Your documents
The documents universities usually ask for, what each one is, where it usually comes from, and how to make a good scan.
Checked on 24 OCT 2026
Universities check your documents before they make an offer. We check them first, so they are right the first time. Your counsellor gives you a checklist made for your courses. This guide explains each document and how to scan it well.
The documents you usually need
| Document | What it is | Where it usually comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Transcript (marksheet) | A list of your subjects and marks or grades for each year or term | Your school, exam board or university |
| Certificate | Proof that you finished a qualification, for example your HSC, Class 12, FSc, WAEC or degree certificate | Your exam board or university |
| Passport | The page with your photo and details. Some universities also want other pages. | Your country's passport office |
| English test result | Your test report, for example IELTS, PTE, TOEFL or Duolingo | The test provider, usually online |
| Reference | A letter about you from a teacher, lecturer or employer, on their official letterhead, signed and dated | The person who writes it |
| Personal statement or statement of purpose | Your own writing about why you want the course | You. See our guide "Writing your personal statement". |
| CV | One or two pages listing your education, work, skills and achievements | You |
| Other documents | For example a portfolio, a work experience letter, or a provisional certificate if your final one is not ready | It depends on the course |
If you are 16 or 17, the UK Student visa also needs evidence of your parents' consent. Your counsellor will tell you what to send.
If your results are not ready
You can often apply with the results you have now, and send the final ones later. Your offer may then be conditional on them. See our guide "Conditional or unconditional offers".
Names and dates must match
Your name must be the same on every document as it is in your passport. If it is spelled differently on one document (for example "Md" on one and "Mohammad" on another), tell your counsellor early. You may need an official letter or declaration that explains it.
Documents not in English
If a document is not in English, you usually need a full translation from a professional translator. Send the original and the translation together. For UK visa applications, the Home Office says each translation must include:
- the translator's confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document;
- the date of the translation;
- the translator's full name and signature;
- the translator's contact details.
Universities and other countries may ask for something similar. Your counsellor will tell you.
What a good scan looks like
- Use the original document, not a photocopy.
- Colour, so stamps and seals show.
- All four corners in the picture. Nothing cut off.
- Flat and straight. No folds, shadows or fingers.
- Sharp: you can read the smallest text when you zoom in.
- Every page, in order, front and back if there is writing on the back.
- One document per file, saved as a PDF, with a clear name, for example "HSC-certificate.pdf".
A scanning app on your phone is fine if you follow these points. Take the picture in daylight, on a dark plain table.
What not to do
- Do not edit, crop out or cover any part of a document.
- Do not send screenshots of a document.
- Do not put many documents into one picture.
- Never send a document that has been changed or is not genuine. Universities and visa offices check documents, and a false one can lead to a refusal or a ban.
What happens after you upload
- Your counsellor checks each document.
- Each one is marked "approved" or "sent back".
- If one is sent back, you get one clear fix, for example "the bottom of page 2 is cut off". Upload it again.
- When every document is approved, your application is ready to send.
Keep your documents safe
- Keep the originals safe. You may need them again for your visa and when you arrive.
- Only upload documents in your student portal or send them to your university. Do not send copies of your passport to people you do not know.
Where this information comes from
We checked these official pages on 24 October 2026:
- GOV.UK: Student visa, documents you'll need
- GOV.UK: Fraud, tricks and scams
- GOV.UK: Guide to supporting documents (translations)
Each university sets its own document rules. Your counsellor will check your own case.
Sources
This guide is general information from official sources. Your counsellor will check your own case.