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U of T Resource Finder

Apply for Your Study Permit

There are two pathways to apply for a study permit:

Inside Canada: For students already in Canada with a valid study or work permit, and some exchange or visiting students.

Outside Canada: Most new students use this process.

A study permit lets you study in Canada but is not a travel document. You may also need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada.

Find more information about the TRV and eTA. 

Where To Apply

New in 2025 and 2026

Provincial Attestation letter (PAL) Tool

Most study permit applications currently require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).

Study permit applications for graduate study submitted on or after January 1, 2026 no longer require a PAL.

The tool below can be used to determine whether you require a PAL or whether you are exempt. It is as accurate as possible, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) always makes the final decision about who requires a PAL and who is exempt.

“How Do I Get My PAL?”

Newly-admitted undergraduate students

Newly-admitted graduate students

  • If applying for their study permit on or after January 1, 2026:
    • no PAL required.

Current St. George campus (UTSG) students

  • contact the CIE at <isa.cie@utoronto.ca> to request a PAL.

Current students at UTM

  • contact the IEC at <international.utm@utoronto.ca> to request a PAL.

Current students at UTSC

  • contact the ISC at <isc.utsc@utoronto.ca> to request a PAL.

Students whose PAL-supported study permit application was refused

  • contact their campus international office for support with a study permit re-application and to request a new PAL.

More details are available in the Standard Required Documents and Frequently Asked Questions sections below.

As soon as you have the letter of acceptance and all other required documents.

Generally, you must apply for a study permit before you come to Canada. Only citizens and permanent residents of the United States and residents of Greenland or St. Pierre et Miquelon can apply when entering Canada (but are still encouraged to apply in advance).

Check the estimated study permit application processing time for the country where you are submitting your application, but know that it is subject to change so it is best to apply as early as possible.

Documents Required for a Regular Application (TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE)

Important: If you’re applying online, check your personal checklist (generated based on your answers in the online eligibility questionnaire) for these and any other required documents. We also recommend that you check the country-specific application requirements provided by IRCC for additional documents that may be required or recommended. 

  • Application for Study Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM1294) (if using the IRCC Secure Account)
    • The title is at the top of the application, and the code is at the bottom-left corner of each page.
    • You must use the most recent version of the form (available at the link above). Out-of-date versions may cause an error when uploading to the application system.
    • Applications through the IRCC Portal will not require this form as all the information is submitted directly through the Portal.
  • Letter of acceptance (for new students)
    • Should include your:
      • Name,
      • student number,
      • expected start and end dates of program, and;
      • Designated Learning Institution (DLI) number (copy this number into the DLI field on your application form).
  • Confirmation of enrollment (for current/returning students)
    • Letter available on ACORN or from your Registrar’s Office.
      • Should include your:
        • Name,
        • student number,
        • enrollment status, and;
        • expected graduation date.
      • If this letter does not include U of T’s DLI number, it is O19332746152. Copy this number into your application (unless a different DLI number was indicated on your letter of acceptance).
      • Students returning from a leave of absence should have confirmation of eligibility to return to studies.
  • Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) (see the PAL tool near the top of this page to check if you need one)
    • For newly-admitted undergraduate students.
      • You can find information about how to get the attestation letter through the University Registrar’s Office.
      • Undergraduate students who are applying outside Canada for a new study permit so that they can return to their studies in Canada always need a PAL.
        • You can email the Immigration Advising team at isa.cie@utoronto.ca to begin the request process.
      • While you should update the University of Toronto about your address changes, the address on your PAL does not have to match your current mailing address.
      • If IRCC refuses your study permit application, you will need a new PAL in order to re-apply (the original PAL is no longer valid). In that situation, please email the Immigration Advising team at isa.cie@utoronto.ca to request a second PAL.
      • If you qualify for an exemption, you must include proof of why you are exempt in your application. This can often be a letter written by you. Find more details in the How to Apply collapsable section below.
  • Proof of financial support
    • IRCC expects you to prove access to funds to cover a minimum of annual tuition plus at least $22,895 CAD (for applications submitted on or after September 1, 2025) for your first year’s living expenses. Additional funds are required if you are bringing a spouse/partner and/or children. Learn more on our Bring Your Dependants page.
    • Details about Toronto-specific living costs can be found on the U of T Financial Planning Calculator.
    • Immigration officers expect you to be able to show access to enough funds to pay for at least one year of studies, and to be convinced you will still have access to funds for any further studies. How you prove access to funds depends on where they come from:
      • If funds are in your account, bank statement(s) with your name. Four to six months of bank statements are recommended.
      • If funds are coming from the University or other institutional source, a letter detailing funding.
      • If funds are coming from family or other individuals, a signed letter confirming their willingness to support you, documentation showing the relationship between you and the sponsor, and that they have enough money to support you. This should include bank statements and income statements (or a letter of employment stating position and salary).
      • If you have already paid tuition, you can provide proof of payment from U of T by accessing your invoice on ACORN.
  • Copies from your passport or travel document
    • Including the biographical data page and all pages with visas, stamps or markings (your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the expected date of your arrival to Canada).
    • If you’ve got a brand new passport, you can provide copies from both your new and old passports, but put the new passport first, and mark it as ‘New Passport’ if possible.
  • Passport-style photograph
    • Taken within the last six months following IRCC recommendations, noting that the frame size specifications do not apply for digital photos.
  • $150 CAD processing fee
  • Letter of explanation including your study plan and proof of ties to your country of citizenship
    • May not specifically be requested, but we consider this a necessary document for outside Canada applicants. It should outline:
      • how pursuing your studies at U of T is important and fits with your current or previous studies, current or previous work (if applicable) and long-term plans (unless included in a study plan requested separately), and;
      • ties to your country of residence and/or citizenship to help an immigration officer understand you will have a reason to leave Canada if your status is going to expire and you are unable to extend it.
    • A letter of explanation and any other additional documents can be uploaded in the “Client Information” field of the Optional Documents section. Only one file can be uploaded, but it can be multiple pages.

