Study permit: Get the right documents

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 courses. 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

Minimum funds needed to support yourself as a student (and family members who come with you):

Example:

If you and 2 family members want to come to a province outside Quebec for a year, you will need

• living expenses: $10,000 (for the student)
• living expenses: $4,000 (for the first family member)
• living expenses: $3,000 (for the second family member)
  Total: $17,000

Example

If you and 2 family members (over the age of 18) want to come to Quebec for a year, you will need

• living expenses: $11,000 (for the student)
• living expenses: $5,100 (for the first family member)
• living expenses: $5,125 (for the second family member)
  Total: $21,225

If your country uses foreign-exchange controls, you must prove that you'll be allowed to export funds for all of your expenses.

Letter of explanation

This letter helps the visa officer to understand you and your goals. It explains

• why you want to study in Canada and
• that you understand your responsibilities as a student

You should include this letter if you decide to apply for a study permit, even if you don’t have to get a study permit for your program.

Certificat d’acceptation du Québec

If you want to study in Quebec, you need a certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) issued by the Gouvernement du Québec. Your school can give you all the details on how to apply for the CAQ.

If your application for a CAQ got approved by the ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), but you’re still waiting to get the CAQ, you can apply for your study permit with the approval letter from the MIFI. You don’t need to wait for the CAQ to apply.

Find out about the process and the documents you need for studying in Quebec.

Custodian declaration (minor children)

If the minor requires a custodian, you must include the Custodianship Declaration form (PDF, 1.02 MB) with your application. It has 2 pages that must be notarized (certified by a notary) and then included with your study permit application.

The custodian in Canada must sign the first page, and the parents or legal guardians of the minor child in the child’s home country must sign the second page.

Other documents

Check the visa office instructions for your country or region for local requirements.

If you aren't currently in your home country, you may have to prove your immigration status in the country you apply from.

If the government that issued your passport or travel document needs you to have a re-entry permit, you must get one before you apply for a Canadian visa. You may also need other documents.

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