COVID-19

• From 14 November 2020, WA will operate a controlled border with the rest of Australia.
• However, you should carefully consider the implications if you do decide to return home over the summer as the situation may change at any time and a hard border may be reintroduced.
• This may affect your studies as ECU may be unable to provide an online option for your specific unit and you may need to reconsider your study plans.
• Students required to complete clinical placements may also be affected as ECU is unable to reschedule these if you are unable to return.

• International students must strive, at all times, to complete their studies within the completion date as specified on their Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). This means you are generally required to enrol in 60 credit points in each compulsory semester (Semester One and Semester Two).
• We understand that the coronavirus outbreak is causing significant stress globally. There are rules about when you can reduce your study load and you must talk with Student Success.
• Reducing your study load may require you to enrol in summer or winter units, or apply to extend your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), visa and health insurance.

• If you have to make changes to your enrolment during this time, then you will either need to catch up – and this may require enrolling in Summer or Winter units – or apply to extend your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), visa and health insurance.
• Depending on your circumstances, you may need to apply for a new student visa through the Department of Home Affairs.
• The Department of Home Affairs is implementing a range of visa changes to support International students, as announced on 20 July. This includes the ability for eligible students to apply for a no-fee student visa, which is available from midnight 5 August 2020.
• If you a require a new student visa, check with the Department of Home Affairs to see if you are eligible for the no-fee student visa, please complete Part A and Part B of their Form 1545 COVID-19 Impacted Student and submit to ECU with your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) form. If you meet the criteria stipulated by the Department of Home Affairs, ECU will sign and return the form to you along with your CoE, so that you can lodge them together in your student visa application.
• If you have any queries or need further guidance, please contact Student Success.

• The Department of Home Affairs is implementing a range of visa changes to support International students as announced on 20 July. This includes the ability for eligible students to apply for a no-fee student visa, which is available from midnight 5 August 2020. Read about the eligibility for a no-fee student visa and other measures implemented by the Australian Government.
• The no-fee student visa will be available to students who held a student visa on or after 1 February 2020 and who couldn’t complete their course within their original visa validity due to the impacts of COVID-19.
• If you a require a new student visa, check with the Department of Home Affairs to see if you are eligible for the no-fee student visa, please complete Part A and Part B of their Form 1545 COVID-19 Impacted Student and submit to ECU with your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) form. If you meet the criteria stipulated by the Department of Home Affairs, ECU will sign and return the form to you along with your CoE, so that you can lodge them together in your student visa application.

• Australia remains a high quality and welcoming destination for international students. The Government has announced a range of visa measures to support students. Some of these measures need legislation to be changed and you should check the Department of Home Affairs website regularly for more information.
• The measures will be temporary and will continue for as long as necessary.
• If you need more information, please contact the Department of Home Affairs.

• You can find information about the scholarships that are available to you by visiting ECU Scholarships webpage. You could be eligible for different scholarships based on your background, area of study, hardship you have experienced or your academic achievements.
• You can then search for a scholarship by using the filtering system provided. Each scholarship will include a description, the opening and closing date for applications, as well as all the eligibility criteria.
• Please note, you can only apply for a scholarship during the 'open for application' period.

• Commencing and continuing international students that hold a Confirmation of Enrolment and are currently in Australia are expected to be on campus for the commencement of Semester One, 2021, unless you are in a vulnerable group.
• If you are unable to travel to WA, contact us to discuss your study options – submit an enquiry via the online form on Ask Us or phone 134 328.

• We understand this is a stressful time and you may prefer to be with your family and community. There are several aspects we encourage you to consider before you make the decision to return home as you may not be able to continue your studies online from your home country. You should talk with Student Success about your circumstances and options.
• International students deciding to return to their home country and study online should be aware of the Australian Government’s travel advice and restrictions, which may prevent you from returning to campus for an undefined period depending on how the COVID-19 situation develops. For any visa enquiries, you should contact the Department of Home Affairs.

• Continuing international students outside of Australia may be able to continue their studies online, dependent on unit availability. If you do not want to study online, you may choose to intermit from your course. Please get in contact with us to advise whether you will be enrolling to taking intermission.
• If you choose to enrol, we will prepare personalised course advice for you so that you are studying the best units for online study for your course. For further advice, contact us on +61 8 6304 8500 or submit an enquiry via the online form on Ask Us.