You may need other documents, including (but not limited to):

  • Study Plan
    • Should outline how pursuing your studies at U of T is important and fits with your current or previous studies, current or previous work (if applicable) and long-term plans.
  • Biometrics (digital fingerprints and photographs)
  • Immigration medical exam results (see below);
  • Co-op letter (if a work placement is a requirement of your program of study);
    • Can be its own letter or included in letter of acceptance for new students.
    • Co-op letters are issued by representatives of your program.
  • Proof of a custodian (for students 16 and under).
    • Students between 17 and 18 may be asked for proof.
  • Letter of explanation
    • In case there are more details about a specific aspect of your situation that you want IRCC to know about.
  • Schedule 1 (Application for Temporary Residence) (IMM5257 SCH1)
    • This is only required if you answer ‘Yes’ to any of questions 3 through 6 in the “Background Information” section of the application form or if IRCC specifically requests it.
    • This form is not a request for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).
      • A successful outside Canada study permit application will automatically result in a TRV being issued, if your citizenship requires one.

IRCC Secure Account (the IRCC Portal no longer accepts study permit applications).

See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below for more details about the differences between the two.

Important Highlights
How to Apply (TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE)
How to Create an Account with IRCC
How to Answer the Online Eligibility Questionnaire
How to Complete the Family Information Form (TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE)
How to Complete the IMM1294 Form (TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE)

TIPS

Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs)

  • Please review the PAL tool near the top of this page to confirm whether you must include one with your application.
  • The address on your PAL does not matter.
  • Your PAL number should begin with ON26 (indicating it was issued by the province of Ontario for 2026).
  • The PAL number includes hypens (-) on the PAL itself. They must be removed when adding to your application form.
  • If you are PAL-exempt, you must provide proof of how you qualify for the exemption.
    • What proof you provide depends on why you’re exempt. Everyone that is exempt should write a letter that details why they qualify for an exemption:
      • Graduate students – Letter should explain that you are a graduate student and refer to the file uploaded in the Letter of Acceptance/Confirmation of Enrolment field of the checklist.
      • Undergraduate students extending in Canada for same institution and level of study – Letter should explain those reasons, refer to the file uploaded in the confirmation of enrolment field, and include a copy of current study permit that authorizes study at U of T.
      • Other exempt students – Letter should explain exemption, with any proof necessary.
    • Documents can be uploaded in the ‘Client Information’ field of the Optional Documents section of your checklist (if there is not a specific field in your checklist).
  • If IRCC refuses your study permit application, you will need a new PAL in order to re-apply (the original PAL is no longer valid).
      • In that situation, please email the Immigration Advising team at isa.cie@utoronto.ca to request a second PAL.

