Applying for a Study Permit outside Canada (For International Students wanting to study in Canada)
Before you apply
Before you apply for a study permit, you need:
- an acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
- a valid passport or travel document
Find out which documents you need before you apply for a study permit.
You also must:
- prove that you have enough money to pay for your:
- tuition fees
- living expenses for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada and
- return transportation for yourself and any family members who come with you to Canada
- be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record and not be a risk to the security of Canada. You may have to provide a police certificate.
- be in good health. You may need to complete a medical exam.
- convince an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your studies.
Note: If your school asked you to take some courses before they will accept you into the main program (conditional acceptance), we will only issue your study permit for the length of these courses. When you get accepted into the main program, you can apply to extend your stay as student from within Canada.
How to apply
Generally, you must apply for a study permit before you come to Canada. Some people can apply for a study permit from within Canada.
Applying for a study permit within Canada
If you are:
- a minor child in primary or secondary school
- an exchange or visiting student
- a student who has completed a short-term course or study program, which is a condition for being accepted at a designated learning institution
- someone who holds a temporary resident permit (TRP) valid for at least six months, or their family member
- a spouse or common-law partner (and their family members) being sponsored to immigrate, who are:
- in Canada and
- have applied for permanent residence, if eligible
- a person with a study permit from a visa office abroad, and the permit was issued before you got to Canada, who wants to keep studying
- the family member of:
- athletes on a Canadian-based team
- media representatives
- members of the clergy or
- military personnel assigned to Canada
- a family member or private staff member of a foreign representative who is properly accredited (90 days before or after you are no longer authorized to study without a study permit), or
- a foreign national or their family member with a valid study or work permit, who wants to stay in Canada longer to study.
You need to apply to extend your stay in Canada as a student.
Remember that you can’t stay in Canada after your passport expires. If you renewed your passport since you entered Canada, you have to submit photocopies of both your new passport and the stamp placed in your old passport when you apply.
Apply for a study permit outside Canada
You must apply for a study permit.
- If you are in Canada and don’t belong to one of the groups above: you must apply in person or by mail at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Los Angeles.
- If you are outside Canada: apply online or use a paper application in a country where you are lawfully admitted.
Note: If you need an eTA or visa, we will issue it automatically at the same time as your study permit. You don’t need to apply separately or pay another fee.
Other information or documents
Once we get your application, we may ask for more information or documents such as:
- Medical informationIn most cases, you will need a medical exam. A visa officer will send you instructions if you need one. This may add more than three months to the processing time of your application. Find out more about medical exams.
- Security informationIf you want to study in Canada, you may have to give us police certificates. This also applies to any family members who:
- come to Canada with you and
- are 18 years of age and over.
Find out more about the security checks.
Processing time
How long it takes to process your application depends on where you applied. For more information, see application processing times.
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