• ECU is unable to advise on when borders will re-open for international travel as this is determined by the Australian Government.
• Currently, there are no special provisions in place for international students to return to Western Australia. The international travel restrictions still apply for coming to Western Australia and the borders remain closed unless you are granted a travel exemption. There is a very strict criteria to be able to obtain approval for a travel exemption and more information can be found in this regard at Department of Home Affairs - Travel Restrictions and G2GPass Individual Applications.

• If you are a continuing international student studying online outside of Australia, ECU will maintain your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) provided you are enrolled in November Summer Session or Semester One, 2021 units and your course status remains enrolled. Please note this is based on the current advice from the Department of Home Affairs, as they are taking a flexible approach where COVID-19 restrictions have prevented Student Visa conditions being met.
• The Department of Home Affairs has also changed the requirements for a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa for those who have been impacted by COVID-19. Read more about the range of visa measures to support international students. This may be subject to change during Semester One, 2021, therefore we recommend that you monitor this webpage for updates.

• Advanced digital skills will be important for your future career so we encourage you to make the most of studying online. If you prefer to take a break from your studies then we can assist you.
• You can submit a request to intermit via SIMO. If you have difficulty accessing SIMO, submit an enquiry via the online form on Ask Us.

• Yes, talk with Student Success before you return home so we can discuss the implications for your study.
• If you leave Australia before having a discussion with Student Success, please get in contact with ECU once you arrive in your home country.

• Yes. Update your International Correspondence details in SIMO.

• In addition to ECU services, ECU overseas student healthcare provider Medibank has made their support helpline available to all ECU international students.
• Whether you are onshore or offshore, and regardless of whether Medibank is your chosen Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) provider, the helpline is accessible to all ECU international students and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• You can speak to a nurse about any health issue and they can help you get the help you need in Australia with qualified health professionals. Interpreters are also available if required.
• You can contact Medibank’s Health and Support Line on 1800 887 282 within Australia or +61 2 8905 0307 international. For more information, view our news item on the Expansion of Medibank 24/7 Health and Support line for all ECU International Students.
• If you are a Medibank customer and have questions about your OSHC membership, phone 134 148 within Australia, +61 3 9862 1095 International or email: ohsc@medibank.com.au

• From 14 November 2020, WA will operate a controlled border with the rest of Australia.
• However, you should carefully consider the implications if you do decide to return home over the summer as the situation may change at any time and a hard border may be reintroduced.
• This may affect your studies as ECU may be unable to provide an online option for your specific unit and you may need to reconsider your study plans.
• Students required to complete clinical placements may also be affected as ECU is unable to reschedule these if you are unable to return.

• If you are an on-campus student, you should enrol into all of your units on the relevant campus, unless you are in a vulnerable group.
• Classes are being delivered on campus with online learning options required for some larger classes to ensure adherence to the WA Government's 2 square metre rule. Refer to your unit’s Blackboard site for more information on your classes and timetables.
• Students who are considered vulnerable according to the Australian Government’s COVID-19 guidelines can apply for special arrangements. See FAQ: What support is there for students classed as ‘Vulnerable Persons’ due to COVID-19?

• You can call ECU's Coronavirus Helpline on +61 8 6304 8500 or submit an enquiry via the online form on Ask Us.

• Continuing domestic students that are enrolled in on-campus units are expected to be on campus, unless you are in a vulnerable group.
• If you are unable to travel and your units are offered online, you are able to move to the online delivery mode of the units. You can contact us to discuss your study options – submit an enquiry via the online form on Ask Us or phone 134 328

• As of 25 March 2020 at AEDST 1200hrs, the Australian Government announced a ban on all overseas travel. You will not be able to depart Australia to travel overseas. See latest travel advice.
• As at midnight 15 March, the Australian Government requires anyone returning to Australia from any overseas destination to self-isolate for 14 days. There are no exceptions.
• States and Territories can apply their own travel restrictions, including closing their state borders. Find out more about restrictions in each Australian state or territory by visiting:
  • Australian Capital Territory: ACT Government Health
  • New South Wales: NSW Government Health
  • Northern Territory: Northern Territory Government
  • Queensland: Queensland government health and wellbeing
  • South Australia: Government of South Australia SA Health
  • Tasmania: Tasmanian Government Department of Health
  • Victoria: Victoria State Government Health and Human Services
  • Western Australia: Government of Western Australia Department of Health

WA travel restrictions

• From 14 November 2020, WA will operate a controlled border with the rest of Australia.

