Juggling a family with study brings its own unique set of challenges to undertaking a degree at the ANU. While we are working with the ANU to improve the services available to parents, there are some services and tips that can make the transition into study and your life with your family in Canberra a little easier.

If you have questions about being a student and a parent, please contact our officer at sa.parentsandcarers@anu.edu.au

Accommodation

The ANU currently does not have any dedicated accommodation suitable for families on-campus. University information suggests that students arrive in Canberra alone and secure accommodation before bringing the rest of their family. Securing accommodation can be difficult at the beginning of the academic year and it is incredibly competitive as there is a large intake of new public servants moving into Canberra at the same time.

If you are looking for more than one room in a single property, the likelihood of finding accommodation within your budget is much higher if you're looking outside the city centre.

Parents and Carers Rooms

ANUSA hosts our own parenting facility on Level 2, Di Riddell Student Centre, (Building 154). The Parets and Carers Room has been established on campus for the use of students and staff requiring a place to attend to specific needs of young children and to meet the needs of nursing parents.   

Come in and check it out any time!

As of 2024, there are several parenting rooms on campus with varying resources:

Bldg #	Building Name	Room #	Room type	Facilities
12	Level 2, Di Riddell Student Centre, (Building 154)	2.57	Parenting room	A quiet place to breastfeed, bottle feed or express milk privately, curtained off area, change table, comfy chair, and toys. A nearby sink and microwaves are available at the BKSS space.
9	HC Coombs Building	1009	First aid room	Lounge, change table, sink, and first aid kit.
13	Beryl Rawson Building	1.24	First aid room	Bed, table, fridge, chair, and sink.
15	JB Chifley Building	4.13	Parenting room	Lounge, coffee table, microwave, fridge, change table, sink, bins, and privacy screen.
26C	ANU College of Business & Economics	1.01B	Parenting room	Chair, lounge, table, microwave, change table, sink,  and play equipment.
60	Oliphant Building	3.07	Parenting room	Couch, table, toys, recycling bin, and chair.
72	Acton Early Childhood Centre		Parenting room	Lounge, coffee table, microwave, change table, sink, fridge, lockable door, and privacy screen.
108	Computer Science & Information Technology Building	N321	First aid room	Chair, fridge, change table and sink.
142	Jaeger 8	1.07	Parenting room	Lounge, fridge, toys, privacy screen, and workstation. Adjacent to the kitchen with sink. Nearby unisex bathroom with change table and shower.

 

HDR Parental Leave

PhD students at the ANU are entitled to parental leave (more information here), the duration of which is dictated by the supervisor and the scholarship conditions. We are seeking a comprehensive, trans-inclusive university-wide parental leave policy which protects reasonable leave for fathers or partners. If you need support with negotiating parental leave with your supervisor, please contact our Student Assistance team on sa.assistance@anu.edu.au

Childcare

There are several on-campus childcare centres. These on-campus childcare centres are Acton Early Childhood Centre, Goodstart Learning Centre ANU, University Preschool and Child Care Centre, Heritage Early Childhood Centre and Cubby House on Campus Early Learning Centre.

The ANU Website has more comprehensive information available here.

Children in the Classroom

The ANU has a comprehensive Children on campus policy which can be found here.

This states that: "Parents/carers may request that children attend a class when there are sudden and/or unexpected difficulties in childcare arrangements. Normally the request is made to the relevant lecturer prior to the child attending the class. It is expected that parents/carers would ensure that there would be minimal disruption to others caused by their children, where approval is given."

There are some schools that have more relaxed policies and allow students to bring their children into the classroom regularly but it is usually at the discretion of the lecturer, tutor or course convenor. If you would like to regularly bring your child to class, it would be best to contact your school, college or course convenor to discuss this option. Please do be prepared to receive a no as it is up to their discretion.

Overseas Student Health Cover

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is insurance to assist international students meet the costs of medical and hospital care that they may need while in Australia. OSHC will also pay limited benefits for pharmaceuticals and ambulance services. Almost all international students who hold a student visa are required to take out overseas student health cover (with the exception of Belgian, Norwegian and some Swedish students). If you are bringing your family to Australia with you, you will be required to take out OSHC which covers your whole family. 

Please be aware that for all providers, during the first twelve months you are unable to claim for services related to pregnancy, so if you or your partner falls pregnant during the first twelve months that you spend in Australia, you will have to pay completely out of pocket for related medical care.

For more information about Overseas Student Health Care, please visit the Australia Government Department of Health website.

School Fees

International students may have to pay fees for any dependants attending an ACT public school.

Fee exemptions apply to:

• the dependants of Commonwealth assisted students, or dependants of students whose tuition fees are paid in full by a publicly funded Australian Higher Education Provider, physically located in the ACT
• the dependants of eligible students whose main course of study is a Masters degree by research or a Doctoral degree enrolled in an Australian Higher Education Provider, physically located in the ACT

If you have questions about your visa conditions and paying for school fees that are not answered by the ACT Government Website, please feel free to contact our lawyers for free advice. Appointments can be made by emailing sa.legal@anu.edu.au.