You must have an immigration medical exam if you have been in a ‘designated’ country for at least 6 of the past 12 months. You will also require one if you are planning to work in a health-care setting, primary/secondary school setting, or other jobs where the protection of public health is important.

IRCC provides details about who requires immigration medical exams, who can offer them, and more.

If you require one, you can book the appointment before submitting your application, or you can do so once requested by IRCC. It is usually a good idea to do so in advance. This is called an upfront medical exam.

If you had an immigration medical exam within the 12 months prior to applying for your study permit, attach proof (i.e. a copy of your medical receipt).

Next Steps After Submitting your Application

Medical Exam

You may need to complete an immigration medical exam before your application can be finalized (if you have not already done so).

Biometrics

If you are required to provide biometrics (or you choose to re-submit biometrics because your current biometrics will expire before the end of your studies), you will be charged the $85 CAD biometric collection fee in addition to the application processing fee. After submitting the application, you will be sent a Biometric Instruction Letter that will guide you through booking a biometric collection appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) or Application Service Centre (ASC).

Additional Documents

Immigration officers may ask you for additional documentation to make a decision about your application. If they ask you to attach the documents to your online application, you will login to your account where you must upload the documents and re-submit the application. IRCC provides specific details about how to do so. Failure to do so will likely result in a refusal of your application. 

Changes and Updates

If you need to notify IRCC about a change, you can use their web form to update your application.

Application Tracking

The University of Toronto wants to keep track of new student study permit application progress to better support you and other students. If you haven’t already done so, please consider adding your information to our Study Permit Application Progress tool.

If you wish to track the status of your application, you can create a special IRCC “tracker account” to do so (note: this is not the same account where you submitted the online application).

Travel to Canada

Do not book travel to Canada until you’ve received your Letter of Introduction. Find more information about entering Canada.

If your application is approved, the Canadian visa office serving the country where you submitted your application will issue you an approval letter, known as a Port of Entry Letter of Introduction, and an entry visa or an eTA (if applicable). You will present the letter to a Border Services Officer when you enter Canada to get the hard copy of your study permit.

If your citizenship requires you to have a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV, also known as an entry or visitor visa), you will be asked to submit your passport so that the visa officer can affix the visa into it. You do not need to make a separate application.

If your citizenship requires you to have an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), you don’t have to submit your passport. An eTA will be issued electronically and associated with your passport number. Your eTA number and expiry date will be included in the Letter of Introduction.

If you decide to change schools after your study permit for U of T has been approved, you must re-apply for a new study permit for the new institution. You cannot begin studies at the new institution until the new permit is approved and issued.

Travel to Canada

Even if you already have a visa or travel authorization that may allow you to travel to Canada, we recommend waiting outside Canada for the study permit to be approved, because you are not eligible to begin studying until the study permit has been issued.

Important next steps

After receiving your new permit, you can use it to apply for/extend your Social Insurance Number (SIN) through Service Canada.

The University of Toronto has created a tool to help you keep track of the expiry of your important immigration documents and get reminders when it’s time to renew. Once you arrive in Canada (where your study permit will be issued), check out ⁠U of T’s International Student Immigration Document Reminder Tool.

The information on this page should help you prepare as strong an application as possible, but applications can still be refused.

If your application is refused, you will receive a letter from IRCC noting specific reasons why the immigration officer decided to do so. The first thing you should do is:

  • Review your IRCC refusal letter and carefully consider the reasons noted there. Read the IRCC webpages where they explain how they assess each aspect of an application. 

Reconsideration

If it appears that an error was made by immigration officials, it may be possible to request “reconsideration” of the original application. This is only worth trying if the officer overlooked clear information you included in your application.

