[Sponsor full name] [Street address] [City, Country] [Date] To the Department of Home Affairs, I am the [relationship — e.g. father] of [applicant's full name], date of birth [date], passport number [number]. I confirm that I will fund [applicant's name]'s [study / stay] in Australia. I will provide [currency and amount] toward tuition and [currency and amount] per year toward living costs, for the period [start date] to [end date]. This support is a [gift and not repayable / loan repayable on the terms attached]. The funds are held in account [last four digits] with [bank name], in my name. Statements for the period [dates] are attached. My income is derived from [employment as a [role] at [employer] / my business, [name], registered since [year]], and I have attached [payslips / tax assessments / business records] covering [period]. [If applicable: The deposit of [amount] on [date] is the proceeds of [the sale of the property at [address] / the maturity of a term deposit]. The [contract of sale / maturity notice] is attached.] I understand that these funds must remain genuinely available to [applicant's name] for the period stated. [Signature] [Sponsor full name] [Phone] · [Email]
⚠️ Important
This page contains a general example only. It is not legal advice, migration advice, or an approved template. Visa requirements and document expectations can change. Do not copy this example without personalising it for your circumstances. For advice specific to your situation, speak with a registered migration agent.
Visa Translation Hub · Letter Guide
Financial Support Letter — guide and example
A financial support letter is commonly used to demonstrate that an applicant has access to sufficient funds during their stay in Australia. It is typically written by a parent, sponsor, or family member who is funding the visit, study, or stay.
Who May Need a Financial Support Letter?
This letter is generally written by sponsors or family members financially supporting a visa applicant. The exact author and tone depend on the relationship to the applicant and the visa type involved.
- Parents or relatives funding a student or visitor
- Sponsors providing financial backing for the duration of a visa
When May This Letter Be Used?
- Student Visa (Subclass 500) financial capacity evidence
- Visitor Visa applications where funds are provided by a third party
- Where Home Affairs requests evidence of financial support
What a Financial Support Letter Generally Includes
- Sponsor's full name, address and contact details
- Relationship to the applicant
- Confirmation of the funds being provided and for what purpose
- Reference to supporting bank statements or financial documents (if available)
- Duration of support
- Signature and date
Requirements may vary. Check homeaffairs.gov.au or speak with a migration agent.
What to Avoid in This Letter
- Stating a total figure that does not match the attached statements to the cent
- Attaching statements in a foreign language without a certified English translation of the same pages
- Leaving out the currency, so the amount is ambiguous against Australian costs
- Failing to say for how long the support continues — one semester and three years are very different commitments
- Describing funds held in an account the sponsor does not control, such as a company account, as personal savings
How a financial support letter is usually read
A financial support letter is only as strong as the money behind it. The letter itself is a statement of intent; the bank records are the evidence. That is why the most common weakness is a warm, confident letter attached to statements that show a balance which appeared a week earlier. Where funds are genuinely recent — a property sale, a matured deposit, a gift from a relative — saying so plainly and attaching the trail is far stronger than leaving the deposit unexplained. The letter should also make clear whether the support is a gift or a loan, because that changes how the funds are read.
Documents that usually sit alongside this letter
- Bank statements covering a meaningful period rather than a single day's balance
- Payslips, tax notices or business income records showing where the sponsor's money comes from
- Documentation for any large recent deposit — a sale contract, inheritance grant or term-deposit maturity notice
- Proof of the relationship between the sponsor and the applicant, such as a birth certificate or family register
- Any loan agreement, if the support is repayable rather than a gift
Signing, witnessing and format
The letter is signed and dated by the person providing the funds, not by the applicant. Where the account is jointly held, both account holders should sign. Attach the statements referred to in the letter as the same submission, and if those statements are not in English include a NAATI-certified translation of every page you rely on, from $59 per page.
Example Letter Structure
Example only — not a legal template. Replace bracketed placeholders with accurate, personal information.
Does Your Supporting Letter Need to Be Translated?
If your letter is written in a language other than English, it generally needs to be accompanied by a NAATI-certified English translation for Australian visa applications. Trans Lingo provides NAATI-certified translations from $59 per page, delivered within 24 hours.
Related Guides
Student Visas overview
Category guide and document list.
Student Visas checklist
Documents commonly translated for this category.
Birth Certificate Translation
NAATI-certified, from $59.
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