FAQs

Frequently Asked Question

• Do I need a study permit to study in Canada?

  In most cases, you must obtain a study permit if you want to study in Canada.

  To be eligible to study in Canada:

  • You must have been accepted by a school, college, university, or other educational institution in Canada.
  • You must prove that you have enough money to pay for your:
    • tuition fees
    • living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada
    • return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada
  • You must be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record and not be a risk to the security of Canada. You may have to provide a police certificate.
  • You must be in good health and willing to complete a medical examination, if necessary.
  • You must satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada when you have completed your studies.

  Exceptions:

  In some cases, you do not require a study permit to go to school in Canada.

  • If you wish to study in a short-term course or program: You do not need a study permit if you plan to take a course or program in Canada that lasts six months or less. You must complete the course or program within the period authorized for your stay in Canada.
  • Even if you do not need a study permit, it is a good idea to apply for a permit before you come to Canada. If you decide that you want to continue your studies in another program after you complete your short-term course or program, you must apply through a Canadian visa office outside Canada for a study permit if you do not already have one.
  • Foreign representatives to Canada: If you are a family member or staff member of a foreign representative to Canada accredited by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, you may not need a permit to study in Canada. You should contact your embassy in Canada. Your embassy can contact the Office of Protocol at Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada to find out whether you need a study permit.
  • Members of foreign armed forces: If you are a member of a foreign armed force under the Visiting Forces Act, you do not need a permit to study in Canada. If your family members, including minor children, want to study in Canada, they must meet the requirements.
• How do I apply to study in Canada?

  1. Check the application processing times.

  This will give you an idea of how long it will take to process your application.

  2. Obtain and print the application package.

  The package includes the application guide and all the forms you need to fill out. Download and print the application package.

  Depending on your citizenship or where you live, you may need a temporary resident visa as well as a study permit. Check the List of designated countries in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page. If you are from one of the designated countries, a visa officer will process your application for a temporary resident visa at the same time. You do not need a separate application.

  3. Determine where you will submit your application.

  You must submit your application to the visa office that is responsible for the country or region where you live. Find a list of visa offices.

  4. Collect the documents you need to apply.

  You can find a list of the documents you will need to apply for a study permit in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page. You can find information on fees and other local requirements on the website of the visa office serving your country or region.

  5. If studying in Quebec, check the provincial guidelines.

  This step only applies if you want to study in the province of Quebec. If you apply to study in Quebec, you need a certificate of acceptance or CAQ. You can find a link to the website of Quebec’s ministry overseeing provincial immigration in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page. Your school can also provide you with information about applying to study in Quebec. You must have received the certificate of acceptance before you apply for a study permit.

  6. Complete your application for a study permit.

  Fill in the forms carefully and completely.

  Type or print clearly, using black ink.

  Add appropriate characters for languages that do not use the Latin alphabet, such as Chinese, Arabic, Cyrillic, Japanese, Hebrew, etc.

  Answer all questions carefully, completely and truthfully. Incomplete application packages will not be processed, but will be returned to you.

  7. Pay the correct processing fee.

  There is a fee to apply for a study permit. For information about current rates, go to Pay my application fees. In many countries, the processing fee can be paid in the local currency. You should check the website of the Canadian visa office serving the country or region where you live for additional information on fees, including how to pay them. The processing fee will not be refunded, even if your application is not accepted.

  8. Check your application.

  Make sure your application is complete and that you include the necessary documents. Use the document checklist that is included in the application kit. Consult the website of the Canadian visa office serving the country or region where you live to determine if you need to fill out any additional forms or provide any additional documents.

  9. Submit the application form.

  Sign and date the application form, and be sure you include the receipt for the processing fee. Submit the application form to the Canadian visa office that serves the country or region where you live. Find a list of visa offices.

  If you are from the United States, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon or Greenland, you can apply at the point of entry when you arrive in Canada.

  10. Supply additional information or documents.

  After the visa office receives your application, it might request more information or documents. These may include the following:

  • Medical information - In most cases, you will need a medical examination. A visa officer will send you instructions if you need a medical examination. This may add more than three months to the processing time of your application. Find more information about medical examinations.
  • Security information - If you want to study in Canada, you and any family members who come to Canada with you, and who are 18 years of age and over, may have to provide police certificates.
• How do I find out colleges, or universities in Canada?

  There are many different types of schools and institutions in Canada. For more information and listings of schools, contact the organizations listed below for each institution type, or consult:

  • Study in Canada, the Government of Canada website on this topic
  • The Ministry of Education of the province in which you would like to study
  • Canadian Bureau for International Education

  Primary and secondary schools

  These are schools that teach students up to grade 12. For a list of schools, consult:

  • Your local school board
  • The Ministry of Education of the province in which you would like to study

  Post-secondary schools

  These include colleges, universities, and technical and vocational institutions.

  • Visit the Association of Canadian Community Colleges website for information on colleges.
  • Visit the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada website for information on universities.
  • Visit the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists website for information on technical institutions.

  Private schools

  Some private schools offer courses and programs that are not available in public schools. For more information on private schools, consult:

  • The Ministry of Education of the province in which you would like to study
  • The Canadian Association of Independent Schools
• When should I apply for my study permit?

  You should apply as soon as you receive your letter of acceptance from the educational institution. The time needed to process an application to study in Canada may be different at various visa offices.

• What is a temporary resident visa?

  A temporary resident visa is an official document issued by a Canadian visa office. It is placed in your passport to show that you have met the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident. Depending on your citizenship, you may need a temporary resident visa to enter Canada.

• How do I apply for a temporary resident visa?

  If you need a temporary resident visa in addition to your study permit, you do not need to submit a separate application or pay an additional fee when you apply for your study permit at a visa office.

