Certifying admissions documents

When you apply to Monash, you may be asked to certify documents for use in your application. This means proving that the document, or the copy of the document, you’re providing is authentic and a true reflection of the original.

It’s pretty simple, but there are a few things to keep in mind, which we cover below.

Certifying academic documents

Academic documents (such as transcripts and testamur) are important to assess whether you meet the criteria for a course, so it’s important that copies of these documents are certified as being real and authentic.

Applying directly through my.app

There are two main ways to certify copies of academic documents when applying directly, depending on where you received your qualifications.

Qualifications from Australia, New Zealand, China, and Canada

If you apply directly to Monash using My.App and you need to attach an academic document from an Australian, New Zealand, Chinese, or Canadian institution, you can verify your documents automatically using one of three services:

• MyEquals for Australian and New Zealand qualifications.
• CSSD (Centre for Student Services and Development) for Chinese qualifications.
• MyCreds for Canadian qualifications.

Each of these services enables you to get your official academic documents, which have been verified by academic institutions.

If you release a document to Monash from one of these services, we can be sure that the documents you provide are authentic. This will make the process smoother and ensure you get an outcome sooner.

How to add documents to My.App

1. Enter your qualifications on the Education screen
2. Click on the upload button against the qualification on the Documents screen
3. Click on release digitally through trusted provider text on the pop-up
4. Copy the Document ID to your clipboard
5. Log into CSSD, MyEquals or MyCreds using the link provided
6. Find the relevant document
7. Follow the instructions on your chosen platform, using the Document ID on your clipboard to release the document to Monash
8. Return to my.app and select the I have released the credentials box

Have more questions?

You can find more information about how this process works by visiting the websites of the relevant services:

• MyEquals FAQs
• MyCreds FAQs
• CSSD website

Qualifications from other countries

If you have academic qualification documents for study at institutions in other countries, you may be asked to use one of these certification methods.

Applying through an agent

When you apply through a Monash-registered agent, they will send certified documents to Monash directly – so they may work with you on certifying documents as part of your application.

Other documents requiring certification

You may be required to provide additional certified documents to assess whether you meet the criteria for a course, such as:

• Grading scale (specifying the pass and/or grade required for the award of the qualifications) issued by institutions
• Work reference letter issued by employer
• Discontinuation letter issued by institutions
• Language of instruction letter issued by institutions
• National service letter issued by the relevant authority
• Professional accreditation or registration documentation issued by the relevant body
• Victorian Legal Admissions Board letter
• Working with Children Check

Other certified documents may be required to assess whether you meet the criteria for a course – the best place to find these is on the relevant course page on Find a Course.

Other documents

You’ll also be required to provide the following certified documents (if applicable):

• Passport, National ID Card or Driver's Licence to prove your identity.
• Australian Passport, Australian Birth Certificate, Australian Citizenship Certificate or Australian Visa Grant Notice to prove your Australian citizenship or Australian residency status.
• Change of Name Certificate or Marriage Certificate to confirm if you have changed your name.

Documents that don't need certification

These documents don’t require certification:

• Monash-approved English test
• Statement of purpose
• Statement of intent
• Personal statement
• Curriculum vitae/resume
• Folio
• Unit outlines
• Account of activities
• International Student Admissions Test (ISAT)
• University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT ANZ)
• Situational Judgement test such as Casper or Monash Teaching Suitability Test (MTeST).

Certifying copies of other documents

Sometimes you may need to submit a copy of an original document. For example, we don’t expect you to submit your actual passport to Monash – just a photo or scan. These copies will, however, need to be certified.

Trusted people to certify copies

To submit a copy of a document, you need to get a trusted person to verify that the copy you’re providing is an accurate reflection of the original. They would do this by sighting the original document, checking that the copy aligns to the original, then certifying each page (this is important) of the documentation.

They should do this by making sure each page of the copy includes:

• a statement or a stamp that shows the certifier has seen the original documents by using words like 'certified true copy of the original' or 'original sighted'
• the date
• the certifier's:

• signature
• full name
• organisation stamp
• position title (unless the certifier is a Monash-registered agent).

