Apply for Your Study Permit

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.

Check the estimated study permit application processing time for the country where you are submitting your application.

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)
  • 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.
• 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.
    • 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 $10,000 CAD 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 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)
  • Required by most temporary resident applicants (excluding US citizens) unless they have already submitted them to IRCC in the past 10 years.
  • If required, an $85 CAD collection fee must be paid.
  • IRCC provides additional details about requirements and exemptions.
• 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.
• Students 16 and under will require proof of a custodian. Students between 17 and 18 may be asked for proof.
• Those applying through the Student Direct Stream (SDS) will have additional requirements (see below).
  • The Student Direct Stream (SDS) is an application option only available to those applying from one of the following countries:
    • Antigua and Barbuda
    • Brazil
    • China
    • Colombia
    • Costa Rica
    • India
    • Morocco
    • Pakistan
    • Peru
    • The Philippines
    • Senegal
    • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
    • Trinidad and Tobago
    • Vietnam

Online application.

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 and is mandatory if applying through the Student Direct Stream (see below).

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).

The Student Direct Stream (SDS) is available to legal residents of Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, The Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or Vietnam. It aims to process applications within 20 calendar days but has additional application requirements. Applicants in participating countries can choose the SDS if they meet the requirements, or they can apply through the regular study permit application process discussed above.

Required documents

IRCC outlines required documents based on the country from which you are applying, but they generally include:

• Pre-payment of your first year’s tuition;
• Purchasing a $10,000CAD Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) from a participating bank;
• An International English Language Testing System (IELTS) academic or general training score of 6.0 or higher in each skill (reading, writing, speaking and listening); and,
• An upfront immigration medical exam.

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

If you are required to provide biometrics, you’ll get a Biometric Instruction Letter after submitting your application and paying the $85 CAD biometric collection fee. The letter can be used to book a biometric appointment at any Visa Application Centre (VAC) or Application Service Centre (ASC).

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. Failure to do so will likely result in a refusal of your application.

If you need to notify IRCC about a change, or ask about the status of your application, you can use their web form.

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

If you decide to change schools after your study permit for U of T has been approved, but before you travel to Canada and have your study permit issued, you must apply for a new study permit. If you change schools after arriving in Canada, you can just notify IRCC of your change of Designated Learning Institution (DLI) through their website. 

If your application is approved, the 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 a visa or an eTA (if applicable). Do not book travel to Canada until you’ve received your Letter of Introduction. Present the letter to the border officer when you enter Canada to get the hard copy of your study permit.

If you require 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. You do not need to make a separate application.

If you require 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.

Find more information about entering 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. Usually, applying 2-3 months in advance is enough. 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 times.

Online application.

A biometric instruction letter should be issued within days of submitting your application (unless you are a citizen of the United States or have already provided biometrics as part of a Canadian immigration application in the past 10 years). You must use the letter to book an appointment to submit your biometrics. Delays in submitting biometrics could result in delays in the processing of your application.

IRCC will notify you through your IRCC account that the application was approved. The study permit will be mailed to the Canadian mailing address provided in the application. This process 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.