What documents do international students need to apply for a rental in Melbourne, and what if you have no rental history?

1What is the most a rental provider or agent can ask for?

They can only ask what is on the form, and documents are capped.

The form asks about three things only: whether you suit the property, who you are, and whether you can afford the advertised rent. Anything not on the form cannot be asked. That includes whether you have been in a legal dispute with a rental provider and what your bond history is (including whether a claim was made on it).

A bank statement can leave out transaction details. If the one you hold shows daily transactions, you can delete the ones you want to keep private. After you apply, the rental provider can check a tenancy database, but must tell you which ones. If you are asked about protected attributes such as race, gender identity or disability under the Equal Opportunity Act, they must give you the reason in writing.

2No income and no Australian bank account: how do you put a set together?

A student pack: 2 identity documents and 2 proof-of-payment documents.

Identity (2 documents). Your passport with your Australian visa counts as one, and your university student ID card as the other. If you have just landed and have not collected your student card, send the passport and visa first and add the card later. They can ask for at most 2, so more is not better.

Proof you can pay (2 documents). You will not have Australian pay slips, and the official guidance says that with no regular income the rental provider can ask for savings or asset proof instead. Common ones for students are a bank statement showing family transfers (it can leave out transaction details), a savings certificate in your name, and a scholarship letter. The official pages do not say which of these a rental provider must accept, so ask before you apply.

No Australian bank account yet? Banks in many countries can issue an English statement or savings certificate, but how long it takes varies, so ask early. Multi-currency accounts such as Wise can export statements in English. Some agents accept these and some only accept statements from a bank, so do not wait until the day you find a place. Prepare before you fly and check before you apply.

3No rental history: how do you fill in your history and introduce yourself?

Be honest, and never ask someone to pose as a property manager.

The form asks for your previous addresses and the contact details of the rental provider. For a first rental, fill in what is true: living with family, a university residence and overseas homes are all fine. There is nothing to be embarrassed about, because every intake has plenty of first-time renters. Do not ask a friend to pose as your old property manager, and do not list an email address that is no longer used. It will be checked, and it makes things worse.

In any space for extra notes, or in your email to the agent, three sentences are enough (adapt them): “I’m an international student starting at [university] in February 2027 (CoE attached), and this is my first rental in Australia, so I don’t have a rental history.

My rent is covered by family transfers, and I’ve attached recent bank statements and a savings certificate. I’d like to move in on 20 February for 12 months and can join a video call any time.”

If you are told “no Australian history, no application”, ask whether that is a requirement on the application form. The official pages do not set out what substitutes you must give when you have no rental history, so send your residential history, your referee and your savings proof together and let them decide. One student shared that after a first year without a proper agreement, they had no rental record when applying the next year, so keep your agreement, rent records and receipts this time.

4How do you find and ask a referee, and what if they don’t reply?

Ask first, then put them on the application.

Who can be a referee? The form asks for a personal referee: a name, phone, email and how they know you. A teacher, supervisor or the manager of an internship or part-time job all work. Ask whether they are willing, and tell them they may get a call or email from Australia so they are not caught off guard.

An email to a referee can look like this: “Hi Dr Lee, I’m applying to rent a place in Melbourne and the agent asks for a personal referee. Would you be happy to be listed as one? The agent may email or call you with a few questions about me. Thank you.” Property managers commonly ask how long they have known you, what you are like and whether you pay on time.

No reply? Check the spam folder, work out the time difference (Melbourne is two to three hours ahead of China) and ask whether they actually received it. If there is still nothing, tell the agent and add another referee. Do not offer extra rent in advance to jump the queue: rent in advance has a cap (14 days if you pay weekly, one month if you pay monthly), and it cannot replace your documents.

5Does applying cost money, and what about a holding deposit?

No application fees can be charged, and a holding deposit is refunded on signing.

Rental providers, agents and online rental platforms cannot charge you an application fee, which covers processing, identity checks and background checks. Platforms have been barred since 31 March 2026, and rental providers and agents since 13 October 2026. You also cannot be charged to view a property or to have the agreement prepared.

A holding deposit is paid before you sign to hold the property for you. It must be refunded once both parties sign, and by the next business day if no agreement is signed within 14 days. It is not an application fee and it is not a bond. Before you pay one, make sure you have seen the place yourself or someone you trust has.

The advertised rent is the rent. Nobody may invite or accept an offer above it, or hint that “paying a few weeks extra” helps your chances (from 25 November 2025). If you hear that, you can simply decline.

6After you apply: what do you keep, and when do you pay?

Keep what you submitted, and talk bond once you are approved.

Keep a copy of the application and attachments you submitted, and never send account passwords or banking codes. Writing in your email that the documents are only for this one address is a good habit.

If you do not get the place, the rental provider or agent must destroy or de-identify your information within 30 days after the rental agreement is entered into. If you gave written consent for them to use it for other properties, the limit is 6 months. If you are unsure how your information is being used, ask them to explain.

Bond and rent in advance only come up once you are approved: see how much to prepare for the first month. Do not pay a holding deposit or bond before you have seen the property and have an agreement in hand. If someone is pushing you to transfer money now, read the scam warning signs.