Canada Student Visa
Get your documents ready
Before you apply for a study permit, you need:
- an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution (DLI)
- a valid passport or travel document
- proof you can support yourself, and any family members who come with you, while you’re in Canada
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
- a certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ)
- a custodian declaration (minors only)
- other documents
Proof of acceptance
Your school must send you a letter of acceptance. Include the original or electronic copy of your letter with your study permit application.
Conditional acceptance and prerequisite courses
If you’ve been conditionally accepted, this means you need to take prerequisite courses. For example, these might be English as a second language or French as a second language course. 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.
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 then send us your original passport.
- Citizens of the United States have some options on the identification documents they can carry.
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Visa Interview
Normally no visa interviews are conducted for a student visa for Canada. An interview (Telephonic or in person) with a Canadian Visa Officer may be requested for in rare instances. You will be advised in writing of the time and place for the personal interview. In case of a telephonic interview, a call may be received anytime. If there is no visa interview, the file is assessed on the basis of documents submitted and visa is granted accordingly.