Re-application

Otherwise, if you believe that you can prepare supporting documents that more clearly prove that the officer’s concerns are not applicable, you may choose to re-apply. When preparing a new application you should:

  • Write a new Letter of Explanation which directly addresses the refusal reasons in the IRCC letter.
    • Also include a “Study Plan” document which covers topics such as “Reasons for wanting to study this program at U of T”, “Intended plans for after you complete your studies”, “Your ties to your home country”, and “Your travel and employment history”.

New Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)

A study permit re-application will require a new PAL. You can request a new PAL by emailing our team (isa.cie@utoronto.ca) and including the following:

  • That your initial application was refused and you need a new PAL;
  • Your student number; and,
  • Your name as it appears on your passport.

Get Support

Please contact our advising team when preparing your response to a study permit refusal so that we can help ensure you have the best chance of success. You can email us (isa.cie@utoronto.ca), register for a live Question and Answer (Q&A) session, or book an individual appointment.

If you are in Canada with a study permit or work permit, you are considered a protected person, or you are a dependent of someone in Canada with a study permit or work permit, you can apply within Canada. Exchange and visiting students that extend their studies beyond 6 months may also be eligible, even if they don’t have an initial study permit (full list).

If you don’t fit these categories, your application will need to be processed outside Canada (even if you’re already in Canada).

If you do not yet have a study permit, apply as soon as you have the offer of admission and all required documents. This is because you will need the study permit to begin studying.

If you already have a study permit, you should usually apply far enough in advance that your application will be processed before your current permit expires. If your application is submitted, but not processed, before your current permit expires, you can remain in Canada under maintained status. 

Check the estimated in-Canada study permit extension processing time, but know that it is subject to change so it is best to apply as early as possible.

Documents Required for a Study Permit Application Inside Canada

Important: If you’re applying online, check your personal checklist (generated based on your answers in the online eligibility questionnaire) for these and any other required documents.  

  • Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student (IMM5709)
    • Look for the title at the top of the application, or the code at the bottom-left corner of each page.
  • Letter of acceptance (for new students)
    • Should include your:
      • Name,
      • student number, and;
      • expected start and end dates of program, and;
      • Designated Learning Institution (DLI) number (copy this number into the DLI field on your application form).
  • Provincial Attestation letter (PAL)
    • For all newly-admitted students and students changing institutions or level of study.
      • Undergraduate students: Please check your Join U of T Portal account for information about how to get a PAL.
      • Master’s and PhD degree students: Accept the offer of admission and monitor the email you used to apply for information about how to get a PAL.
    • Study permit extension applications made within Canada require a PAL unless you intend to complete your current program of study. (Full list of exemptions).
    • All continuing students (ie. undergraduate and graduate) who require a PAL can email the Immigration Advising team at <isa.cie@utoronto.ca> to begin the request process.
    • While it is your responsibility to update the University of Toronto about your address changes, the address on your PAL does not have to match your current mailing address.
    • If IRCC refuses your study permit application, you will need a NEW PAL in order to re-apply (the original PAL is no longer valid). In that situation, please contact the same office where you got your first PAL.
  • Confirmation of enrollment (for current students)
    • Letter available on ACORN or from your Registrar’s Office.
      • Should include your:
        • Name,
        • student number,
        • enrollment status, and;
        • expected graduation date.
      • If this letter does not include U of T’s DLI number, it is O19332746152. Copy this number into your application (unless a different DLI number was indicated on your letter of acceptance).
      • Students returning from a leave of absence should have confirmation of eligibility to return to studies.
  • Proof of financial support
    • IRCC expects you to prove access to funds to cover a minimum of annual tuition plus at least $22,895 CAD (for applications submitted on or after September 1, 2025) for your first year’s living expenses. Additional funds are required if you are bringing a spouse/partner and/or children. Learn more on our Bring Your Dependants page.
    • Details about more realistic living costs can be found on the U of T Financial Planning Calculator.
    • Immigration officers expect you to be able to show access to enough funds to pay for at least one year of studies, and to be convinced you will still have access to funds for any further studies. How you prove access to funds depends on where they come from:
      • If funds are in your account, bank statement(s) with your name. Four to six months of bank statements are recommended.
      • If funds are coming from the University or other institutional source, a letter detailing funding.
      • If funds are coming from family or other individuals, a signed letter confirming their willingness to support you and documentation showing they have enough money to support you. This should include bank statements and income statements (or a letter of employment stating position and salary).
      • If you have already paid tuition, you can provide proof of payment from U of T by accessing your invoice on ACORN.
  • Copies of pages from your passport or travel document
    • Including the biographical data page and all pages with visas, stamps or markings (your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the expected date of your arrival to Canada).
    • If you’ve got a brand new passport, you can provide copies from both your new and old passports, but put the new passport first, and mark it as ‘New Passport’ if possible.
  • Passport-style photograph
    • Taken within the last six months following IRCC recommendations, noting that the frame size specifications do not apply for digital photos.
  • $150 CAD processing fee
  • Letter of explanation including your study plan and proof of ties to your country of citizenship
    • May not specifically be requested, but we consider this a necessary document for outside Canada applicants. It should outline:
      • how pursuing your studies at U of T is important and fits with your current or previous studies, current or previous work (if applicable) and long-term plans (unless included in a study plan requested separately), and;
      • ties to your country of residence and/or citizenship to help an immigration officer understand you will have a reason to leave Canada if your status is going to expire and you are unable to extend it.
    • A letter of explanation and any other additional documents can be uploaded in the “Client Information” field of the Optional Documents section. Only one file can be uploaded, but it can be multiple pages.

