The Canadian Study Permit, fully explained.
For applicants without a job offer, a Canadian sponsor, or a competitive CRS score, studying remains the most accessible legal pathway to Canada. All you need: an acceptance letter from a Designated Learning Institution and proof of funds.
Study Permit
A study permit is more than permission to attend class
It defines your status, your work rights, and your path forward.
The Study Permit is the document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that authorizes a foreign national to study at a Designated Learning Institution. It is not the visa that lets you enter Canada: the entry visa or eTA is issued separately when your permit is approved. While valid, the permit lets you study full-time at your authorized school, work up to 24 hours per week off campus during classes, and work without limits on campus.
Study permit eligibility, in four steps.
A quick guide to understand if you qualify, what’s required, and which documents apply to your level of study.Who needs a study permit
A study permit is required for most foreign nationals enrolled in a program longer than six months at a Designated Learning Institution. The permit is issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and authorizes you to study at the specific institution listed on the permit. The permit itself is not the visa that lets you enter Canada: that document is issued separately when your application is approved.
The 5 universal requirements
Regardless of your country, your level of study, or your school, every applicant must meet five core requirements set by IRCC. These apply to first time applicants and to anyone extending or restoring their permit.
PAL / TAL: who needs it, who doesn’t
The Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) is a document confirming your application falls within the province or territory’s allocated cap. Without it, IRCC will not accept your application for processing. As of January 2026, certain groups are exempt.
- Applying for college, undergraduate, or vocational programs
- Enrolling in master’s or doctoral at a private DLI
- Pursuing graduate diplomas, certificates, or non-degree programs
- Changing schools or level of study (new permit needed)
- Restoring your status after expiry
- Studying in Quebec: a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) is required from the Ministère de l’Immigration
- Master’s or doctoral student at a public DLI (new since January 2026)
- Primary or secondary student (kindergarten to grade 12)
- Extending your permit at the same DLI and same level of study
- Exchange student under a formal exchange agreement
- Quebec vocational program: DVS, AVS, PWTC, or TCST
- Government of Canada priority groups and vulnerable cohorts
Documents by program level
Required documents change depending on your level of study. Select your program level to see what applies to your situation.
- Letter of Acceptance from a public or private K-12 DLI
- Proof of funds CAD $22,895+ for 1 person (rest of Canada)
- Biometrics if applicable
Exempt. Primary and secondary students do not require a PAL or TAL.
Some minor children may not need a study permit, including those whose parent is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or holds a valid work or study permit. Verify before applying. Quebec students need a CAQ.
- Letter of Acceptance from a PGWP-eligible DLI
- Proof of funds CAD $22,895+ for 1 person (rest of Canada)
- PAL or TAL from the province
- Biometrics
- Medical and police certificate if required
Required. Must be obtained from the province before submitting your application.
Programs at private career colleges and curriculum-licensing arrangements (public-private partnerships) are not PGWP-eligible. Choose your DLI carefully if you plan to work in Canada after graduation.
- Letter of Acceptance from a PGWP-eligible DLI
- Proof of funds CAD $22,895+ for 1 person (rest of Canada)
- PAL or TAL from the province
- Biometrics
- Medical and police certificate if required
Required. Must be obtained from the province before submitting your application.
Bachelor’s programs at public universities and colleges are generally PGWP-eligible. Field of study restrictions apply at the PGWP stage, not at the study permit stage. Some processing offices and DLIs may require language test results separately.
- Letter of Acceptance from a public DLI for a degree-granting program
- Proof of funds CAD $22,895+ for 1 person (rest of Canada)
- Biometrics
- Medical and police certificate if required
Exempt since January 2026. Public DLI master’s and doctoral students do not require a PAL or TAL.
Exemption applies only to full degree programs at public institutions. Graduate diplomas, certificates, and microprograms are not exempt. Doctoral applicants and accompanying family may qualify for ~14-day processing. Quebec still requires a CAQ.
