The Australian Department of Home Affairs has introduced a new Visa Application Document Checklist Tool for applicants in 2025. This tool is designed to make the visa application process clearer, reduce errors, and speed up the decision-making process for students applying to study in Australia.
The tool helps applicants determine the exact documents they need to submit by asking for two key pieces of information: the country of their passport and the education provider they plan to attend, including its CRICOS code. The tool also caters to specific visa categories, such as DFAT and Department of Defence-sponsored students, secondary exchange students, and applicants extending their visa for PhD thesis marking.
Before using the tool, users are required to read and agree to a disclaimer. This disclaimer clarifies that the checklist is an indication of required documents, but applicants may still be asked for additional evidence after submission. Applicants must also include proof of English language proficiency and evidence of financial capacity if these are requested, as failure to do so could result in a refusal.
Once users begin their visa application through the ImmiAccount system, the checklist will help confirm which documents are required for submission.
For those applying through an education package—such as a pathway course followed by a degree—the tool requires the selection of the final course provider. If the chosen provider is newly registered and not yet visible in the system, applicants can select “My education provider is not listed,” allowing them to continue with their application while waiting for the system to update. This update may take up to a month to reflect the most recent changes.