You may need other documents, including (but not limited to):

  • Study Plan
    • Should outline how pursuing your studies at U of T is important and fits with your current or previous studies, current or previous work (if applicable) and long-term plans.
  • Biometrics (digital fingerprints and photographs)
  • Immigration Medical Examination (IME)
    • Only required if you’ve been in a medically designated country for at least 6 out of the past 12 months or you intend to work in a field where protection of public health is required.
    • Some in-Canada applicants may be able to avoid completing an immigration medical exam (if otherwise required), due to a temporary public policy.
    • IRCC provides detailed information about who requires immigration medical exams, who can offer them, and more.
  • Co-op letter (if a work placement is a requirement of your program of study);
    • Can be its own letter or included in letter of acceptance for new students.
    • Co-op letters are issued by representatives of the program.
  • Letter of explanation
    • In case there are more details about a specific aspect of your situation that you want IRCC to know about.
  • Schedule 1 (Application for Temporary Residence) (IMM5257 SCH1)
    • This is only required if you answer ‘Yes’ to any of questions 3 through 6 in the “Background Information” section of the application form or if IRCC specifically requests it.
    • This form is not a request for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).
      • A successful in-Canada study permit application will not result in a TRV being issued. If you require a new one, you will have to make a separate application.

IRCC Secure Account.

You cannot use the IRCC Portal for study permit applications. Students must use the IRCC Secure Account for all in-Canada study permit extensions.

In Canada Study Permit Application Part II: Answering the Eligibility Questionnaire
In-Canada Study permit application Part III: Completing the IMM5709 application form

TIPS

Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs)

  • Please review the PAL tool near the top of this page to confirm whether you must include one with your application.
  • The address on your PAL does not matter.
  • Your PAL number should begin with ON26 (indicating it was issued by the province of Ontario for 2026).
  • The PAL number includes hypens (-) on the PAL itself. They must be removed when adding to your application form.
  • If you are PAL-exempt, you must provide proof of how you qualify for the exemption.
    • What proof you provide depends on why you’re exempt. Everyone that is exempt should write a letter that details why they qualify for an exemption:
      • Graduate students – Letter should explain that you are a graduate student and refer to the file uploaded in the Letter of Acceptance/Confirmation of Enrolment field of the checklist.
      • Undergraduate students extending in Canada for same institution and level of study – Letter should explain those reasons, refer to the file uploaded in the confirmation of enrolment field, and include a copy of current study permit that authorizes study at U of T.
      • Other exempt students – Letter should explain exemption, with any proof necessary.
    • Documents can be uploaded in the ‘Client Information’ field of the Optional Documents section of your checklist (if there is not a specific field in your checklist).
  • If IRCC refuses your study permit application, you will need a new PAL in order to re-apply (the original PAL is no longer valid).
      • In that situation, you can request a new PAL by emailing our team (isa.cie@utoronto.ca) and including the following:
        • That your initial application was refused and you need a new PAL;
        • Your student number; and,
        • Your name as it appears on your passport.