- Formal exchange agreement between your home institution and the Canadian DLI
- Letter of Acceptance from the Canadian DLI
- Proof of funds CAD $22,895+ for 1 person (rest of Canada)
- Biometrics if applicable
Exempt under formal exchange agreement. Visiting students who pay tuition outside a formal exchange still require a PAL or TAL.
Joint programs need only one PAL or TAL even when involving multiple DLIs or provinces. Short-term exchanges under 6 months may not require a study permit at all. Verify your status before traveling.
The Process · Step by step
From acceptance letter to study permit
The standard study permit application runs through four stages handled by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Online application is mandatory for most applicants since 2025. Special cases (apply from inside Canada, port of entry from select countries) follow variations of these steps.
01
Get your Letter of Acceptance
Apply to a Designated Learning Institution and receive a formal Letter of Acceptance for a specific program. The Letter of Acceptance is the foundation document for every study permit application. Before paying tuition, verify the DLI is PGWP-eligible if you plan to work in Canada after graduation.
- Cost: Application fees vary by school
- Lead time: Varies by school
02
Obtain your PAL or TAL (if required)
If your program requires a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL), the Designated Learning Institution requests it from the province on behalf of accepted students. Master’s and doctoral students at public DLIs, K-12 students, and exchange students under formal agreements are exempt. Quebec students obtain a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) instead.
- Federal cost: None
- Lead time: Varies by province
03
Submit your application online
Online application is mandatory for almost all applicants. Create an IRCC secure account, complete the questionnaire to generate your personalized document checklist, upload your documents (Letter of Acceptance, PAL or TAL if required, proof of funds, passport, photo), pay the fees, and provide biometrics at a Visa Application Centre.
- Cost: CAD $150 study permit + CAD $85 biometrics
- Processing: Varies by country; doctoral applicants ~14 days
04
IRCC issues your permit
If approved, IRCC issues a Letter of Introduction along with your entry visa or eTA, both at the same time and at no extra cost. You travel to Canada with these documents, and a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer issues the physical study permit at the port of entry. The permit is valid for the length of your program plus 90 days.
- Outcome: Letter of Introduction + visa/eTA, then physical permit at POE
- Validity: Program length + 90 days
Proof of funds and the true cost of studying.
Beyond tuition, IRCC requires evidence that you can pay for living expenses, return transportation, and any family members traveling with you, without relying on work in Canada. The figures below are the official thresholds set by IRCC and the Government of Quebec.
Living expenses required for one academic year
These amounts cover living expenses for the first year of your program. They do not include tuition or transportation, which must be demonstrated separately.
| Family size | Required per year (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $22,895 |
| 2 people | $28,502 |
| 3 people | $35,040 |
| 4 people | $42,543 |
| 5 people | $48,252 |
| 6 people | $54,420 |
| 7 people | $60,589 |
| Each additional family member | +$6,170 |
Quebec applies its own thresholds. Effective January 1, 2026, a single applicant must demonstrate CAD $24,617 in available funds, plus tuition and transportation. Quebec students must satisfy both Quebec’s Ministère de l’Immigration (MIFI) at the CAQ stage and IRCC at the study permit stage.
How to prove your funds
IRCC accepts several types of evidence. Most applicants combine two or more of the following:
- A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) from a participating Canadian financial institution
- Bank statements covering the last 4 months
- Proof you have paid your first year of tuition and housing
- A student loan from a bank
- A letter from the person or institution funding your studies, with supporting financial documentation
The funds must be liquid, traceable, and available without requiring you to work in Canada.
Other costs to budget for
Beyond the proof of funds threshold, applicants should budget for the following:
- Tuition Varies significantly by institution and program. International students typically pay CAD $15,000 to $40,000 per year.
- Study permit application fee CAD $150 per applicant
- Biometrics fee CAD $85 individual, CAD $170 for a family applying together
- CAQ fee (Quebec only) CAD $126
- Medical exam, police certificate, language tests Paid directly to third parties, where required
Important notes
- First year only. Proof of funds covers the first year of studies. For longer programs, applicants must explain how the remaining duration will be financed.
