Canada Student Visa: Requirements and Application Process

Last updated: September 27, 2026. Fees, processing times and rules change; verify current details on the official government website linked in this guide.

What a Canada Student Visa Actually Is

When people say “Canada student visa,” they usually mean a study permit. The distinction matters, because IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) treats them as two different things. A study permit is the document that allows you to study at a Canadian institution. When your study permit application is approved, IRCC also issues you a travel document automatically: either a visitor visa (temporary resident visa) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA), depending on your passport. The travel document gets you into Canada; the study permit, which an officer hands you at the airport, is what lets you stay and study.

Not everyone needs one. If your program is six months or shorter, you do not need a study permit. You can complete a short language course or a certificate program on a visitor visa or an eTA, as long as you do not plan to work and you leave when it ends. For travel planning on short visits to Europe rather than Canada, our Schengen tourist visa guide walks through that separate process. For anything longer than six months in Canada, though, a study permit is mandatory, and you must apply from outside Canada in most cases.

Getting Accepted Before You Apply

Your application starts at a school, not at IRCC. Canada only allows international students to study at designated learning institutions (DLIs), which are schools approved by a provincial or territorial government to host foreign students. Before you spend a rupee, naira, or shilling on application fees, check that the institution is a DLI. IRCC keeps a searchable list on canada.ca, and each institution’s DLI number is public. If a school is not on that list, it cannot support your study permit.

Apply to the institution directly, meet its admission requirements, and get an official letter of acceptance. Read that letter carefully. It must show your name, the program, its duration, and the tuition fees. A conditional offer (for example, one that depends on finishing a language program) can complicate your application, so try to secure an unconditional offer where possible.

The attestation letter most applicants now need

Since Canada introduced its study permit cap, most post-secondary applicants also need a provincial attestation letter (PAL), or a territorial attestation letter (TAL) depending on the province. You get this through your institution after you accept your offer, from an allocation the province assigns to the school. It confirms your application counts under the province’s share of the national cap. There is one major exception: since January 1, 2026, master’s and PhD applicants admitted to public DLIs no longer need a PAL. Undergraduate and diploma applicants still do.

Who Is Eligible for a Study Permit

IRCC lists five requirements, and the officer assesses each one:

• Enrollment at a DLI, proven by your letter of acceptance and PAL where required.
• Enough money for first-year tuition, living expenses for you and any family coming with you, and return travel. The current figures are explained in the next section.
• A clean record. You must obey the law, have no criminal history, and provide a police certificate if the officer asks for one.
• Good health. Depending on your country of residence and how long you have lived there, you may need a medical exam from an IRCC-approved panel physician.
• Proof that you will leave Canada when your permit expires. This is not about what you want long term; it is about convincing the officer your immediate plan is to study and comply with the conditions of your stay.

While you hold the permit, you must make progress in your program, follow any conditions printed on the permit, and stop studying if you no longer meet the requirements. One practical note: since November 2024, you can no longer switch to a different post-secondary school on the same permit. Changing schools means applying to extend your study permit first.

Proof of Funds: How Much You Need to Show

This is where many applications from Asia and Africa stumble. The financial requirement covers three separate costs: first-year tuition, living expenses, and return travel. These are not interchangeable. Tuition receipts alone do not satisfy the requirement, and neither does a loan letter that only covers fees.

For applications submitted on or after September 1, 2026, a single applicant studying outside Quebec must show at least CAD 23,448 for one year of living expenses, up from CAD 22,895 the year before. IRCC adjusts this figure annually against cost-of-living data, so the number will keep moving. If family members are coming with you, the required amount rises per person. Quebec sets its own, separate financial requirements. These figures cover living expenses only; tuition and travel are always extra.

You also need to explain how you will pay for the rest of your program if it runs longer than a year. A one-year snapshot with no plan for years two to four reads as a gap, and officers notice gaps.

Documents IRCC accepts as proof

IRCC is flexible about the form of proof, but strict about traceability. Commonly accepted evidence includes a Canadian bank account in your name with transferred funds, a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), a student or education loan from a financial institution, your bank statements for the past four months, proof of paid tuition and housing, a letter from the person or institution funding you, and proof of a scholarship or Canadian-funded program.

