As part of the university application process, all students studying at Swinburne ר are required to provide a number of supporting documents. Some documents are required by all students, while others are required for specific areas of study.
All supporting documents must be certified as a true and correct copy of the original. Documents can be certified by the issuer or by a police officer, chemist, doctor or accountant.
Note: Photocopies of previously certified documents will not be accepted.
Supporting documents required by all students
Local (Domestic and New Zealand)
You are a local student if you are an Australian citizen, or you are a New Zealand citizen (excluding TAFE courses), or you are an Australian permanent resident.
If you’re an Australian or New Zealand citizen, you require a current Australian or New Zealand passport, a birth certificate (if you were born before 20 August 1986), or a citizenship certificate (if you were born after 20 August 1986).
If you’re a permanent resident (including a humanitarian visa holder), you must provide your current passport showing your permanent resident visa or your permanent resident visa documents.
Don’t have a passport?
Are you an Australian citizen but don’t have a passport? We will require two forms of identification from you.
Choose two from the following:
- Australian Driver’s Licence
- Australian Visa (with Foreign Passport)
- ImmiCard
- Australian Citizenship Certificate
- Medicare Card
- Australian Birth Certificate
International (Rest of the world)
All other students (including international on-campus students) must provide a current passport (including a visa) or an (for visa holders who can’t obtain a passport as recognised by the Australian Government, such as refugees or asylum seekers).
If you’ve previously completed academic study and it is relevant to the next course you’re applying for, we will require your academic transcript (translated to English if necessary).
An academic transcript is an official document signed by the University Registrar or training organisation that states your course, subjects and results, completion date and conferral date.
Have you previously studied at Swinburne ר?
As a previous student at Swinburne ר we will have your academic records on file, so you won’t have to do anything. You can view an unofficial copy of your academic results at anytime through My Results.
Additional documentation for certain courses
Applying for postgraduate study in psychology, design, or architecture and urban design? You will need to supply us with a few extra supporting documents.
To apply for a masters, you may need to provide the following supporting documents:
- Academic transcript and evidence of program completion
- Statement of purpose
- Curriculum vitae (CV).
Not all courses require a statement of purpose, but if they do it should be between 500–700 words in length and outline why you want to study the course, what you can add to the area of study, and what you want to do with your masters.
To apply for entry into one of the following postgraduate psychology courses, you will need to submit one academic and one professional referee report.:
- Graduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology
- Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)
- Doctor of Psychology (Clinical and Forensic Psychology)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology)
You must register your referees via the Psychology Reference Portal and pay a one-off fee of AUD$35 through the Pay Subscription section of the portal. When your nominated referee has completed the reference form, it is received back into the Psychology Reference Portal and will be distributed to us on your behalf. Please ensure that you have nominated ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳ as your Higher Education Provider.
Professional referees must know you in a professional capacity and must work in a related field.
Your application must also include the following supporting documents:
- Academic transcript and evidence of program completion
- Statement of purpose (500–700 words outlining why you want to study the course and why you would be a suitable candidate)
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- (for qualifications obtained outside Australia).
Applying for a Doctor of Psychology (Clinical and Forensic Psychology) or a Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology) course?
In addition to providing the above supporting documents, you will also need to:
- find an appropriate and willing supervisor
- provide one academic and one non-academic referee report using the
To apply for a postgraduate design course, you need to provide the following supporting documents:
- Academic transcript and evidence of program completion
- Statement of purpose (500–700 words outlining why you want to study the course and why you would be a suitable candidate)
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- A portfolio of work or a showreel.
Postgraduate design portfolio key information:
- Your portfolio must be one PDF file.
- It must be no more than 40 pages long.
- It must consist only of work done within the last three years.
- It must include an introductory slide with your name and contact details, and which course you are applying for.
- It must provide a description of each project and your response to the project brief.
Read the full postgraduate design portfolio guidelines.
To apply for a postgraduate architecture and urban design course, you need to provide the following supporting documents:
- Academic transcript and evidence of program completion
- Statement of purpose (500–700 words outlining why you want to study the course and why you would be a suitable candidate)
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- A portfolio of work or a showreel.
Postgraduate architecture and urban design portfolio key information:
- Your portfolio must be one landscape PDF file.
- It must be between 10–20 pages.
- It must include an introductory slide with your name and contact details, and for which course you are applying.
- It must include work that demonstrates your design experience at a range of scales.
- It must include work that demonstrates your 3D spatial thinking through physical models and/or digital models.
Read the full postgraduate architecture and urban design portfolio guidelines.
If you’re seeking an exemption for previous study, you’ll need to submit evidence along with your application, such as transcripts and unit outlines. You’ll be assessed for credit before your offer is issued.
If, however, you’re seeking credit based on professional or other experience (also known as a Recognition of Prior Learning), you will need to apply for this after you’ve received an offer of study.
Design exemptions
Applicants seeking exemptions must submit a portfolio or a showreel, as well as academic transcripts from a previous university or other training organisation.
Note: Unless you’re seeking an exemption, entry into the first year of a bachelor degree in design or film and television does not require a portfolio or an interview.
What can you expect from ºÚÁÏÂÛ̳?
We've got a Student Charter that outlines what you can expect from us – and what we expect from you.
Not sure what supporting documentation is required for your course?
Requirements vary from course to course, so make sure you check to see which supporting documentation is required for your application using our Course Search tool.