed Offer Acceptance Declaration

b. deposit payment

c. completed U18 International Student Agreement Form

d. signed guardianship agreement with ISA or PSC, and

e. evidence of application to University accommodation

2. If approved, the ANU Admissions & Scholarships Office will issue a CAAW letter and CoE to the under-18 international student. The earliest a welfare start date on a CAAW letter will be 7 days prior to the commencement of the applicable teaching period. A CAAW letter will usually begin on the contract start date for the approved university residential accommodation.

3. The Academic Standards and Quality Office (ASQO) will contact all students who are the subject of a CAAW arrangement via email prior to their arrival in Canberra. ASQO will advise these students of the arrival window, being between the commencement date of the CAAW letter to Monday of Week 1 of the applicable teaching period.

4. ASQO will arrange the pickup of all students who are the subject of a CAAW arrangement who organise to arrive at Canberra Airport or the Jolimont Tourist Centre unaccompanied during the arrival window. ASQO will issue applicable students with a digital taxi voucher prior to their departure from their home country, where possible, unless alternative arrangements are required. ASQO will not issue a digital taxi voucher where a CAAW student arranges to arrive:

a. with a parent/legal guardian during the arrival window; or

b. prior to the commencement of the CAAW letter.

5. ASQO will cancel the CoE and welfare arrangements of any student who is the subject of a CAAW arrangement who is unable to arrive in Canberra on or before Monday of Week 1 of the applicable teaching period. The refund of any fee(s) paid by the student to a Carer Service will need to be arranged between the student (or their parents) and the Carer Service directly.

6. ASQO will add a comment to the unofficial transcript of each student who is the subject of a CAAW arrangement to confirm:

a. the student’s accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements

(CAAW); and

b. that ASQO must be advised of any changes to the student’s enrolment prior to their approval.

Under 18 International Student Post-Arrival Management

7. ASQO will meet with all commencing students who are the subject of a CAAW arrangement for a CAAW Information Session in the first week of their arrival in Canberra. This session will confirm the students’ visa requirements and provide culturally appropriate safety information, including what to do and who to contact in an emergency and how to report any critical incidents. The delegated officer within the university residential accommodation will also be present.

8. Students who are the subject of a CAAW arrangement will meet in-person with the delegated officer every two weeks after the CAAW Information Session during the teaching period until the student turns 18 years of age, or until the CAAW letter is cancelled or changed by the University.

9. The delegated officer will discuss with the student all matters related to the student’s accommodation, studies and wellbeing.

a. General enquiries regarding the student’s enrolment or program should be directed to Student Central or the student’s Academic College(s), as appropriate.

b. The delegated officer will escalate any concerns regarding the student’s welfare to the PEO, Student Safety and Wellbeing, ASQO and/or other ANU staff, and/or ACT health services, as appropriate.

10. ASQO will monitor the engagement of students who are the subject of a CAAW arrangement through Learning Management Systems (LMS). ASQO may contact individual Course Convenors to confirm if a student is meeting their course requirements, including attendance.

Changes to Existing CAAW Arrangements

11. If a student who is the subject of a CAAW arrangement requests approval to change their accommodation and welfare arrangement option, ASQO will, as soon as practicable, meet with the student to discuss the student’s concerns, provide guidance and request evidence that the proposed alternative arrangement will satisfy the applicable requirements of the ESOS National Code.

12. If a student who is the subject of a CAAW arrangement seeks to transfer to another Australian education provider prior to their eighteenth birthday, and that student has not yet completed six months of their study, they must apply for a release letter in accordance with the Transfer between registered providers (release for student visa holders) Policy and Procedure.

Breach of CAAW Conditions

13. A student who is the subject of a CAAW arrangement must meet the conditions outlined in the Procedure: Admissions (Coursework) and the Under 18 International Student Agreement Form. These conditions remain in place for the duration of the CAAW letter (until the student turns 18 years of age) or until the letter is cancelled or changed by the University. A breach will occur if an eligible student fails to meet a condition.

14. If a student breaches a condition, and this breach does not amount to an actual or suspected student critical incident, the following actions are to be taken:

A. First Breach:

• The delegated officer within the University residential accommodation will immediately notify the PEO via the Academic Standards and Quality Office (ASQO) by email (CAAW@anu.edu.au).

• On the authority of the PEO, ASQO will, as soon as practicable, issue a Notice of Non- Compliance to the student by email. The delegated officer will also facilitate physical service of the Notice to the student.

• ASQO and/or the delegated officer will facilitate an exceptional meeting with the student to discuss the Notice and confirm the conditions of the student’s accommodation and welfare arrangements.

B. Second Breach:

• The delegated officer within the university residential accommodation will immediately

notify the PEO via ASQO by email.

• On the authority of the PEO, ASQO will, as soon as practicable, issue a second Notice of Non-Compliance to the student by email. The delegated officer will also facilitate physical service of the second Notice to the student.

• The PEO will notify the student’s parent(s) or legal guardian of the student’s breaches by email.

• ASQO will notify the guardianship provider of the student’s beaches by email or phone.

• ASQO and/or the delegated officer will facilitate an exceptional meeting with the student to discuss the second Notice and confirm the conditions of the student’s accommodation and welfare arrangements.

• The PEO will facilitate an exceptional meeting between the student and a Case Manager at Student Safety and Wellbeing.

C. Third Breach:

• The delegated officer within the university residential accommodation will immediately notify the PEO via ASQO by email.

• On the authority of the PEO, ASQO will, as soon as practicable, facilitate physical service of a Final Notice of Non-Compliance to the student. The PEO and a Case Manager from Student Safety and Wellbeing will be present to serve the final Notice. ASQO will also issue a copy of the final Notice to the student by email.

• The Final Notice will confirm the date on which the student’s CAAW letter will be cancelled, being the date on which the University can no longer approve the student’s accommodation and welfare arrangements.

• The PEO will, as soon as practicable, advise the student’s parent(s) or legal guardian and guardianship provider by email and/or phone that the University can no longer take responsibility for the student’s welfare.

• The Case Manager, Student Safety and Wellbeing, will coordinate internal and external wellbeing support services for the student and/or family.

• ASQO will coordinate the cancellation of the student’s CAAW letter in PRISMS within 24 hours of the University ceasing approval of the student’s accommodation and welfare arrangements. ASQO will inform the student once this has been actioned.

• The ANU Residential Experience team will coordinate the termination of the student’s accommodation contract. ASQO will not advise or assist in this process.

CAAW Critical Incident Management

15. Student critical incidents concerning students who are the subject of a CAAW arrangement will be managed in accordance with University policies and procedures, including the Procedure: Student critical incident.

16. Importantly, if the University is unable to contact an applicable student and has concerns for their welfare, the University will make all reasonable efforts to locate the student, including notifying the police and any other relevant stakeholders, such as the parents and guardianship provider, as appropriate.

17. If an applicable student is unable to be located, the SCIRT members will advise ASQO to report the student’s breach of visa condition to the Department of Home Affairs, as appropriate.

Documentation and Record-Keeping

18. ASQO is responsible for maintaining accommodation and welfare records relating to international students who are the subject of a CAAW arrangement on the University's Electronic Records Management System (ERMS).

19. These records are to be maintained in accordance with University policies and procedures, including the Policy: Records and archive management, Procedure: Records Management and Policy: Privacy.