You have an offer from an Australian college, and now the visa form is asking for documents. Some you have already, and some you’ve never heard of. It is easy to wonder which ones really matter.
The good news is that the list is shorter than it looks. Most of the papers come from places you already deal with: your passport office, your bank, your school and your new college.
This student visa document checklist covers the Student visa (subclass 500). It explains what each document proves, what Home Affairs looks for and where people slip up.
Two things changed on 2 October 2026. Most students must now apply from outside Australia, and most can no longer include family members. Both are covered below.
Every figure here comes from Home Affairs and carries an “as at” date. If you’d like your documents checked before you lodge, you can book a consultation with our team.
Why do missing documents lead to a refused student visa?
Missing or unsupported documents lead to refusals because Home Affairs decides your visa on the evidence you give it. It doesn’t have to ask you for anything that’s missing before it decides.
Some gaps are more serious than others. If you can’t prove your identity, Home Affairs says it will refuse the application and might not grant you another visa for 10 years.
Money is the other common gap. Home Affairs says a bank balance certificate for a single day doesn’t show how you built up your funds. It wants to see the history behind the money.
Our guide to the most common student visa refusal reasons covers the rest. The checklist below is how you avoid most of them.
What documents do you need for an Australian student visa?
You need proof of identity, a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), English and financial evidence, health insurance, and answers that show you’re a genuine student. The Student visa (subclass 500) lets you study here for up to 6 years, in line with your enrolment.
Here is the checklist of documents for an Australian student visa:
- Passport and identity documents.
- Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
- English test results, unless you’re exempt.
- Evidence of money for fees, living costs and travel.
- Health exams, if Home Affairs asks for them.
- Police certificates, if Home Affairs asks for them.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
- Academic documents.
- Genuine Student (GS) answers and supporting documents.
- A welfare arrangement, if you’re under 18.
Your exact list depends on your passport country and your college. Home Affairs’ Document Checklist Tool builds it for you. It is updated on 31 March and 30 September each year, so run it again just before you lodge.
1. Passport and identity documents
You prove who you are with your passport. Home Affairs doesn’t set a minimum passport validity for this visa, but your passport should last for your whole stay.
- The pages of your current passport with your photo, personal details, and issue and expiry dates.
- Your national identity card, if you have one.
- Proof of any change of name, such as a marriage certificate.
2. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
A CoE is the document your college issues once you accept your offer and pay your deposit. Without the right evidence of enrolment, Home Affairs says your application isn’t valid.
- Your course must be registered on CRICOS. Our guide on how to check a CRICOS code shows you how.
- If you’re packaging courses, such as English then a degree, you need a CoE for each one.
- Your CoE must still be valid when Home Affairs decides your visa.
3. English language test results
You show your English with an approved test, unless you’re exempt. The score you need is an overall score, and it’s lower if your course comes with English classes (ELICOS).
|
Test (taken on or after 7 August 2025) |
Minimum score |
With 10 weeks of ELICOS |
With 20 weeks of ELICOS |
|
IELTS Academic or General Training |
6.0 |
5.5 |
5.0 |
|
PTE Academic |
47 |
39 |
31 |
|
TOEFL iBT |
67 |
51 |
37 |
- Figures are from Home Affairs as at 28 October 2026.
- Your test must usually be from the 2 years before you apply.
- Tests taken fully online at home, such as IELTS Online, aren’t accepted.
- Your college may ask for a higher score to enrol you, so check both.
4. Financial documents
You must show you can pay for your first 12 months in Australia. Home Affairs sets the amounts as a guide.
|
Cost |
Amount (as at 28 October 2026) |
|
Living costs for 12 months Expert Australian Migration GuidanceNavigating the complexities of your visa journey is easier with professionals. Start your Australian dream today. Book Consultation |
AUD 29,710 |
|
Course fees |
Your first 12 months of fees, less any fees you’ve already covered |
|
Travel (applying from outside Australia, outside Africa) |
AUD 2,000 |
|
Income option instead |
A parent or partner earning at least AUD 87,856 in the last 12 months |
The evidence you might give includes:
- Bank statements that show how the money built up over time, not only a one-day balance.
- Loan letters from a bank or government.
- Scholarship letters, if you have one.
- Your sponsor’s identity documents, proof of your relationship and proof of their income.
- An explanation of where any large deposits came from.
5. Health exams
You might need health exams, and you can do them before you apply. If you don’t, Home Affairs will tell you in your account whether you need them.
- Your referral letter has a Health Assessment Portal (HAP) ID.
- Exams are done by a panel doctor approved by Home Affairs, not your own doctor.
- Doing them early can stop your application from waiting on them later.
6. Police certificates
Character is a visa test, not a college entry test. Home Affairs may ask you for police certificates as part of it.
- Only get them when your checklist or a Home Affairs request asks for them.
- Police certificates add to your costs, as Home Affairs notes.
- Be honest about any past charges or convictions in your form.
7. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
You must hold OSHC from an approved Australian insurer for your whole stay, unless an exception applies. You can compare OSHC policies on privatehealth.gov.au.
- Your cover must start on the day you arrive, not the day your course starts.
- It must cover any family members who are allowed to come with you.
- Keep it until you leave Australia.
8. Academic documents
Your past results support your enrolment and your GS answers. They show why this course is the right next step.
- Certificates and transcripts from your past study.
- Proof of any gaps, such as work references, if you’ve been out of study for a while.
- An English translation of any document that isn’t in English.
9. Genuine Student (GS) requirement
You must show that study is the main reason you want to come to Australia. The GS requirement replaced the old GTE test on 23 March 2024.
Under GS, Home Affairs says that wanting to apply for permanent residence later doesn’t count against you. You answer questions in the form, with up to 150 words each, about:
- Your current situation, including your family, community, work and money.
- Why you chose this course and this college in Australia.
- How the course helps your future.
- Any past study in Australia.
- Why you’re applying for a student visa if you hold a different visa.
Home Affairs gives more weight to answers backed by documents. Our guide to the Genuine Student requirement explains what to include.
Notes for students applying from Pakistan
- Choose Pakistan as your passport country in the Document Checklist Tool, because your list depends on it.
- Use AUD 2,000 for travel in your money calculation.
- Book any health exams with a panel doctor in Pakistan using your HAP ID.
- Add English translations for any documents in Urdu.
- Show where family funds came from, such as land, business or salary records.
What changed for student visa applicants on 2 October 2026?
From 2 October 2026, most Student visa applications must be lodged and granted outside Australia. Students can only apply in Australia under one of 6 exemptions.
Most students also can’t include a partner or children any more. The exceptions include PhD students, Defence or DFAT-sponsored students, students on a fully funded foreign government scholarship, and Pacific or ASEAN nationals. Our guide on bringing family on a student visa covers who qualifies.
The visa charge is AUD 2,500 for the main applicant as at 28 October 2026. See our guide to the student visa changes from 2 October 2026 for the full details.
How The Migration helps with your student visa documents
We help students put together a complete, consistent application before it is lodged.
- Your own checklist: we build your list from the Document Checklist Tool for your passport and college.
- Money evidence: we check that your funds, statements and sponsor papers tell a clear story.
- GS answers: we help you match your answers to your documents, within the 150-word limit.
- A registered agent: visa advice comes from a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738). You can check the number on the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) register.
- Experience and access: our team has 7+ years in practice, with consultations at our Harris Park office or online.
What should you do before you lodge your student visa?
Run the Document Checklist Tool for your passport and college, then gather each document on this list. Check that your CoE, test results and money evidence are current on the day you lodge.
Make sure your GS answers match your documents, and that your OSHC starts on the day you arrive. Small mismatches are easier to fix before you lodge than after.
If you’d like a MARA-registered migration agent (MARN 2518738) to review your student visa document checklist, book a consultation with our team.
