12/16/23, 5:59 PM Study permit: Get the right documents - Canada.

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Canada.ca  Immigration and citizenship  Study in Canada as an international student

 Study permit: About the process

Study permit: Get the right documents

1. About the process

2. Who can apply

3. Get the right documents

4. How to apply

5. After you apply

6. Prepare for arrival

7. While you study

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 Updates to financial requirements starting January 1, 2024

We’ve updated our financial requirements for study permit applicants.
This change applies to new study permit applications received on or
after January 1, 2024. The new amounts reflect updated cost-of-living
requirements. These requirements will be adjusted each year as
Statistics Canada updates the low-income cut-off.

You need these documents to apply for a study permit:

proof of acceptance
proof of identity
proof of financial support

You may also need

a letter of explanation
an attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ)
a medical exam
a custodian declaration (minors only), or
other documents

Proof of acceptance
Your school must provide you with a letter of acceptance (LOA). Include the
original or electronic copy of your letter with your study permit application.

Post-secondary students applying from outside Canada

Starting December 1, 2023, your school will be asked to confirm the
validity of your letter of acceptance.

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If your school does not respond within the allotted time, your application
will be returned, and your processing fee will be refunded. Confirm with
your school that they will validate your letter of acceptance before
resubmitting your application.

 Make sure you only attach your LOA in the LOA-specific space when
uploading documents for your online application. If you attach other
documents in this space, you’re giving your consent to disclose
these additional documents to your school. All other required
documents should be attached in the corresponding spaces in your
online application.

Conditional acceptance and prerequisite courses

If you’ve been conditionally accepted, you need to take prerequisite
courses. For example, these might be English as a second language or
French as a second language courses. You must complete these before you
can start your main study program.

If this is the case, we’ll only issue your study permit for the length of those
courses plus 1 year. Once you’re accepted into your main program, you’ll
need to apply for a new student permit to extend your stay as a
student.

Exceptions
If you’re the family member of someone who has a study permit or work
permit application that’s been approved in writing before you come to
Canada, you don’t need a letter of acceptance.

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Proof of identity
When applying for your study permit, you and each family member who
comes with you to Canada must have

a valid passport or travel document

Online applicants: Upload a copy of the information page of your
passport when you apply online.
If you’re approved, you must send us your original passport.
Citizens of the United States have some options on the
identification documents they can carry.
Lawful permanent residents of the United States must travel with a
valid green card (or equivalent official proof of status in the U.S.)
and a valid passport from their country of nationality (or an
equivalent document).
two recent passport-size photos
The name and date of birth of the person should be written on the
back of each photo.

Proof of financial support

You must prove that you can support yourself and the family members who
come with you while you are in Canada.

You can prove your funds with

proof of a Canadian bank account in your name, if you’ve transferred

money to Canada
a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) from a participating
Canadian financial institution
proof of a student or education loan from a bank
your bank statements for the past 4 months

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a bank draft that can be converted to Canadian dollars

proof you paid tuition and housing fees
a letter from the person or school giving you money, or
proof of funding paid from within Canada, if you have a scholarship or
are in a Canadian-funded educational program

If your country uses foreign exchange controls, you must prove that you’ll
be allowed to export funds for all of your expenses.

Minimum funds needed to support yourself as a student (and family

members who come with you)

All provinces except Quebec

Before January 1, 2024

Amount of funds required per

Persons coming to Canada year (not including tuition)

You (the student) CAN$10,000

First family member CAN$4,000

Every additional CAN$3,000

accompanying family member

Example
If you and 2 family members want to come to a province (other than
Quebec) for a year, you will need

living expenses: $10,000 (for the student)

living expenses: $4,000 (for the first family member)

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living expenses: $3,000 (for the second family member)

Total: $17,000

On or after January 1, 2024

Number of family members Amount of funds required per

(including the applicant) year (not including tuition)

1 CAN$20,635

2 CAN$25,690

3 CAN$31,583

4 CAN$38,346

5 CAN$43,492

6 CAN$49,051

7 CAN$54,611

If more than 7 people, each CAN$5,559

additional family member

Example
If you and 2 family members want to come to a province (other than
Quebec) for a year, you will need $31,583 for living expenses.

Quebec
To study in Quebec, applicants must prove they meet the financial
requirements outlined by the ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation
et de l’Intégration.
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Letter of explanation
This letter helps the visa officer to understand you and your goals. It
explains

why you want to study in Canada

that you understand your responsibilities as a student

You should include this letter if you decide to apply for a study permit, even
if you don’t have to get a study permit for your program.

Quebec Acceptance Certificate

If you want to study in Quebec for longer than 6 months, you need an
attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) issued
by the Government of Quebec. Your school can tell you how to apply for the
CAQ.

Find out about the process and the documents you need for studying in
Quebec.

If you plan to study in Quebec for less than 6 months, you can apply
for a study permit without a CAQ.

Medical exam
You may need a medical exam if any of these situations apply to you:

You plan to stay in Canada for more than 6 months.

You recently spent time in certain countries.
You plan to work in certain jobs where public health must be protected.

Find out who needs a medical exam.

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Custodian declaration (minor children)

If the minor requires a custodian, you must include the Custodianship
Declaration form (PDF, 1.02 MB) with your application. It has 2 pages that
must be notarized (certified by a notary) and then included with your study
permit application.

The custodian in Canada must sign the first page, and the parents or legal
guardians of the minor child in the child’s home country must sign the
second page.

Other documents
Check the visa office instructions for your country or region for local
requirements.

If you aren't currently in your home country, you may have to prove your
immigration status in the country you apply from.

If the government that issued your passport or travel document needs you
to have a re-entry permit, you must get one before you apply for a
Canadian visa. You may also need other documents.

Find out what to do if we asked you to provide a supporting document for

your application.

Next: How to apply 

Features
Learn about student life in Canada
Tips on living in Canada as an international student

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Date modified:
2023-12-13

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