What is a Bona fide certificate? When do you need it? Here's all you have to know

What is a bona fide certificate?

A bona fide certificate is a document that evidences your affiliation with a particular organisation. For studying abroad, a bona fide certificate, or bona fide letter, is issued by a university, college, or school to prove that you are a student at that institution. A bona fide certificate is only issued to students currently enrolled at an institution. It is not the same as a transfer certificate, which is issued by study institutions after a student leaves or graduates.

In what situations will students need to submit a bona fide certificate?

There are several situations in which international students need to supply a bona fide certificate from their place of study. Common scenarios include:

Visa applications

Whether you are applying for your student visa, extending, or renewing a visa, or even applying for a post-study work visa, you will likely need to submit a bona fide certificate to provide evidence for your application.

Bona fide student certificate

If you want to study a postgraduate course abroad, you may need to supply a bona fide certificate from your current university or college as evidence of your undergraduate status.

Bona fide certificate for scholarship

If you apply for any student loans, grants, or scholarships, you may need to submit a bona fide certificate before you receive access to any funds.

Bank accounts

If you want to open a bank account in the country you are studying in, you may need to provide a bona fide certificate as proof of your ongoing residency in that country.

Working

If you want to work part-time during your study or apply for project or research work as part of your degree, you may need to supply a bona fide certificate to gain the relevant permissions to work.

Bona fide certificates may also be requested in several other scenarios, from joining a public library to attending external seminars to using student benefits or discounts in your study destination. So, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with how they work.

What information is included in a bona fide certificate?

All bona fide certificates must verify who you are and your association with a college or university. As such, a bona fide certificate will always include your:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Date of enrolment at the university, college, or school
• The name of your current study programme

Some institutions may opt to include additional information, such as:

• Your student number
• Your parents’ names
• Your current year of study (i.e. if you are a first, second, or third-year student)
• The purpose of the bona fide certificate (e.g. to renew a visa)

Sample bona fide certificate

A bona fide certificate is usually printed on the institution’s letterhead and contains an authorised signature of a senior staff member and the organisation’s official stamp. The exact layout and wording vary between institutions.

As an example, you might expect the structure of a bona fide certificate to look like this:

How can I apply for a bona fide certificate?

Although the exact procedures may vary between institutions, you’ll usually need to request a bona fide certificate directly from the head of your university, college, or school. There may be a fee for this request.

When completing your application, use a formal tone. Clearly state your details for reference, and explain why you need the bona fide certificate. Don’t forget to include a return address.

Your university may have a standard form for you to complete or may ask that you put the full details of your request in your application letter. You should be advised as to what information you must include, but as a minimum, ensure you clearly state your full name, date of birth, year of enrolment, year of study, and the full name of your study programme. 

You may also need to attach supporting documents, such as a copy of your passport, student ID, proof of address, or documentation relating to the rationale behind your request.

Validity of a bona fide certificate

If the authority who requested the certificate requires any other documentation, be sure to prepare this in advance so that you can send it on with your bona fide certificate as soon as it arrives. This is because bona fide certificates do expire. The length for which your bona fide certificate is valid will depend on the type of certificate:

• Temporary bona fide certificates are typically valid for three months, six months, or one year after the date of issue. They expire automatically after the end of the fixed term.
• Permanent bona fide certificates are valid for your study duration period, provided you do not change your study programme.  

Details relating to the validity of your bona fide certificate and any associated expiration date will be on the certificate.

Attestation

In some countries, you may need to have your bona fide certificate legally authenticated through an attestation process before using it. Rules for who can attest documents vary between jurisdictions, but mostly this is done at the governmental level.