Study permits: Scholarships, award recipients and exchange programs

Scholarship programs for international students

There are several organizations that administer and fund scholarship programs, allowing students from various countries to pursue studies or training in Canada. Because of sponsorship and funding arrangements, it may be assumed that students sponsored under these programs meet program requirements relating to acceptance, institution, course or program of study, and language. Sponsorships may also indicate that students will have sufficient funds available for their studies in Canada. Students with a spouse and/or other family member(s) must have additional funds to ensure they meet the financial requirement. Officers may exercise discretion in the documentation they request from applicants. Officers must review scholarship documents and determine whether they cover all expenses or are limited to covering tuition only. Please note that students will need to ensure that the scholarship granted covers tuition and sufficient funds for living expenses. Some students may have to provide additional documentation, depending on what their scholarship includes for funding. For more information on financial requirements for study permits, please visit: Assessing the application – financial sufficiency.

Refusals

If the applicant does not meet the financial requirements for study permits, an officer may refuse the application on the basis of insufficient funds.

Global Affairs Canada International Scholarship Programs

Note: As of June 26, 2024, recipients of GAC scholarships meet an exception to the provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) requirement. Applicants applying for a study permit must include their official scholarship letter as proof that they meet an exception. If an applicant under GAC scholarship is found inadmissible, report the case to Global Affairs Canada.

In the case of the Programme canadien de bourses de la Francophonie (PCBF), participants make a contractual commitment to GAC to return to their country of origin upon completion of the PCBF. When PCBF scholars use, renew or request an extension of their visa or study permit provided under the PCBF, or when they apply to change their status in Canada, IRCC officers should inform GAC to ensure that scholars respect their commitment under the PCBF.

Information sharing

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has authorization from the applicants and/or the Privacy Commissioner to share personal information with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and to receive information from IRCC as required for the proper administration of the scholarship program under which they applied. GAC shares a list of recipients with officers at relevant missions to facilitate the review and adjudication of visa and study permit requests.

Summary of scholarship programs involving GAC

Rotary exchange students

The Rotary International Youth Exchange program has been operational since the mid-1920s. It involves approximately 10,000 participants ranging in age from 15 to 18. Students live with Rotary families throughout the year and are financially supported by hosting Rotary clubs.

The program requires students to attend school for one year and includes sponsored events over the summer months after completion of the academic year. The study permit for Rotary exchange students should be valid until August 31 of the following year.

Students involved in this program require a study permit before entering Canada.

Other exchange programs

A number of exchange programs sponsored by private organizations or educational institutions enable international students to attend Canadian schools and be hosted by Canadian families, and vice versa. In most cases, these students don’t require a study permit, given that their length of stay is usually less than 6 months. Students participating in exchange programs and studying at the post-secondary level are not eligible to work on or off campus.