• How do I get information on studying in Quebec?

  Finding out about studying in Québec

  Does the idea of studying in Québec appeal to you? Find out about the advantages of studying in Québec. Learn about the education system, education costs, financial assistance, and employment opportunities for foreign students.

  Applying for admission to an institution

  Have you found out what you need to know about studying in Québec and do you wish to study there? After you’ve selected a program of study, the first step is to submit an application for admission.

  Obtaining the necessary authorizations to study in Québec

  Your admission to an institution has been confirmed. Your plan is taking shape, and now you want to obtain the necessary authorizations to stay in Québec. Find out about the steps you need to take.

  Preparing yourself before your departure for Québec

  You will soon be heading off to Québec, where you have decided to pursue your studies. Get ready to discover new horizons and a whole new study environment. Take advantage of the time it will take to obtain your study authorizations to prepare yourself. This will make your temporary stay in Québec that much easier.

  Proceeding with your temporary settlement in Québec

  You’ve now arrived at your destination. Read this section for a brief survey of entry formalities and to obtain all the information you need to help you with your temporary stay in Québec.

  Extending your stay

  If you plan to pursue your studies in Québec beyond the term of your Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ – Québec Acceptance Certificate) for studies, remember to renew your authorizations before their expiry date. If you intend to work after graduation, you should read this section as well.

  Staying in Québec permanently

  If you intend to reside in Québec permanently, you should read this section.

• How do I pay the fee for a study permit?

  You must pay a processing fee with your application. The fee will not be refunded, even if your application is refused. Check the website of the visa office where you submit your application to find out how you can pay the fee. In most countries, you can pay in the local currency.

• How do I find out if I need a medical examination to study in Canada?

  To protect the health and safety of Canadians, as well as reduce and prevent excessive demand on Canada’s health and social services system permanent or temporary resident applicants may be required to undergo a medical exam.
  You will need a medical examination if : you will be in Canada for longer than six months, and you come from a designated country/territory for which Canada requires a visa.

• How do I renew my study permit while I am in Canada?

  Renewing your study permit

  If you want to extend your stay in Canada as a student, you must complete the Application to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada. Check the expiry date on your study permit, and make sure you apply before that date. You should apply for renewal at least 30 days before your current permit expires.

  The package includes the application guide and all the forms you need to fill out. Download and print the application package.

  If you apply for a renewal of your study permit, and the permit expires before you receive an answer, you can continue to study in Canada under the same conditions until you receive a decision.

  You should apply to renew your study permit if you intend to travel outside Canada and your permit will expire while you are travelling.

  You cannot extend your study permit beyond the expiry date on your passport.

  If your study permit has expired, and you have not applied for an extension, you must leave Canada.

  Restoring your status

  In some cases, you may apply to restore your status as a student within 90 days of losing it. You may only apply if you have continued to meet the requirements under which you were allowed to enter and stay in Canada and you have met all the conditions imposed on your permit.

  After you apply to restore your status, you may stay in Canada until a decision is made on your application, but you are not allowed to study until your status has been restored.

  There is no guarantee that your application to restore your status will be accepted. On your application, you must provide full details of all the facts and circumstances that caused you to lose your status.

  In addition to a fee for renewing your study permit, there is also a fee for restoring your status. The fee is required for each family member who has lost status. To find out about application fees, go to Pay my application fees.

  An officer will evaluate your request for restoration of status and will process an application for a study permit. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will advise you of any further action to be taken.

• How do I get a copy of a lost study permit?

  If you lose any immigration document issued by the Government of Canada, you can get it replaced. You must complete an application and pay a fee. Contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Call Centre.
  There is a fee for replacing immigration documents that have been lost, stolen or destroyed.

• Am I allowed to return home for a visit or travel outside Canada during my studies?

  If you leave Canada and want to return, you must have:

  • a valid passport or travel documents
  • a valid study permit if you are returning to study in Canada and
  • a valid temporary resident visa if you are a citizen of a designated country for which Canada requires a visa.

  If you are a citizen of a designated country and you travel to a country other than the United States, Greenland or Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, you will need a multiple-entry visa to re-enter Canada. If your temporary resident visa has expired or if your visa was only valid for a single entry, you must re-apply for a temporary resident visa at a Canadian visa office outside Canada before you can re-enter Canada.

• I am already in Canada and have a valid study permit. I would like to change my school or program of studies. What do I need to do to modify my study permit?

  If you are a student at the primary school level and you are moving on to high school or if you are a high school student and you are moving on to post-secondary studies, you need to submit an application to modify your study permit at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta.
  However, if you are enrolled in a post-secondary program (doing studies after the high school level), you may change your school, level, program and field of studies without applying for a new study permit. You don’t need to apply for a change to the condition of your study permit either. You may continue to use your study permit as long as it is valid.

• Can I fill out one form for my entire family if we are traveling together?

  No. Each individual applicant must complete and sign the appropriate form for the purpose of their trip to Canada, including any other supplementary forms as required. For example, you may require a visitor, student permit or work permit application form. Each applicant aged 18 and over must also complete the Family Information (IMM 5645) form.
  You can submit all family member application forms in the same envelope with one payment receipt for the total amount of all your applications.

• Do my children need to complete the new application form?

  Parents or guardians can assist children in filling out their forms. Parents or guardians must sign the forms on behalf of any children under the age of 18.
  However, if your child is aged 18 and over, they must complete and sign their own application forms as well as any other required forms.

• If I submitted an older application form, do I need to resubmit my application using the form that is currently on the CIC Web site?

  There is no need to resubmit applications. Applications previously received on older forms will continue to be processed in the queue in which they were received