A GIC deserves a short explanation. It is a financial product you buy from a Canadian bank before you travel: you deposit a fixed amount, and the bank releases it to you in installments once you arrive. Many applicants from South Asia use a GIC because it is simple for an officer to read. It is optional, not mandatory, and you can combine it with other documents. What matters most is that every dollar has a documented origin. A sudden large deposit a month before your application, with no explanation, raises more questions than it answers.

Working While You Study

A full-time student at a DLI can work off campus without a separate work permit, up to 24 hours per week during regular academic terms. That cap has been in place since November 2024, when it replaced the older 20-hour limit, and IRCC says the change applies even if your printed permit still says 20 hours. During scheduled breaks, such as summer or winter holidays, you can work full time, as long as you were full time before and after the break. On-campus work has no hour cap.

The conditions are specific: you must hold a valid study permit, be enrolled full time in a post-secondary academic, vocational, or professional program, and have a Social Insurance Number (SIN). You cannot work before your program starts, and students in language-only or preparatory programs generally cannot work off campus. Treat these hours as a hard ceiling. Going over is a violation of your permit conditions, and IRCC cross-checks payroll data. A violation can cost you future permits, including the one described in the next section.

The Application Process, Step by Step

The whole process is online for most applicants. Give yourself at least three to four months before your program starts.

Step 1: Gather your documents

Start with the checklist IRCC generates for you, then add anything your country of residence requires. The core package includes a valid passport, the letter of acceptance from your DLI, the PAL or TAL (or the CAQ acceptance certificate if you are studying in Quebec), proof of financial support, passport-size photos to IRCC specifications, academic transcripts and certificates, language test results (IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL, depending on what your institution requires), a study plan or statement of purpose, and police certificates or medical exam results where required. Some documents take weeks to obtain, so start here, not with the application form.

Step 2: Create your IRCC account and fill in the forms

Apply through the IRCC portal by creating a secure account. The main form is the IMM 1294 application for a study permit made outside Canada, and the portal will generate a personalized document checklist after you answer its questions. Fill in every section accurately. Small inconsistencies, a date that does not match your transcripts, an unexplained gap in employment, are among the most common avoidable problems.

Step 3: Pay the fees and submit

The study permit application fee is CAD 150 per person, and the biometrics fee is CAD 85 where required. Pay online by credit or debit card, upload clear scans of every document, and submit. You will receive a confirmation and a tracking number for your application.

Step 4: Give biometrics and complete your medical exam

After submission, most applicants between the ages of 14 and 79 receive a biometrics instruction letter. Book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in your country and complete it within 30 days of receiving the letter. Biometrics are fingerprints and a photo, and they stay valid for ten years. If your situation requires a medical exam, it must be done by an IRCC-approved panel physician; you can find the list on canada.ca. A police certificate is not needed in every case, but if the officer requests one, you cannot proceed without it.

Step 5: Wait, then travel

Processing times vary widely by country and by how busy the visa office is, ranging from a few weeks to several months. IRCC publishes current estimates in its processing-time tool, which is worth checking before you book flights. If your application is approved, you receive a port of entry letter (a letter of introduction). The study permit itself is issued by the officer when you land in Canada, so keep your passport, the letter, and your proof of funds accessible in your carry-on.

Common Refusal Reasons and How to Address Them

Refusals rarely come from a single bad document. They come from an application that does not hang together. The patterns repeat:

Insufficient or unclear funds. The numbers must cover tuition, living costs, and travel, from traceable sources. If a parent is sponsoring you, include their bank statements, proof of income, and a signed letter explaining the relationship and the commitment. If you took a loan, include the sanction letter and the disbursement schedule.

A vague or generic study plan. The officer wants specifics: why this program, why this institution, why Canada instead of a similar program at home, and how the program connects to work you can realistically do afterward. A plan that could apply to any applicant at any school does not convince anyone.