• Keep up with ECU on social media.
• You can also stay connected with other ECU students through the Discussion Board on your unit Blackboard sites.

ECU has a wide range of support programs for students, and in response to the COVID-19 situation more services are being added to assist students as they transition to remote learning, including:

• Financial assistance for students receiving social security through Centrelink
• ECU Financial support
• Studying online
• Technology
• Finding work
• Accommodation

For more information read through the 'Support for students' FAQs section below or contact Student Success.

• If your data collection and research require human participation and is potentially impacted by the COVID-19 situation, discuss this with your supervisors and Associate Dean of Research to manage this and to discuss other possible research approaches as well as to establish new timelines, if necessary. It is important to document any proposed changes to your plan or timeline in the Alternative Work Plan. If your research has animal or human research ethics approval, you must immediately notify the Research Ethics Team of these changes by requesting an amendment to your approved research or seeking an extension of your approval dates. Please see the Managing your approved research page for more information.
• It may be possible for you to make some minor changes to your research plans so your research can still go ahead, but in a slightly different way. So, consider if there are other options to collect your data. If you were going to do face-to-face interviews, is it possible that you could do these by videoconference (e.g., Zoom) or by telephone? Could you do an online survey instead? Is it possible to consider using other data sources or pre-existing data to progress your project? Discuss with your supervisor what options are available. Any changes to these methods must be documented as an amendment to your research ethics application. Please see the Managing your approved research page for more information.
• Are there other important research tasks that you could continue or start to work on? For example, why not spend time on finalising your literature review and start writing up that and the methodology section for your thesis, update your Endnote library, etc.
• If you already have some data collected, why not analyse it now and work with your supervisor to write-up as a paper for a peer-review publication that could then be included in your final thesis or exegesis?
• Learn skills/methods that you need for data analysis – research skills training and resources are available in the Graduate Research School (GRS) Programs site in Blackboard, ECU LinkedIn Learning and/or book an online appointment with a SOAR Ambassador. The ECU Library also has a range of resources available for researchers under the Research Resources Libguides.
• Take a break/rest/look after your personal wellness – remember all HDR students have 20 days of annual leave a year.

• To request or borrow a laptop or data pack visit the Borrowing items page on the Library Services website.
• Also, speak to your supervisors and School to see if they can loan you a laptop or will allow you to take your ECU desktop/monitor home during this period.

• The GRS Research Skills Training Program will be on campus in Semester One, 2021, with attendance numbers limited based on the latest COVID-19 related advice from the State Government. Registration is required and is strictly monitored.
• GRS also offers online self-paced alternatives to the face-to-face training program. You can access this training content through the GRS Programs Blackboard site, which all HDR students have automatic access to. If you are having trouble accessing this, please email Research Training.
• The SOAR Centres have resumed face-to-face operations while also providing online support services. The Centre will be on-call during semester break. Please book an appointment to make arrangements and get support during the non-teaching period.

• The SOAR Centres have resumed face-to-face operations while also providing online support services. The Centre will be on-call during semester break. Please book an appointment to make arrangements and get support during the non-teaching period.
• The Co-ordinators Research Student Support services are available to help you via virtual or face-to-face appointments. Email GRS Student Support to schedule your appointment.
• GRS Research Advisers – are available for virtual or face-to-face appointments. Please contact Neil Ferguson or Chandra Salgado Kent directly to make an appointment.
• HDR Communication Advisers – your HDR Learning Support team, Dr Jo McFarlane, Dr Michael Stein and Dr Kylie Stevenson, are available to help you with writing proposals, thesis chapters, abstracts and draft journal manuscripts. They also help with responding to reviewers' and examiners' comments, conference submissions and presentations. Email the HDRCA team to make an appointment.
• Join the ECU Research Student Facebook group to connect with fellow HDR students, SOAR Ambassadors, GRS staff members and receive latest information and updates.
• Monitor your student email for important information, updates and communications (such as the GRS eNewsletter).

• For international students planning to study on campus, you will not lose your place in the course if you are affected by Australia's travel bans.
• If your course offer is for on-campus study, you cannot formally commence your studies until you arrive on an ECU campus. *
• Similarly, if you are a scholarship student, your scholarship cannot commence until you arrive on an ECU campus. *
• Although you cannot formally start your studies, contact your supervisor to see if you can start preliminary/preparatory work on your research while overseas (e.g. develop research plan/activity schedule, start literature review).
• * International students who have been granted a visa but are unable to travel to Australia may be able to formally commence their studies in online mode (conditions apply) – students with scholarships may also commence their scholarships and have their stipends paid into their bank accounts overseas. Please contact ECU.