- Annual updates. IRCC reviews the required amounts each year. The figures above reflect the most recent update.
- Documentation matters. Visa officers assess not only the amount, but also the source, liquidity, and traceability of funds. Insufficient or unclear documentation is among the most common causes of refusal.
Not every school is PGWP eligible.
A study permit only authorizes you to study at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). But the DLI list and the PGWP eligible list are not the same: choosing a DLI that does not lead to a Post Graduation Work Permit can leave you without a path to remain in Canada after graduation.
What a DLI is
A Designated Learning Institution is a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students. Every post secondary DLI has an official DLI number beginning with the letter O followed by eleven digits, which must be included in the study permit application. All primary and secondary schools in Canada are automatically designated and do not require a DLI number.
Public, private, and the difference that matters
DLI’s can be public or private. Public universities and colleges typically offer many PGWP eligible programs and are recognized for the master’s and doctoral PAL exemption that takes effect for applications submitted after January 1, 2026, but eligibility must be verified program by program. Private post secondary institutions are designated case by case, and many of their programs do not lead to a PGWP. Quebec applies its own designation framework through the Ministère de l’Immigration; for Quebec applicants, the Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) serves as the Provincial Attestation Letter.
The curriculum licensing warning
Some private career colleges deliver programs through curriculum licensing agreements with public PGWP-eligible institutions, also called public-private partnerships or P3 programs. These programs are not PGWP-eligible in most cases, even though the credential is issued by a public institution. This is a frequent source of confusion for international students who assume that any program at a designated institution leads to a PGWP. Verifying the specific program against the official PGWP eligible list before paying tuition is essential.
Important notes
- Verify before enrolling. The official DLI list and PGWP eligible list are published by IRCC and updated regularly. As of January 15, 2026, IRCC has confirmed that no fields of study will be added or removed from the PGWP eligible list during 2026, providing predictability for current applicants.
- Changing DLIs is not automatic. Since November 8, 2024, students who want to change their school must apply for a new study permit. The change cannot be made through the IRCC online account.
- A DLI can lose its status. If this happens before your permit is issued, your application may be refused. If it happens after, your situation requires careful review.
Family · Spouse & Dependents
Who you can bring, and who can work
Your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children may accompany you to Canada while you study. Each family member added to the application increases the required proof of funds and may extend processing times.
Since January 21, 2025, the Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) is available only to spouses of students enrolled in a master’s program of 16 months or longer, a doctoral program, or a listed professional degree. A further update in March 2026 restricted eligibility further for students in their final term. Read more about Spousal Open Work Permits →
Dependent children may come as visitors or as students. K-12 institutions are automatically designated and do not require a PAL. Read more about Dependent Children →
Refusals are common, but not the end.
Study permit refusals are issued by IRCC for specific reasons listed in the refusal letter. Understanding those reasons is the first step toward a successful next application or legal challenge.
Insufficient proof of funds
Inadequate documentation, inconsistent statements, or unclear source of funds.
Weak ties to home country
Visa officer not convinced the applicant will leave Canada at end of studies.
Concerns about the Letter of Acceptance
Doubts about authenticity, DLI status, or program legitimacy.
Unclear purpose of studies
Program does not align with applicant’s academic background or career path.
Previous immigration history
Prior refusals, overstays, or inconsistencies in travel history.
Avoiding refusal starts before you apply.
More than half of study permit applications have been refused in recent reporting periods. The combination of national caps, stricter financial scrutiny, and tighter program eligibility leaves little margin for error.
Under Canadian law, only Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs), lawyers, and Québec notaries are authorized to represent applicants before IRCC. A licensed RCIC is accountable to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and bound by a strict professional code.
Megrez Immigration Consultants has operated as a licensed RCIC firm in Vancouver since 1996. Every study permit file at the firm is structured, reviewed, and submitted under direct RCIC supervision. The objective is not to react to a refusal, but to prepare an application that does not produce one.
Your Canadian education starts with a conversation.
Book a free assessment with a licensed RCIC. We’ll match you with the right study program and pathway.
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