157N (Design date 11/20) - Page 1© COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA, 2020
Student guardianship arrangements
Form
157N
Department of Home Affairs
Who should use this form?
You should use this form if you are applying for a student visa
or you are a student visa holder, and you:
• are under the age of 18 and intend to reside with your parent/
custodian or a relative while you are studying in Australia;
• are under the age of 18 at time of lodging the application
and intend to arrive in Australia after you turn 18;
• wish to nominate a person who is applying for a Student
Guardian visa to accompany you in Australia;
• want to notify the Department of Home Affairs (the
Department) of a change of your guardian.
Note: A separate form 157N Student guardianship
arrangements must be completed for each student visa
holder or applicant nominating the same person as a guardian.
Important – Please read this information carefully before you
complete this form. Once you have completed this form we
strongly advise that you keep a copy for your records.
Integrity of information
The Department is committed to maintaining the integrity
of the visa and citizenship programmes. Please be aware that
if you provide us with fraudulent documents or claims, this
may result in processing delays and possibly the arrangement
being refused.
Completing this form
Please open this form using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Either
type (in English) in the fields provided or print this form and
complete it (in English) using a pen and BLOCK LETTERS.
In order to complete this form you must first read these notes
and the information available from the Department’s website
www.homeaffairs.gov.au
Character requirements
If you will be in the care of a relative in Australia, they must
be a relative as defined below, aged 21 years or over (except
parent) and of good character. More information on character
requirements and penal clearances is available from the
Department’s website www.homeaffairs.gov.au
A relative is defined as a parent, spouse, de facto partner,
a child, brother or sister of the applicant, step-child,
step-parent, step-brother or step-sister of the applicant,
grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, or
a step-grandparent, step-grandchild, step-aunt, step-uncle,
step-niece or step-nephew of the applicant.
Welfare arrangements for students under 18 years
of age
The Department bears no responsibility for welfare
arrangements made on a student’s behalf. It is the
responsibility of the parents or legal custodians of a student
under the age of 18 to ensure that the arrangements they
make on the student’s behalf provide appropriate welfare for
the entirety of the student’s stay in Australia while they are
under the age of 18.
Lodging this form
If your guardian is applying for a Student Guardian visa, this
form should be completed and lodged online together with
form 157G (internet) Application for a Student Guardian
visa.
If you are applying for a student visa and under the age of 18,
this form should be completed and lodged online together
with form 157A (internet) Application for a student visa.
If you currently hold a student visa and wish to change your
current welfare arrangements, you will need to complete this
form and email it to the nearest office of the Department.
To find a location of an office of the Department, see
www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about/contact/offices-locations
Consent to communicate electronically
The Department may use a range of means to communicate
with you. However, electronic means such as fax or email
will only be used if you indicate your agreement to receiving
communication this way.
To process your application the Department may need
to communicate with you about sensitive information,
for example, health, police checks, financial viability and
personal relationships. Electronic communications, unless
adequately encrypted, are not secure and may be viewed by
others or interfered with. If you agree to the Department
communicating with you by electronic means, the details you
provide will only be used by the Department for the purpose
which you have provided them, unless there is legal obligation
or necessity to use them for another purpose, or you have
consented to use for another purpose. They will not be added
to any mailing list.
The Australian Government accepts no responsibility for the
security or integrity of any information sent to the Department
over the internet or by other electronic means.
Important information about privacy
The Privacy Act 1988 contains 13 Australian Privacy Principles
which regulate the way that the Department collects and
handles personal information. Information about how the
Department collects, uses and discloses personal information
for its key functions can be found in form 1442i Privacy
notice. More information about the Department’s general
information handling practices (including form 1442i) can be
found in the Department’s Privacy policy at
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/access-and-
accountability/our-commitments/privacy
www.homeaffairs.gov.au
Telephone 131 881 during business hours
in Australia to speak to an operator (recorded
information available outside these hours).
If you are outside Australia, please contact
your nearest Australian mission.
Home page
General
enquiry line
Please keep this information page for your reference