Australian Government

Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Schools Sector: Temporary Visa

(Subclass 571)
Assessment Level 4
Application Document Checklist

This document lists the information and supporting documents required for your student visa.
It also lists additional documents that you may need to provide depending on your individual
circumstances.
Visa application requirements differ from one country to another. If you are applying outside
Australia, you must contact your nearest departmental office and check exactly how to
submit your application and what documents to provide.
See: Immigration Offices Outside Australia
More information about this visa is available.
See: About this Visa
Do not provide original documents unless requested. You must provide certified copies of
original documentation. Documents not in English must be accompanied by accredited
English translations. More information on certified documents and English translations is
available.
See: Information to Help Prepare Your Application
You should ensure that you lodge a completed visa application. While the department may
ask you to provide more information in order to determine whether you meet the criteria for
grant of the visa, a decision on the visa application may be made solely on the information
provided at the time of application.
Note: The Visa Application Charge will not be refunded if a decision is made to refuse to
grant the visa because the applicant did not satisfy the criteria for grant of the visa.

Form 1025i contains more information on how to apply.

See: Form 1025i Making and processing visa applications.

After completing this checklist, please attach it to the front of your application.

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 Forms, fees and charges 9

For a student visa application complete form 157A.

See: Form 157A Application for a student (temporary) visa
Note: An addendum is required to accompany form 157A.
See: Addendum to Form 157A Application for a student visa (14KB PDF file)
If you are lodging an application for a further student visa in Australia you may apply online.
See: Online Applications - Students

The electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) certificate(s) and/or letter of offer issued by
your education provider for the course(s) you are undertaking or completed Acceptance Advice
for Secondary Exchange Students (AASES) form.

Visa application charge payable to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) by
credit card, debit card, bank cheque or money order.
See: Students and Trainee Visa Charges

Certified copies of passport or travel documents of all people included in the application.
Passports must not have expired. If you are asked to attend a DIAC office you must bring your
passport.

If you are under 18 and are applying in Australia for a student visa you will need to show
evidence that appropriate arrangements are in place for your welfare at the time you lodge your
application. Please refer to the Welfare for Students Under 18 section of this checklist for
information on what is considered acceptable evidence.

Personal documents 9

If you are applying from outside Australia, four recent passport sized photographs
(45mmx35mm) of you and any other person included in the application. If applying in Australia,
only one photograph of each person is required.
These photographs should be of the head and shoulders only against a plain
background.
Print the name of the person on the back of each photograph.

Evidence of the relationship between yourself and all members of your family unit.
Example:
certified copies or notarised copies of birth certificates (including those who are not
joining you in Australia)
marriage certificate.

If you are living in a de facto relationship, independent evidence that you have been in the
relationship for at least 12 months.
Example:
joint bank account statements
billing accounts in joint names.

If you or anyone included in the application has been permanently separated, divorced or
widowed, a certified copy of the statutory declaration/separation certificate, divorce decree
absolute or the death certificate of the deceased partner (as appropriate).

November 2011 Page 2 of 6

 If anyone in the application has changed his or her name, certified copies of documents
verifying the name change.
Example:
marriage or deed poll certificate
a certified copy of evidence of the name change.

If any dependent child included in the application is adopted, certified copies of the adoption
papers.

Certified copies of documents to verify custody and access arrangements for children under 18
years of age. This is not required if both parents or legal custodians are included in the
application.

If your family members have turned 5 years of age, but have not yet turned 18, and are
remaining with you in Australia, you will need to provide evidence of enrolment in an Australian
school, including payment of any required fee.

Health documents 9

All applicants may be required to provide one of the following:

medical and x-ray examinations for yourself and any family unit member planning to
remain with in you Australia
evidence of a booking, or receipt, from Medibank Health Solutions for your medical and
x-ray examinations.
See: Health Requirements

Other health and character documents 9

Evidence that you have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of your visa.
Your visa expiry date will be determined by the expiry date of your OSHC.
See: How the visa works

You may be required to provide a penal clearance for any country you have lived in for 12
months, or longer, in the last ten years, since reaching 16 years of age. If you have served in
the armed forces of any country, you may be required to provide certified copies of military
service records or discharge papers. The office processing your application will advise you if
they require these documents.

