When you enter Australia on a student visa before your 18th birthday, you must have appropriate accommodation, support and welfare arrangements in place as required by the Department of Home Affairs. CDU does not offer welfare arrangements and therefore will not be issuing a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter.
Stay in Australia with a nominated guardian
If you’re an international student under 18, and plan to live with your parent, person who has legal custodian or an eligible relative while studying in Australia, you will need to verify this before applying for a student visa. This person must have appropriate visa or have applied for a Student Guardian visa (subclass 590) and must:
- be an eligible relative as a a spouse, de facto partner, child, brother, sister, step-child, step-parent, step-brother, step-sister, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, step-grandparent, step-grandchild, step-aunt, step-uncle, step-niece, or step-nephew of the applicant; and
- be nominated by a parent of the applicant or a person who has custody of the applicant; and
- be at least 21 years of age and have good character
Please visit the Department of Home Affairs website for further information on welfare arrangements for international students under 18.
Your first point of contact
Once you arrive in Australia, your first point of contact is the International Student Support Officer. Please contact them via email: iss@cdu.edu.au
Please note that if you’re in immediate or imminent danger on campus, please contact CDU Security on 1800 646 501 or call NT Police on 000.
Sexual assault & harassment
Charles Darwin University is committed to providing a safe and respectful learning, working and living environment. Sexual assault and harassment are unacceptable.
The Respect. Now. Always. Campaign, led by the Australian Human Rights Commission and Universities Australia, seeks to prevent sexual assault and harassment by raising awareness, supporting students requiring assistance and giving bystanders the confidence to speak up.
National Support Line
CDU has joined with other Australian universities to fund a 24/7 National Support Line to operate until 30 November to ensure that student victims and survivors of sexual assault can access round-the-clock specialist support.
The support line complements the phone and face-to-face counselling services that already operate at CDU. The National Support Line number is 1800 572 224.
CDU offers a range of services and support to students and staff to get help or make a report.
The laws in Australia for under 18 years of age
People who are under 18 in Australia are NOT allowed to:
- drink alcohol or smoke
- entry in to a licensed premises (for example: bars, nightclubs or casinos)
- gamble