Guide
Study Permit in Canada: who qualifies and how to apply
A study permit lets you study at a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada for the length of your program. It is issued by IRCC, usually together with the visitor visa or electronic travel authorisation you need to enter the country. It is not a visa on its own, and it does not by itself lead to permanent residence, but the Canadian credential and the post-graduation work permit it can unlock are the most common first steps for people who later settle here.
Since 2024 Canada has capped the number of new study permits and requires most applicants to include a provincial or territorial attestation letter with their application. That has made the choice of institution and program more consequential than it used to be: the same application can succeed or fail on whether the program leads to a work permit afterwards.
Eligibility
Who qualifies for Study Permit?
- A letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, and for most applicants a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) obtained through the institution.
- Proof that you can pay tuition for the first year, living expenses for yourself and any accompanying family members, and return transportation. IRCC raised the living-expense threshold in 2024; check the current figure before you apply.
- A clean record: police certificates where requested and no inadmissibility. A medical exam is required for most applicants from countries with higher tuberculosis incidence or for programs involving patient contact.
- Evidence that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorised stay. Ties to your home country, a credible study plan and a program that fits your background all matter.
- Language ability is not an IRCC requirement for the permit but the institution will require it for admission.
Documents
What you need to submit for Study Permit
The core file. Visa offices may ask for country-specific extras; see the country guides below.
- Letter of acceptance from DLI
- Proof of financial support
- Passport
- Passport photos
- Statement of purpose
- Academic transcripts
- Language test results (if required)
- Medical examination (if required)
- Police certificate (if required)
Process
How Study Permit works, step by step
- Choose a program at a DLI whose graduates are eligible for a post-graduation work permit if that is part of your plan. Not every program at every DLI qualifies.
- Apply to the institution, pay the deposit and obtain the letter of acceptance and the attestation letter.
- Prepare proof of funds in a form IRCC accepts: bank statements over several months, a Guaranteed Investment Certificate, a loan letter, or a sponsor's documents with a clear explanation of the relationship.
- Write a study plan that explains why this program, why Canada, and what you will do with the credential. This is the document most refusals cite.
- Submit the application online with biometrics and the medical exam if required.
- On approval, receive the letter of introduction and the visa or eTA; the study permit itself is issued at the port of entry.
Before you file
Common mistakes and what works
- Large, unexplained deposits into a bank account shortly before applying.
- A program that does not fit the applicant's education or career, without an explanation, which officers read as a permit of convenience.
- Applying to a private college whose graduates are not eligible for a post-graduation work permit while planning to stay after studies.
- Missing the attestation letter, which leads to the application being returned unprocessed.
Refusal risks we see most
- Insufficient proof of funds
- Weak statement of purpose
- Choosing non-designated learning institutions
- Missing required documents
- Applying too close to program start date
What strengthens a file
- Apply to multiple schools to increase chances
- Show strong ties to home country
- Demonstrate sufficient funds for tuition and living expenses
- Write a compelling statement of purpose
- Apply early - at least 3-4 months before start date
FAQ
Study Permit questions we are asked most
- Can I work while studying?
- Full-time students at a DLI can usually work off campus a limited number of hours per week during the academic session and full time during scheduled breaks, if their permit allows it. The permit conditions state the limit.
- Can my spouse come with me?
- Spousal open work permits for partners of students were restricted in 2024 to spouses of students in graduate and certain professional programs. Partners of other students can still apply to accompany you as visitors.
- What is a post-graduation work permit?
- An open work permit for graduates of eligible programs, valid for up to three years depending on program length and eligibility. Canadian work experience gained on it is what most graduates use for the Canadian Experience Class.
- Why are study permits refused?
- The most common reasons are doubts about funds, an unconvincing study plan, weak ties to the home country, and a program that does not fit the applicant's history. A refusal letter states the ground, and a new application can address it.
- Do I need a study permit for a short course?
- Not for a program of six months or less, although you still need a visitor visa or eTA to enter. If you may continue into a longer program, apply for the permit from the start.
Explore
Study Permit from your country
Visa-office processing, biometrics and document specifics by country of application.
10 countries
Editorial
Reading on Study Permit
Study & workCollege or university in Canada? How the system actually divides upIn Canada a college is not a lesser university. It is a different institution awarding different credentials, and in Quebec it is a compulsory step. 9 minStudy & workDLI status first: how to choose a school that can actually host youA school that is not a designated learning institution cannot host you, and no study permit application can fix that. How to check the list properly. 9 minStudy & workWorking while you study in Canada: hours, conditions and the ways students lose statusOn campus, off campus, breaks and work placements. The hours IRCC permits, the conditions that must be printed on your permit, and what a breach costs you. 8 minStudy & workPost-graduation work permit: who actually qualifiesFinishing a Canadian programme does not earn you a PGWP. The school, the programme, your language results and your field of study all have to line up first. 9 minStudy & workWriting a study plan a visa officer will actually believeA study plan is not an essay about loving Canada. What the officer is testing when they read it, and the mistakes that make one fall apart. 9 minStudy & workProof of funds for a study permit, and how an officer reads itMeeting the threshold is the easy part. What IRCC accepts as evidence, how foreign accounts and sponsors are assessed, and the deposits that sink a file. 9 min
News
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IRCC · March 23, 2026
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