So, who is a trusted person? That depends on whether the document you're submitting was generated in or outside of Australia.

Documents submitted in Australia

The following people are trusted to certify documents in Australia:

• solicitor
• pharmacist,
• justice of the peace
• public notary
• member of the police force
• registered medical practitioner (MBBS)
• registered dentist
• veterinary practitioner
• principal in the state government teaching service
• bank manager
• magistrate (including registrar or deputy registrar of the magistrate)
• member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
• member of the CPA Australia
• member of the Institute of Public Accountants
• minister of religion (not a civil celebrant)
• Australian lawyer.

Documents submitted from outside Australia

For documents submitted from outside Australia, the following people are trusted:

• solicitor
• commissioner for declarations
• government official
• public notary
• university staff from your previous university (head of department, dean, registrar or other authorised delegate).

Documents certified by:

• Monash staff members or Monash-registered agents are accepted
• postal managers or independent/catholic school principals are not accepted.

Documents for Chinese qualifications

Academic documents for Chinese qualifications need to be certified by the Notary Public Office and must include a certificate stating translations of all documents in English are authentic and confirm with the Chinese original.

Original notary documents (or a copy certified by a trusted person listed above) must be sent to Central Admissions by mail.

If you submit academic documents using CSSD through My.App, you won't need to do this.

Providing certified documents to Monash

If you apply directly, and have not verified your documents through my.app, you must send certified copies of your original document by mail to:

Central Admissions Monash Connect, Clayton campus 21 Chancellors Walk, Campus Centre Monash University VIC 3800, Australia

It’s important to remember that all documents submitted remain the property of Monash University and cannot be returned (we recommend sending certified copies instead of originals).

If your documents aren't in English

If your original documents are in a language other than English – you need to provide a certified copy of both the:

• original document, and
• official translation of that document (Monash prefers NAATI qualified translations).

For Chinese qualifications, if you're applying directly through My.App and attaching academic documents, you would use CSSD to provide Monash with a verified copy. You can request that CSSD create an English version of the document, which can then be submitted to Monash.

Have the awarding institution send documents to Monash directly

If you’re unable to verify a document directly, you can ask your current or previous awarding institution to send copies of your academic documents to Monash University Central Admissions. This will take longer than if you submit the document to us directly.

This can be done in two ways:

By mail

The academic documents must arrive in a sealed envelope sent directly from the awarding institution. They can send it to:

By email

The academic documents can be emailed to mu.documents@monash.edu.

If the awarding institution awards the academic documents in a language other than English, you also need to provide a translated copy (Monash prefers NAATI qualified translations) that have been certified by a trusted person.

Verifying your English test results

If you’re applying directly to Monash through my.app (or an authorised Monash education agent), you can verify your IELTS or TOEFL test results to speed up the processing of your application.

To verify your English test results in your Monash application, you’ll need to authorise Monash University as a score recipient in your IELTS or TOEFL account (you can do this through the booking portal). You’ll also need to upload your English test results in your Monash application, along with any other supporting documents.

How to verify your results in my.app

1. Log into my.app and go to the English Proficiency section.
2. Select I have completed a Monash approved English test.
3. Under English Test Type, select the IELTS or TOEFL test type you took.
4. Under Date Completed, enter the date you took the test.
5. Enter your Test Report Form Number (IELTS) or Appointment Number (TOEFL).
6. Click on the Verify Test button.

Verifying results through a Monash-registered agent

If you apply through an authorised Monash education agent, they can verify your English test results for you through their Agent Portal.

If you have any questions, contact Monash Connect.

Getting help

Making sure you have all relevant documents certified and submitted is key for a smooth application experience. Not doing so means you’ll need to provide them close to your course start date, which will already be a busy time for you.

In some cases, not providing certified copies of your documents may result in enrolment cancellation – but our friendly Admissions staff will work with you to help you through the process.

All documents you submit remain the property of Monash University.

Got a question about how to certify your documents? A friendly Monash rep is ready to help. Contact us