A Tax File Number (TFN) is a unique identifier issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to each taxpaying entity — an individual, company, superannuation fund, partnership, or trust.
Both domestic and international students are able to apply for a TFN via the ATO website.
It is not compulsory for international students have a TFN, however we encourage international students to get one for the following reasons:
- Most banks will require you to have one before you open a bank account
- If you do not have a TFN you will have more tax withheld (46.5%) from your wages or pay more tax on bank interest than necessary.
Eligibility to apply online:
To apply for a TFN online using myGovID, you need to:
- be 15 years old or older
- have an Australian passport – it can be up to 3 years expired
- have at least one other Australian identity document – for example, a driver’s licence.
You will also need to set up a Strong myGovID.
Apply online with myGovID:
To apply for your TFN online using myGovID, you will need to: