Accepting your offer

No matter how you’ve applied – we’ll guide you through the acceptance process.

The Letter of Offer you’ve received will contain instructions and information which you should read carefully. There are three types of offers you might have been sent:

  • Full offer – allows entry for the stated intake of the course you are eligible for. No further conditions need to be satisfied.
  • Conditional offer – outlines the conditions that need to be met in order for you to be offered a place in your selected course. Once you have met the conditions, a full offer can be issued.
  • Package offer – requires you to complete an English language program and/or another pathway program before commencing your degree program. You must accept the entire package by the deadline stated in your letter of offer.

All international students – whether you’ve applied directly to the University or through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) – need to complete the following steps to accept their offer.

How to accept

Return documents

A step-by-step guide to accepting your offer can be found on your Letter of Offer.

For students that have applied via an authorised representative, they will guide you through the acceptance process. For students that have applied directly, please email the following documents to your Admissions Officer:

  • completed and signed Acceptance of Offer form
  • evidence of payment for total amount payable
  • copy of passport identification page (if not provided already)
  • completed Scholarship Acceptance form (if applicable)
  • international Under 18 Welfare Arrangement form (if applicable).
Accept offer
  • Once received, we will verify acceptances documents, confirm your fee payment, and arrange to admit you to your Macquarie program.
  • If required, we will also issue you with a Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) so you can apply for your Student Visa.

Once the university has processed your acceptance and issued you with a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), you can then apply for a Student Visa.

For further information on student visas, please refer to the Australian Department of Home Affairs website.

Defer your offer

Depending on your course, you may have the option to defer your offer for up to one year. This means we’ll hold a place for you to enrol in your course in the following study periods.

All applications for deferral are assessed on a case-by-case basis and against the criteria including but not limited to:

  • course admissions requirements of the year you intend to commence
  • where admission is competitive, if quota in the class has been met and if you are deemed competitive against the pool of applicants of the year you intend to commence
  • the validity period of your English language proficiency evidence
  • changes of your personal circumstances in relation to meeting the requirements of genuine temporary entrant
  • if you have previously deferred an offer to the same program/course of study.

The process to request a deferral is dependent on what stage of the acceptance process you are up to.

Learn what to do if you have:

You can request a deferral by contacting your Admissions Officer if you haven’t accepted your offer.

  • If your deferral request is approved, a new offer will be issued.
  • If your deferral request is not approved, you can still accept your current offer.
  • If you wish to delay the start of your course for longer than a year, you will need to submit a new application to the University.

Once you’ve accepted your offer, you can only defer your enrolment on the grounds of compassionate or compelling circumstances.

Compassionate or compelling circumstances are generally those beyond the control of the student and which have an impact upon the student’s course progress or wellbeing. These could include, but are not limited to:

  • serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate states that the student was unable to attend classes; or
  • bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents (where possible a death certificate should be provided); or
  • major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel and this has impacted on the student’s studies; or
  • a traumatic experience which could include:
    • involvement in, or witnessing of a serious accident; or
    • witnessing or being the victim of a serious crime, and this has impacted on the student (these cases should be supported by police or psychologists’ reports); or
  • inability to begin studying on the course commencement date due to delay in receiving a student visa.

You must submit the deferral request accompanied with supporting documents to the Admissions Officer shown in your offer.

  • Include dates and/or the length of the circumstances.
  • Explain the severity and impact of the circumstances.
  • Clearly describe how the circumstances have adversely affected your continuous study of the units or course.
  • Include the dates(s) on which you were seen by the professional providing the evidence.

Your Admissions Officer will notify you the outcome of your deferral request, and if approved, a new electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) will be issued when you accept the offer to the future intake.

If your deferral request is not approved, your options are:

  • commence/continue your studies in the course
  • stop your studies by notifying the University using the withdrawal form

Submit an appeal within 10 working days if you are unsatisfied with the outcome of the decision.

Students under 18 years

If you will be under 18 years of age at the commencement of your studies, you must show that you have adequate welfare arrangements in place to be granted a visa.

For the duration of your studies or until you turn 18, whichever happens first, the Department of Home Affairs requires one of the following three welfare options to be in place:

If you will live with your parent or legal custodian, you will need to submit the following documents:

  • signed International Under 18 Welfare Arrangement form
  • birth certificate
  • passport identification page
  • parent’s passport or National ID card with photo and signature
  • proof of relationship to parent (if not evident in previous documents)
  • legal custodian document (if applicable).

If you will live with a relative for you during your stay in Australia, your parents or legal custodians will need to give their permission for this arrangement on your application form.

Your relative must be nominated when filling out the 157N Nomination of a student guardian form.

A suitable relative is a:

  • grandparent or step-grandparent
  • sibling or step-sibling
  • aunt/uncle or step-aunt/uncle
  • niece/nephew or step-niece/nephew

The relative must be at least 21 years of age and of good character, as outlined by the Department of Home Affairs. See more information about character and police certificate requirements.

Your relative can also come to Australia as your guardian on a Student Guardian visa.

If you will live with a suitable relative you will need to submit the following documents:

  • international Under 18 Welfare Arrangement form, signed and approved by student and parent or legal custodian
  • birth certificate
  • passport identification page
  • parent’s passport, National ID card or marriage certificate
  • proof of relationship to parent and suitable relative (if not evident in the previous documents)
  • legal custodian document (if applicable).

Your parent or legal custodian can give their permission for your accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements to be provided by Macquarie University.

Step 1

Choose one of the following University-approved homestay providers, then book and confirm your accommodation and guardianship arrangements directly with the homestay provider.

Step 2

Submit the following documents to the Admissions Officer:

  • signed international Under 18 Welfare Arrangement form
  • proof of placement confirmation from your homestay provider (acceptable when submitted four weeks before the program commencement date), or homestay host profile showing host details
    birth certificate
  • passport identification page
  • parent’s passport or National ID card
  • proof of relationship to parent (if not evident in previous documents)
  • legal custodian document (if applicable).
Step 3

Once all of the requirements are met the Admissions Officer will send you a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter for your visa application.

The nominated welfare period will commence seven calendar days prior to the commencement of Orientation. It will conclude seven days after the end date of your course or on the day you turn 18, whichever is earlier.

  • You must not enter Australia prior to the commencement of the nominated welfare period or your visa may be subject to cancellation.
  • Your welfare arrangements require you to:
    • engage in regular consultations with your assigned U18 Student Administration Officer.
    • not change your accommodation without approval from the University.
    • contact your U18 Student Administration Officer in advance if you are unable to attend any of your regularly scheduled meetings. We will reschedule the meeting for another time within that same week or following week.
    • seek permission in writing from your parents/legal guardian, Home Stay Family and Student Advocacy if you plan to sleep overnight at another residence or travel outside Sydney. This is applicable from the time of your arrival in Australia.
    • notify your U18 Student Administration Officer and discuss any problems or issues that may arise relating to your accommodation and/or welfare arrangement.
  • If you fail to comply with the requirements, Macquarie University is obligated to notify the Department of Home Affairs which may have an impact on your student visa.
  • You are not required to arrange student guardian services provided by a third party. Macquarie University does not endorse such student guardianship unless the guardian is appointed by a legal process.
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