Additional Documents

Immigration officers may ask you for additional documentation to make a decision about your application. If they ask you to attach the documents to your online application, you will login to your account where you must upload the documents and re-submit the application. IRCC provides specific details about how to do so. Failure to do so will likely result in a refusal of your application. 

Changes/Updates

If you need to notify IRCC about a change, you can use their web form.

Application Tracking

If you wish to track the status of your application, you can create a special IRCC “tracker account” to do so (note: this is not the same account where you submitted the online application).

The University of Toronto wants to keep track of new student study permit application progress to better support you and other students. If you haven’t already done so, please consider adding your information to our Study Permit Application Progress tool.

Starting your studies

If you are coming from a Canadian secondary school, you can begin your studies at U of T while your study permit application is still being processed. Otherwise, your U of T study permit must have been approved and issued before you’re authorized to start your studies at U of T.

IRCC will notify you through your IRCC account that the application was approved and issued. The study permit will then be mailed to the Canadian mailing address provided in the application. The mailing process shouldn’t take more than 2 weeks, but could take as long as 6 weeks.

Unless you already had a study permit (and this is an extension of your student status in Canada) or are an exchange/visiting student transitioning from visitor to student status, you cannot begin studying until the study permit is approved and issued (though you don’t need to wait for it to arrive in the mail).

Important next steps

A successful in-Canada permit application will not result in a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) (required by citizens of some countries to be able to enter Canada) being issued. That means you’ll need to make a separate application if you want to request one. This should only be done after the study permit is approved. Find more information about Entry Visas/TRVs & eTAs(opens in a new tab). 

After receiving your new permit, you can use it to apply for/extend your Social Insurance Number (SIN)(opens in a new tab) through Service Canada.

The University of Toronto has created a tool to help you keep track of the expiry of your important immigration documents and get reminders when it’s time to renew. When you have your immigration documents, check out ⁠U of T’s International Student Immigration Document Reminder Tool.

The information on this page should help you prepare as strong an application as possible, but applications can still be refused.

If your application is refused, you will receive a letter from IRCC noting specific reasons why the immigration officer decided to do so.

Impact on current status in Canada

If you are in Canada when the application is refused, the decision does not impact any existing permit or visitor record. If your previous permit expired before the decision was made, the refusal means you are out of status in Canada (though it may be possible to request restoration of your status while remaining in Canada), but the first step should be to:

  • Review your IRCC refusal letter and carefully consider the reasons noted there. Read the IRCC webpages where they explain how they assess each aspect of an application. 

Reconsideration

If it appears that an error was made by immigration officials, it may be possible to request “reconsideration” of the original application. This is only worth trying if the officer overlooked clear information you included in your application.

Re-application/Restoration

Otherwise, if you believe that you can prepare supporting documents that more clearly prove that the officer’s concerns are not applicable, you may choose to re-apply. If your existing permit has expired, you have up to 90 days to request “restoration” of your status within Canada. In preparing a new application you should:

  • Write a new Letter of Explanation which directly addresses the refusal reasons in the IRCC letter.
    • Include a “Study Plan” document which covers topics such as “Reasons for wanting to study this program at U of T”, “Intended plans for after you complete your studies”, “Your ties to your home country”, and “Your travel and employment history”.

New Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)

A study permit re-application will require a new PAL unless your application was an in-Canada application to extend your study permit to complete your current program of study (see the PAL tool near the top of this page to see if you are exempt from the PAL requirement). You can request a new PAL by emailing our team (isa.cie@utoronto.ca) and including the following:

  • That your initial application was refused and you need a new PAL;
  • Your student number; and,
  • Your name as it appears on your passport.

Get Support

Please contact our advising team when preparing your response to a study permit refusal so that we can help ensure you have the best chance of success. You can email us (isa.cie@utoronto.ca), register for a live Question and Answer (Q&A) session, or book an individual appointment.