Academic documents 9

Academic transcripts that show you completed schooling to year 9 level (or its equivalent).

If you must undertake an ELICOS (or other English language bridging course) before
commencing your course, provide a Confirmation of Enrolment or letter of offer in an ELICOS of
no more than 30 weeks duration.

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 English proficiency 9

You must provide one of the following:

a) Certificate from a specified English language test showing that you meet the English
language skill requirement.
See: Student Eligibility
b) You must submit a letter or offer or Confirmation of Enrolment as evidence that your
proposed education provider is satisfied with you level of English language proficiency, if
you any one of the following applies:
you are a secondary exchange student
you are in Australia at the time of application
you are applying from outside Australia and are less than 16 years old at the time
you apply
you have studied in English for 5 years or more in Australia, Canada, New Zealand,
South Africa, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States.
c) Submit evidence that the requirement for an English language test has been waived.
For information on the waiver requirements is available.
See: IELTS or a Specified English Language Test Waiver Conditions

Financial documents 9

Provide evidence that you have sufficient funds to cover yourself and your family for the first 24
months of stay in Australia for:
living costs
tuition costs
school costs for any school-age children.

Declare on your student visa application that you have access to sufficient funds to cover the
same costs for the remainder of your stay.
The departmental officer assessing your application will need to be satisfied that the funds you
are relying on will genuinely be available to you during your stay in Australia.

Provide evidence that you have access to funds to cover travel costs to and from Australia.

Financial support can be provided by eligible family members. These include:

the applicant
the applicants partner
the applicants parents
the applicants grandparents
the applicants brothers and sisters:
an uncle or aunt of the applicant who is:
- an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or an eligible New Zealand
citizen; and
- usually resident in Australia
More information on financial requirements is available.
See: Financial Requirements

November 2011 Page 4 of 6

 Evidence of Funds 9

Please provide at least one of the following:

a) Money deposit from:

A financial institution
- in your name or your eligible family members name
- funds in a money deposit must be held for at least 3 months immediately
prior to the lodgement of your visa application.
Note: The 3 months saving history requirement does not apply if you are applying for a
further student visa to finish a course of study, and you have successfully completed at
least 75% of that course.
b) Loan from:

a financial institution
- in your name or your eligible family members name
the government of your home country.
c) Scholarship from your Australian Education Provider.
d) Scholarship or Financial Support from:
the government of your home country
the government of a foreign country
employer
multilateral agency
gazetted organisation (Rotary International, Ford Foundation, National Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies)
Australian Government
Australian State or Territory Government
acceptable non-profit organisation.
Evidence of Income 9

Please provide at least one of the following:

a) Tax Statement
b) Income Statement
c) Business Statement
d) Loan documents
e) Bank account statement(s)
f) Savings history or other evidence of regular income.

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 Welfare for Students Under 18 9

If you are under 18 years of age you must provide evidence that every person with a legal right
to decide where you live consents to your proposed studies in Australia

If you are under 18 years of age you must provide evidence of one of the following:
a) If you intend to reside in Australia with a parent, or a person who has custody of you, you
must provide evidence of the relationship, and that they have the right to remain in
Australia for the period of your stay, or until you turn 18, whichever is the lesser period.
b) If you intend to reside in Australia with a relative nominated by a parent or a person who
has custody of you, you must provide evidence of the relationship, evidence that the
relative is at least 21 years old, police clearance/s, and evidence that the relative has the
right to remain in Australia for the period of your stay, or until you turn 18, whichever is
the lesser period.
Police clearances do not need to be submitted at the time you lodge your application but
will need to be submitted before your visa can be granted.
Further information on police clearances is available.
See: Character and Penal Clearance Requirements
c) If you will not be residing in Australia with one of the above mentioned persons, you must
provide a signed statement from your education provider confirming that appropriate
arrangements have been made for your accommodation, support and general welfare
during your stay in Australia.
Further information about eligibility is available.
See: Students under 18 years of age - additional requirements

Applications from applicants in Australia 9

If you are applying in Australia and do not already hold a student visa, you must provide
exceptional reasons for the grant of student visa. You will need to demonstrate that exceptional
circumstances exist to justify approving the application.

November 2011 Page 6 of 6