Australia Student Visa Document Checklist: How to Use the Home Affairs Tool

TL;DR: The Australia student visa document checklist is not one fixed list. The Department of Home Affairs builds it for you from your passport country and your education provider, using its online Document Checklist Tool. Run the tool before you apply, attach everything it lists, translate every non-English document properly, and upload a current Confirmation of Enrolment, which you need for a valid application.

Students often build their Australia student visa document checklist from a friend's list or an old forum post. The trouble is that the list changes with your passport and your provider, so a friend's checklist can be right for them and wrong for you. Home Affairs publishes its own tool for exactly this. This guide shows how to use it, what it asks for and the mistakes Home Affairs warns about. If you are applying from Sri Lanka, the local points sit in their own section before the FAQ.

Not sure your Confirmation of Enrolment, funds and English evidence are ready for an Australian application? Check your eligibility with Prosper.

Why there is no single Australia student visa checklist

Home Affairs sets the evidence each applicant must give by combining their country of passport with their education provider. That is the evidence level system, explained in our guide to Australia student visa evidence levels. Two students on the same course can be asked for different financial or English evidence because they hold different passports.

So the right starting point is not a generic list. It is the list Home Affairs produces for your exact combination.

Want a view on whether your evidence matches what the tool will ask of you?

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How to use the Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool

Home Affairs describes the tool as something students can use before lodging an application. You will find it on the Document Checklist Tool page on the Home Affairs website.

1. Enter your country of passport.
2. Enter your education provider, or its CRICOS code. Our guide to CRICOS course search shows where to find it.
3. Choose your category, for example DFAT-sponsored or Defence-sponsored, or "none of the above" for most students.
4. Display the evidence list, then save or print it.

Home Affairs warns that if you leave out information, the list "might not be accurate for your circumstance". It also says ImmiAccount gives you a list of documents to attach when you apply, so check the two against each other.

What the tool usually asks for

The tool's evidence list is grouped into categories. Which ones apply depends on you, but this is the full set it covers:

The mistakes Home Affairs warns about

Home Affairs runs a "Check twice, submit once" page for student visas. It says common mistakes can delay an application or lead to a refusal, and that a complete application gets a faster outcome. Its main points:

• Upload a current Confirmation of Enrolment to your ImmiAccount.
• Translate every non-English document into English. If the translator is in Australia, include their NAATI practitioner number. If the translator is overseas, include their full name, address, phone number and qualifications in the language they translated.
• Match your name to your passport, and write your date of birth in dd/mm/yyyy format.
• Include English evidence if the Document Checklist Tool says you need it.

Once your documents are ready, our guides to Australia student visa cost and the health examination cover the remaining steps.

Applying from Sri Lanka

• In the tool, enter Sri Lanka as your country of passport and your provider's name or CRICOS code. The list you get applies to that pairing only.
• Documents in Sinhala or Tamil, such as a birth certificate, need an English translation. A translator in Sri Lanka must add their full name, address, phone number and qualifications.
• Make sure your name is spelled the same way on your passport, certificates and bank documents before you upload anything.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find the Australia student visa document checklist? On the Home Affairs website, through the Document Checklist Tool. You enter your passport country and education provider, and it lists the evidence you should attach.

Does the tool replace the list in ImmiAccount? No. Home Affairs says ImmiAccount also gives you a list of documents to attach when you apply, so check the two against each other.

Can I apply for an Australian student visa without a CoE? Home Affairs says evidence of your intended study, usually a Confirmation of Enrolment, must be provided to make a valid application.

Do I need to translate documents for an Australian student visa? Yes. Home Affairs asks for English translations of all non-English supporting documents, with the translator's details.

Why is my checklist different from my friend's? Because the list depends on your passport country and your provider. A friend with a different passport or provider can get a different list.

PS: The tool tells you what to collect. It does not tell you whether your evidence is strong enough. If you want a view on that before you lodge, check your eligibility with Prosper and we will go through your list with you.

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