Important note on applying for SP inside Canada

Unlike with an application made outside Canada, if your citizenship requires you to have a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to be able to enter Canada, you’ll need to make a separate application if you want to request one. This should only be done after the study permit is approved. For more information, consult our pages on Entry visa and eTA.

Register for a live Question and Answer session (Requires logging-in with JOINid/UTORid)

Frequently Asked Questions

Estimated processing times give an idea of how long an application could take to be processed. If something outside of your control makes urgent processing important, you can contact IRCC through their web form to ask if it is possible. It may take up to two weeks to get a response. Note: Use the ‘Update or ask about your application’ option and then the ‘Other’ section, as the ‘Ask for urgent processing for your permanent resident card’ section doesn’t include study/work permits.

If you already have status in Canada, and have applied from within Canada for a new permit, you can remain in Canada under ‘maintained status’ while you wait for an answer. While you can remain in Canada, you cannot necessarily begin studying until the permit is issued. Only those already in Canada on a study permit can begin studying while waiting for a decision to be made on their application. If the application is refused, you must stop studying immediately.

If you applied outside Canada, you generally need to wait until your application is approved to travel to Canada. Even those who may be allowed to travel to Canada as a visitor are encouraged to wait and only travel to Canada after the study permit is approved and the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is issued (if required).

Only citizens or permanent residents of the United States and residents of Greenland, or St. Pierre and Miquelon are eligible to apply at a port-of-entry.

PALs are issued to students by the University, in partnership with the Ontario Government.

Please refer to the PAL Tool (available near the top of this page) or the official exemption list (available from IRCC) to determine whether you require a PAL or are possibly PAL-exempt.

Newly-admitted undergraduate students who require a PAL can find information about how to get their PAL through the University Registrar’s Office. In most cases, you must accept your admission offer and pay the deposit before the PAL will be issued to you.

Newly-admitted graduate students do not require a PAL if their study permit application is submitted after January 1, 2026.

Newly-admitted students whose study permit application HAS BEEN REFUSED can request an additional PAL through the CIE immigration advising team. Send an email to <isa.cie@utoronto.ca> and provide your U of T student number, your name as it appears in your passport, and attach an electronic copy of the IRCC refusal letter. CIE will arrange for a replacement PAL to be issued via your admissions account.

Continuing students at any level of study can request a PAL through the CIE immigration advising team. Send an email to <isa.cie@utoronto.ca> from your U of T email account with:

  1. Your name as it appears on your passport; and,
  2. Your academic program and level of study (as well as when your program started).

In all cases, your name, birthdate and mailing address on the PAL will match the University’s records about you. The mailing address indicated on your PAL does not have to match your current mailing address, but your name and birthdate need to match the passport that you use for the study permit application.

IRCC has two separate systems for submitting applications, the:

  1. IRCC Secure Account; and,
  2. IRCC Portal. (The IRCC Portal no longer accepts study permit applications.)

All study permit applications (whether submitted inside or outside Canada) must use the IRCC Secure Account.

The Secure Account application process includes an application form (.pdf) which must be completed, “validated” and then uploaded into your online application.

If you applied through the in-Canada application process, from within Canada, and your existing permit expires while you’re waiting for a decision you can remain in Canada under maintained status. Maintained status starts when your existing permit expires.

If you have a study permit, and have applied for a new study permit, you can continue to study (and work, if eligible) during the period of maintained status as long as you remain in Canada. If you leave Canada, you lose your authorization to study (and work, if applicable) and will need to wait for the study permit to be issued to resume your studies.

If you are in Canada, you can contact IRCC through their in-Canada call centre (1-888-242-2100) or through their web form.

If you are outside Canada, you can contact IRCC through their web form.

Each section will only allow one file to be uploaded. You will need to use software to merge the documents into a single file that is an acceptable format (ie. PDF) and fits within the file size limits.

IRCC provides instructions for doing so in their Help Centre.

Every refusal is accompanied by a letter from IRCC which gives some information about the reason for the decision. If you need help understanding it, and your next steps, you can book an appointment with a CIE International Student Immigration Advisor.

Check out our Resources page for more support.