SOP guidelines:

Your SOP should be completed in the template below. Your statement is limited to 2000 characters
(300 words). Your statement should be specific and directly address your personal circumstances and
your reasons for studying your proposed course in Australia. You should use this same statement for
your visa application. Your statement must be typed, not handwritten.

Your SOP MUST:

• stick to the character limit. Long SOPs will not be accepted and could be detrimental to your
assessment.
• be specific and to the point. Do not waste words on quotes or irrelevant information.
• be accompanied by supporting documents which back up ALL claims made in your SOP.
• address all relevant points below. If not relevant to you, do not need to address it. All points
addressed MUST be accompanied by supporting documents and referenced in your SOP.
• number all supporting documentation in order of reference and fill in the table at the bottom.
(See sample SOP on next page).

Your SOP must NOT:

• contain generic statements which are not supported by documentary evidence.

• contain plagiarised content that exceeds 10%. Your SOP will be assessed through plagiarism
identification software. Any SOP that contains plagiarised content that exceeds 10% will be
refused.

Points to be covered in your SOP:

The value of the course to your future:

• demonstrate how the course is consistent with your previous studies, how it is relevant to past
or future employment when you return home. *Attach supporting evidence.
• tell us about your previous study and how your proposed course at SCU is consistent with this.
You should mention your previous institution name, length of your study there and the
qualification you achieved.
• you should explain all gaps in study, provide reasons for any gaps and provide documentary
evidence to support your study gap. *Attach supporting evidence.

Your situation in your home country:

• explain why you can’t study this course in your home country if a similar course is offered
there. *Attach supporting evidence.
• If you have military service commitments, you must provide evidence that you have either
completed it or you have leave to study. *Attach supporting evidence.
• You must comment on and provide evidence of your family, social, and financial ties to your
home country. You must support your stated ties with documentary evidence and the
evidence must clearly demonstrate significant incentives for you to return home upon
completion of your degree. *Attach supporting evidence.
• You must clearly demonstrate strong economic incentives to return to your home country.
*Attach supporting evidence.
• If you are currently employed, we need to know who your current employer is, the address of
your company, how long you have been employed there, what position you hold there, the
name and contact details of someone in your company who can confirm your employment.
You must provide evidence to show all employment or business activities in the 12 months
 prior to your application, evidence of potential employment, expected salary and other
benefits after you complete your course, evidence of salary in the form of income tax
statements and/or bank statements showing salary deposits into your bank account. *Attach
supporting evidence.

Your situation in Australia:

• you must tell us of any family ties to Australia and explain how these ties do not act as an
incentive for you to remain in Australia. *Attach supporting evidence.
• you must also show that you have an understanding of SCU and the course you will study.
Explain your proposed living arrangements in Australia. *Attach supporting evidence.

Your immigration history:

• if you have a previous visa refusal/cancellation to any country (including Australia), you MUST
disclose this and explain the reason for the refusal/cancellation. *Attach supporting evidence.

When you have completed writing your statement, please fill in the supporting document checklist
at the bottom and scan the documentation in the order you have them listed below with your SOP
and upload it as a single document.

Sample SOP.

This sample is a guide only. It should NOT be copied.

I have applied for the Master of Information Technology at Southern Cross University Perth Campus. I
completed a 4-year Bachelor of Computing at ABC University in <country> in 2021 and a master’s
degree will give me the skills I need to progress my career (#1). The MIT is specifically related to my
undergraduate study and is a natural progression. It consists of 16 units and has a duration of 2
years. I have chosen the cybersecurity specialisation (#2). Since completing my undergraduate study, I
have been working as a junior software developer (#3) at (company name) and I currently earn
<salary in local currency> per month (#4 and #5). Based on current market trends, I will earn
<expected salary in local currency> per month when I complete my master’s degree (#6). I expect to
recover the total cost of my education in Australia within <number of years> after receiving my
master’s degree (#7). This course is available in my home country, however, completing this degree
from Australia will give me the international exposure and access to new ways of learning that will
give me the competitive edge when I return home. Employers favour international graduates who can
help their business expand through new ideas (#8). I am the second child of 3 and the eldest son (#9).
I have close ties to my family and am expected to support them as the only son. There is strong
demand for overseas trained IT professionals in <country> and I have excellent career opportunities in
the field of <field> when I return (#10). I am an active member of my local cricket club (or computer
society, club, temple, mosque, church, etc) (#11) and significant family assets (#12) which I am
expected to help manage upon my return. I am currently unmarried but hope to return to <country>
upon graduation to settle down and start my own family. The economic situation in <country>
continues to improve, particularly in my field (#13), which is a strong incentive for me to return. I
have chosen Southern Cross University for my study because it is ranked in the top 200 young
universities globally and the course structure and fees suit my needs. I have chosen Perth because it is
a smaller, quieter city on the West Coast of Australia, which makes the distance from my country less
daunting. The cost of living in Perth, particularly accommodation, is cheaper than the Eastern States
(#14) and I intend to search for shared accommodation within 10 km of my campus. I do not have any
immediate or extended family living in Australia.

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Write your SOP here:

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Supporting document Checklist

Document number: Document name:

Example Evidence to support claim that master’s degree will facilitate career progress
Example Evidence to demonstrate that cybersecurity is in demand
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DECLARATION
In uploading this document, I declare that I am a Genuine Temporary Entrant to Australia and that my intention to travel to
Australia is for the purpose of study only. I declare that the information provided in this statement and all documentation
provided by me to Southern Cross University is genuine. I understand that my application to Southern Cross University may
be denied if the University is not satisfied that I am a Genuine Temporary Entrant. I understand that this statement will be
considered in conjunction with other documents provided by me, including evidence of my English Language proficiency. I
understand that my application for a student visa may be denied by the Department of Home Affairs if any of the
documentation or information I have provided is fraudulent or incorrect or if I fail the GTE requirement. I understand that I
am required to abide by the conditions of my student visa and that my student may be cancelled by the Department of Home
Affairs if I fail to abide by the conditions of my student visa.

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