Certification of documents

A certified document is a copy of an original document that has been verified to be a true copy, by an authorised witness after they have sighted the original document.

To get your documents certified, all you need is the original document, one copy of it and someone eligible to sign it for you. Your nominated professionals must sign the copy of your document, stating that it is an accurate representation of the original.

When applying to study a degree, you will need to provide:

  • Official transcript from Undergraduate or Postgraduate studies.
  • If studies are within 10 years, please provide certified copies.
  • Partially completed studies may be used as entry into a degree.

Here are some of the people who are eligible to certify your documentation within Australia:

  • Police officers
  • Health professionals (pharmacist, doctor)
  • Lawyers
  • A teacher at a school or tertiary education institution

If you are studying with us outside of Australia, the following people are eligible to certify your documentation:

  • Justice of the Peace
  • Notary public
  • Australian Consular Officer or Australian Diplomatic Officer (within the meaning of the Consular Fees Act 1955)
  • Employee of the Commonwealth or the Australian Trade Commission who works outside Australia.

Western Sydney University Online requires you to meet the following criteria below when submitting certified documentation:

The certifying officer must:

  • Write on the copy “This is a true copy of the original documents sighted by me”
  • Sign and print their name
  • Provide an address and a contact telephone number
  • State their profession or occupation group
  • Write on the copy the date certified
  • Affix the official stamp or seal of the certifier’s organisation on the copy

If the certifying officer is a Justice of The Peace, the certifying officer must list their registration number and state/territory of registration.