• At this stage there is no change to the HDR scholarships/stipends and other support that ECU provides to HDR students – this will continue as previously approved. However, we encourage candidates to document any proposed changes to your plan or timeline in the Alternative Work Plan.
• Scholarship and/or candidature extensions will continue to be assessed as per our usual practices. These will require documented evidence of significant impact on planned work and financial hardship, supported by your supervisor and School. Extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis, but not until a few months before current expiration dates (e.g. if your scholarship currently goes into 2021, we would not be considering any requests to extend it this year).
• Please contact Co-ordinators Research Student Support services to discuss further. Email GRS Student Support to schedule your appointment.
• Any extension to your candidature must also be reflected in your approved research ethics application. Please see the Managing your approved research page for more information.

• Please consider meeting your supervisors virtually through ZOOM or Microsoft Teams if you are unable to make it to campus and/or this works best for both you and your supervisor. Alternatively, make arrangements to meet your supervisor in person.
• You should also maintain regular email contact with them.

• Please send an email with your questions to the Student Success team for matters relating to enrolment for international students.
• If you are a J42 student, on-campus classes will continue in Semester One, 2021. On-campus classes will be delivered in a safe, physically distanced way that meets all Government safety guidelines. If you are considered vulnerable according to the Government's COVID-19 guidelines and provide appropriate medical evidence, you may enrol in the online version of your units. Please check your ECU student emails for information/details from your course and unit coordinators. See FAQ: What support is there for students classed as 'Vulnerable Persons' due to COVID-19?
• If you are an L61 student, discuss your concerns with your supervisors and review your work plan/task schedule with them.

• It is generally possible to defer or intermit candidature (unless this is your first semester at ECU). However, discuss this with your supervisors. In most cases you should be able to make minor changes to your research plans and timeline of planned activity so that your HDR studies can continue as normal, even when away from the campus. Applications for intermission or amendments to candidature will need to be discussed with a Student Success Officer regarding possible impact upon student visas. The application form (Variation to Candidature) will then need to go to the respective Coordinators Research Student Support in GRS.  Note that deferring or intermitting may have implications for scholarships.

• As we move towards living in a COVIDSafe Australia, some people still need to take extra steps to protect themselves and those they live with.
• People classed as being at higher risk of serious illness due to COVID-19 include older people, people living in aged care facilities, people with a chronic illness, people with disabilities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in remote communities. Anyone could develop serious or severe illness from COVID-19, but those with chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems are at greater risk.
• ECU students who are categorised as ‘vulnerable’ may require alternative arrangements for their ongoing studies. If you are considered vulnerable according to the Australian Government’s COVID-19 guidelines, you can apply to continue studying remotely.
• Download the Vulnerable Student Declaration form from the Student Equity, Diversity and Disability page, have it signed by a medical practitioner and submit it to an ECU Equity Officer via email to studentequity@ecu.edu.au to discuss your situation.

ECU understands that students are facing financial hardship and we are committed to doing everything we can to help. To help you continue with your studies, the following support options are available:

• If you have recently lost your job, ECU’s Career Advisers can also help with resume writing, interview skills and advice on what you can do to find work. You can book an appointment with a Career Adviser through ECU CareerHub.
• Loan laptops and data packs
  To request to borrow a laptop or data pack, visit the Borrowing items page on the Library Services website.
• Parents and carers
  See the Resources for studying and caring at home page on the student intranet.
• Guild Student Assistance
  Guild Student Assist Officers can also offer food assistance to students experiencing financial hardship. You can book online to talk to a Guild Student Assist Officer and explore how they can help. You can also contact ECU Guild for information about support from community organisations or Foodbank for food assistance.
• ECU Student Loans
  With the aim of assisting you to successfully complete your course and in order to reflect ECU's commitment to improving students' financial situations, the University offers interest free loans. Loans are available for amounts between $500 and $1,500. Check eligibility and apply for an ECU Loan.
• ECU Scholarships
  You can find information about the scholarships that are available to you by visiting ECU Scholarships webpage. You could be eligible for different scholarships based on your background, area of study, hardship you have experienced or your academic achievements.

