Preparing Documents for Online Applications: Formats, Sizes and Scans

Updated October 13, 2026 · 3 min read

Job, university, visa and government portals have strict rules for uploaded documents. A checklist for getting the format, file size, page order and scan quality right the first time.

Online application portals are unforgiving. A file that is a few kilobytes too large, in the wrong format or hard to read can mean a rejected upload, a delayed process or a request to resend everything. Whether you are applying for a job, a university place, a visa or a government service, the requirements are surprisingly similar. This guide is a practical checklist for preparing your documents so they are accepted the first time.

1. Read the requirements before you start

Every portal states its rules somewhere, often in small print next to the upload button. Look for:

• Accepted formats: usually PDF, sometimes also JPG or PNG. If PDF is listed, use it; it keeps multi-page documents together and looks the same everywhere.
• Maximum file size: commonly 1, 2, 5 or 10 MB per file. Some portals also limit the total size of all uploads.
• Number of files: one file per document type, or everything in one file?
• Colour and orientation: some require colour scans of ID documents or certificates.
• File names: some institutions ask for a specific naming pattern, such as Surname_Firstname_Document.

2. Scan paper documents properly

Most applications still involve paper: diplomas, transcripts, ID cards, reference letters with signatures. You don't need a scanner, but a casual photo isn't good enough either. Take each photo in even light, from directly above, with the page filling the frame, then process the photos with Scan to PDF. It removes shadows, whitens the paper and sharpens the text so the result looks like a real scan.

Choose the filter carefully:

• Color for ID cards, passports, certificates with seals and documents with coloured stamps or signatures. Officials often need to see these clearly.
• B&W for plain printed pages such as transcripts or letters, which gives the smallest files.

Our guide to scanning documents with your phone has the full step-by-step process.

3. Combine and order multi-page documents

A transcript with several pages, or a certificate with a translation, should usually be one PDF with all pages in the correct order. If you have separate files, combine them with Merge PDF: add the files, drag the pages into order, delete blank backs and download one document. When a portal asks for "all supporting documents in one file", build that file the same way, putting the most important document first.

4. Get under the size limit

If a file is too large, don't simply reduce quality until it's unreadable. Better options, in order:

1. Create scans with the "Smallest" or "Balanced" size setting in Scan to PDF instead of using full-resolution photos.
2. Remove pages that are not required.
3. If the portal allows several files, split the document with the "Size" tab of Split PDF, setting a limit just below the maximum.

Our guide on making PDFs smaller explains each method in detail.

5. Name files clearly

A file called scan_0034.pdf tells the reviewer nothing. Use descriptive names that include your name and the document type, for example Garcia_Maria_Bachelor_Diploma.pdf. Avoid special characters and very long names; letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores work in every system.

6. Check every file before uploading

Open each final PDF once and go through this list:

• Are all pages present and in the right order?
• Is everything readable when zoomed in, including small print, stamps and signatures?
• Are pages upright, not sideways or upside down?
• Is the file size under the limit, with some margin?
• Does the file name follow the requested pattern?

7. Keep an organised copy

Applications often come in rounds: one for a university, another for a scholarship, another for a visa. Keep your prepared PDFs in a dedicated folder so you can reuse them. If you sign up for several processes, this saves you from scanning the same diploma five times.

Protect your personal data

Application documents contain some of your most sensitive information: ID numbers, dates of birth, addresses, grades. Upload them only to the official portal of the institution and prepare them with tools that don't send them anywhere else. Every tool on PurePDFKit runs in your browser, so your documents stay on your device until you upload them yourself.