What Documents Are Required and Need to be Translated to Support a Student Visa Application for Australia?

Last Updated On: August 3, 2022 by The Migration Translators

The Australian Government offers opportunities for overseas to study in the country as long as a student visa has been approved. The visa required will be dependent on how old you are, what type of study you wish to follow, and how long you wish to stay in the country. The most common student visa is subclass 500, regardless of the chosen area of study.

Australia Student Visa Requirements

When you have been accepted to study in Australia you will have to complete a student visa application form. You will be asked to provide translations of your key documents at the time you intend to submit your application.

When submitting your student visa application, you will typically need to show the following first:

• the electronic confirmation of your enrolment;
• your passport;
• your student visa application fee;
• your statement as a Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE);
• proof that you have the money to cover your tuition fees, living expenses, and return airfare to your country of origin;
• details showing health insurance cover;
• statement of purpose;
• passport-size photographs;
• if you have not yet reached 18 years, you will need also to provide a document showing your parental consent.

Supporting certificates required for  Australia student visa application 

When you  apply for a student visa in Australia, documents that need to be translated before a student visa can be approved for study in Australia include the following depending on your personal situation:

• your birth certificate;
• your marriage certificate (if applicable);
• your driver’s license;
• your educational certificates;
• your employment records;
• your degrees and diplomas.

On top of the above basic documents you may be asked to provide translations of the following:

• change of name certificates (if applicable),
• identity documents,
• military certificates,
• police clearance certificates,
• proof of de facto relationship such as joint bank account statements,
• academic records and transcripts.

Any document that you are asked to provide to support your student visa application must be translated by accredited translators who in Australia are called NAATI translators. If any of the documents have been translated in another country apart from Australia then the translator has to provide his or her full name, telephone number, address, and experience and qualifications in the language that has been translated. The migration authorities who handle student visa applications can reject your visa application if any of your translated documents submitted appear to be false.

Certified copies

A certified copy of each original document instead of providing the original documents are normally submitted for all student visa applications. These copies need to be authorized as true copies by someone recognized as legally allowed to do this in your country.

Australian student visa processing time

The framework for processing student visas for Australia has been streamlined recently, but it can still take up to 3 months to obtain a visa. The average Australian student visa processing time is around a month from the date that an application is received. The time for processing depends partly on the type of study, how long the study is for and whether the electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) has been provided. If personal documents that the Department of Home Affairs wants to see, such as health status including health insurance, proof of good character, e.g. no criminal record, and proof of English language ability are missing, then this will inevitably delay the Australian student visa processing time.

Typically, student visas intended for study in the defense sector or for Foreign Affairs take shorter times to process, while visas for postgraduate research take much longer to process.

Australian student visa cost

The Australian student visa cost depends on the student visa subclass and also whether additional visas for family members are needed. The cost of a student visa for someone intending to study in the defense sector is nil, while student visa (subclass 500) costs are currently Aus $650 per student and $485 for adult accompanying family members such as a spouse. Visas for family members under 18 are $160, unless the main applicant is applying for a student visa to carry out postgraduate research. Student guardians (subclass 590) also pay $650 for a visa, but family members’ visas are free.

Summary

Documents must be translated by a trusted translating institution and must be recognized by Australian Immigration officials.