Additional Government support

• The Australian Government has implemented a range of measures to eligible Austudy, Abstudy, youth allowance (student) and other claimants. Students can check their eligibility to receive financial support through Services Australia, including crisis and special help.
• If you’re experiencing financial hardship and require rent assistance, see if you are eligible for the Residential Rent Relief Grant Scheme. This scheme is offered by the WA Government and is designed to assist eligible people to pay their rent.
• Finder.com.au has some helpful information about meeting your utilities bills at this time, see: Coronavirus assistance for your energy and Internet bills.
• For specific advice about your own circumstances, please contact Student Success.

Additional support for International students

• You should contact your local community groups, Embassy or local Consular Office to see what help is available.
• Some organisations have also received funding from the Australian Government to provide support to temporary visa holders who have no way to support themselves and who have urgent needs. Red Cross Australia has collated information on services by state (WA, NSW, VIC) and is able to provide support for temporary visa holders in some circumstances.
• StudyPerth provides information on a range of services for international students, including food, housing, financial, legal, accommodation and health, plus StudyPerth can offer emergency support to students in certain circumstances. Sign up to their newsletter or Facebook group to ensure you stay up-to-date with opportunities and other assistance. There are also branches in other states at StudyMelbourne and StudySydney.

Out-of-hours support

Students are encouraged to access the range of support services at ECU and within the community. Here are a few resources you to keep in mind and access if you are experiencing severe hardship:

• ECU Out of Hours Crisis Line on 1300 583 032 or text 0488 884 232
• ECU Guild
  For support and information on support from community organisations.
• Foodbank
  For food Assistance.
• Lifeline
  In addition to a helpline, Lifeline has an online crisis support chat service, information sheets, self-help tools and a free translating and interpretation service.
• Crisis Care
  If you are in crisis and needing urgent help.
• If you are an international student, contact your Embassy or consulate and community organisations.

• If you have recently lost your job, ECU’s career advisers can also help with resume writing, interview skills and advice on what you can do to find work. You can book an appointment with a Career Adviser through ECU CareerHub.
• Career advisers are available for one-on-one appointments to support graduates for up to 14 months after completing their studies. Career advisers can assist with career coaching, job application documents, job searching skills, finding career resources and more. See the Careers page on the student intranet for more information.

• We know that some students want to build confidence and/or have minimal experience in online study. To assist you with online learning, we have developed a guide and instructional videos:
  • Introduction to the digital learning environment: a guide for students
  • Panopto instructional videos: ECU learning online
  • Panopto instructional videos: Using Zoom

• Jump on to the Blackboard Student Homepage and explore the many resources we are creating to help you quickly become proficient.
• There are also many resources offered by our Libraries, and you can book an appointment with a Learning Adviser if you need more support about learning online or with your assignments.
• IT assistance
  For those needing hardware and software, IT Service Desk can provide advice. To request to borrow a laptop or data pack visit the Borrowing items page on the Library Services website.
• VEEPS
  Peer support is available to deliver just-in-time assistance for students experiencing online learning issues. Get support with creating videos using Panopto, formatting with Microsoft Office and using all the features of Blackboard. Full details are available on the Peer support with learning technologies page.
• You can also email Library Services on library@ecu.edu.au for general advice.

• These are very challenging times and we all need to lean on every support we can – family, friends and professional services – to keep us moving forward.
• If you are feeling stressed or anxious, please don’t hesitate to reach out to ECU’s free and confidential Student Counselling Service.
• For a mental health emergency, students can phone ECU’s out of hours student crisis line on 1300 583 032 or SMS by texting 0488 884 232.

• The Australian Government has made it clear that no-one will be evicted during the COVID-19 crisis.
• ECU provides on-campus accommodation at all of our WA locations. Campus Living Villages provide supportive, safe and accessible apartments and can assist in an emergency. Eligibility criteria apply. Phone 08 9370 6376 (Mon to Fri 9.00am – 9.00pm)
• Students experiencing challenges with accommodation are encouraged to speak to the team at the Student Hub regarding their situation.
• For tenancy assistance and advice, contact Tenancy WA or the ECU Student Guild.
• If you’re experiencing financial hardship and require rent assistance, see if you are eligible for the Residential Rent Relief Grant Scheme. This scheme is offered by the WA Government and is designed to assist eligible to people pay their rent.
• If you need to speak to someone outside of these hours, ECU’s out of hours Crisis Line is available to all students by phoning 1300 583 032 or via SMS to 0488 884 232.