Weak ties to home. IRCC needs to believe you will leave Canada when your permit expires. Family, property, a job to return to, or a career path that makes sense in your home country all help. This is not about promising never to return to Canada; it is about showing your immediate intent is genuine study.

Program mismatch. If your past education or work has nothing to do with the program you chose, the officer will wonder whether the application is really about studying. A clear explanation of the change of direction belongs in your study plan.

If you are refused, the refusal letter states the reasons. You can address them and reapply. Many successful students were approved on their second attempt.

After Graduation: The Post-Graduation Work Permit

The post-graduation work permit (PGWP) is a big reason Canada attracts international students. It is an open work permit, which means you can work for any employer, anywhere in Canada. Its length is tied to your program: programs of two years or more can lead to a permit of up to three years. The program itself must have been at least eight months long, and you must have studied full time.

There are rules to know before you choose a program, because some depend on when you applied for your study permit. Since November 1, 2024, most PGWP applicants must also prove language ability: graduates with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree need CLB level 7 in English or French across all four skills, while college and other non-degree graduates need CLB level 5. Additionally, if you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024 and you graduate from a college or non-degree program, your field of study must be on IRCC’s eligible list, which is linked to occupations in long-term demand. University degree graduates have no field-of-study restriction. IRCC keeps this list under review, so check the current version before you enroll.

Work experience gained on a PGWP can count toward permanent residence later. Canadian work experience in a skilled occupation is the core of the Canadian Experience Class, one of the programs managed through Canada’s Express Entry system. For many students, the realistic long-term path runs study permit, PGWP, Canadian work experience, then Express Entry. Knowing that sequence at the start helps you pick a program and province that keep the whole path open.

A Realistic Timeline

Start researching schools and programs six to nine months before your intended start date. Secure your letter of acceptance and your PAL or CAQ, then spend a full month assembling financial documents, the medical exam, and the police certificate. Submit the application at least three months before classes begin. Applications from some countries move in weeks; others take months, and peak seasons slow everything down. Build a buffer, and do not quit your job or book non-refundable travel until the permit is in hand.

Will your program qualify you for a PGWP?

	University degree (bachelor, master, PhD)	College or other non-degree program
Minimum program length	At least 8 months, full time	At least 8 months, full time
Language requirement (if you applied for your study permit on or after Nov 1, 2024)	CLB 7 in English or French, all four skills	CLB 5 in English or French, all four skills
Field-of-study restriction	None	Must be on IRCC’s eligible field-of-study list, linked to long-term labour demand
PGWP length	Up to 3 years for programs of 2 years or more	Up to 3 years for programs of 2 years or more

The two most common traps: choosing a non-degree program outside the eligible fields, and assuming the language rule does not apply to you. Check the current field-of-study list on canada.ca before you enroll, because IRCC keeps it under review.

Frequently asked questions

Can I work while studying in Canada?

Yes, if you are a full-time student at a DLI. You can work off campus up to 24 hours per week during regular terms, with no separate work permit, and full time during scheduled breaks. You need a Social Insurance Number, and you cannot work before your program starts. Going over the hour cap violates your permit conditions.

How much money do I need to show?

For applications on or after September 1, 2026, a single applicant studying outside Quebec must show at least CAD 23,448 for one year of living expenses, plus first-year tuition and return travel on top. The amount rises if family members are coming with you, and Quebec sets its own figures. Every dollar needs a documented origin.

Do I need a provincial attestation letter?

Most undergraduate and diploma applicants do. Since January 1, 2026, master’s and PhD applicants admitted to public DLIs no longer need one. If you are studying in Quebec, you need a CAQ acceptance certificate instead.

Can my spouse or children come with me?

The financial requirement increases per family member, and you must show you can support them. Rules for accompanying family change with policy, so check the current IRCC guidance on canada.ca before planning around a specific arrangement.

What should I do if my study permit is refused?

The refusal letter states the reasons. Address them directly: strengthen the financial proof, write a specific study plan that connects the program to your background, or add evidence of ties to home. Many successful students were approved on their second attempt.