Canada Study Visa 2023-2024, Updated! Requirements, Guidelines, Faqs

Canada study visa is one of the most demanding visas for international students. Canada considers being the third-largest destination for immigrants and international students. 

But the whole visa process sounds lengthy & complicated. It could be a hard task.
International students always get stuck in documentation & visa procedures.

Don’t worry!
This Canada study visa guide will prepare you step by step and answer all your queries.

Students can also find the blog summary & FAQs at the end. 

Thousands of excellent students move to Canada and pursue undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

There are 96 universities widespread in the regional and urban areas of Canada.

When the Times Higher Education published a list of the world’s universities ranking. That list included 30 universities in Canada.

There are two national languages in Canada which are unique. The English language exists in the western side while the French language is in the Quebec province of Canada.

Most international students do jobs along with their study courses. Some of them get internship opportunities.

This is why writing a Canadian study visa guide was important to update the students.

1. Types of Canadian study visas

To study in Canada, International students need to apply for a study permit or travel visa, depending upon their duration of stay.

let me explain.

1.1.  Study Permit

The study permit is necessary for the students to get authorization for the Designated Learning Institution (DLI).

There are certain requirements that are necessary to meet a Canada study visa before applying for a study permit.

This study permit applies for the duration of study courses.

During the program’s duration, international students can extend their study permits. Getting accepted into a program before applying for a study permit is mandatory.

If a student wants to study at a university in Quebec, they will only attend designated learning institutions.
The Quebec government mentioned these learning institutes. International students still need study permits from the Canada Government.

Applicants must answer a few questions to know about their immigration and Canada study visa status.
Different immigration programs have different eligibility criteria. Students need 10-15 minutes to complete the online form.

Based on the details of the answers, students will know about the eligible program for themselves.

1.2. Travel Visa

If students need less than 6 months to study, they will need a travel visa.

An ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) of students who are from designated countries. Answer these online questions to find the type of travel visa needed.

2. Study Permit Fee for Canada Study Visa

The standard fee for Canada study permits costs CAD$150. Along with this, a biometric fee is also required. Students must pay CAD$85 for biometric fee charges.

The biometric fee covers charges for fingerprints and photos taken for the biometric process of a student visa in Canada.

A student must pay CAD$235 for the application for a student visa in Canada.

3. What is the Visa processing time for international students?

The processing time for a study permit from outside of Canada varies from country to country.
In general, the whole process could take from 10 weeks to 3 months.

International students may also need fingerprints and photos along with their application.

It doesn’t include the time of sending the application between the office and the visa application center (VAC).
It also doesn’t include biometrics time.

4. Office responsible for Canada Study visa

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offices handle study visas in Canada.

IRCC offices are in high commissions and consulates of Canadian embassies.

Student visa services are available all over the world and help international students.

Here is the link to the offices outside of Canada for international students.

5. How To apply for a Canada study permit

Apply online

Students need electronic copies of the documents and upload them to the application. Pay the fee through a credit card.

Apply on paper

Read the following instruction and get details for applying.

After reading the guide, prepare documents for the Canada study visa application.
Students select their country territory and read visa instructions for their local office.

6. What is the Study Cost in Canada?

Canada is a popular country for international students. It provides a different range of settling options in Canada. Different programs have different costs in Canada for students:

COSTS FOR BACHELOR STUDY PROGRAMS in Canada 

Costs for a master’s degree in canada

7. Requirements for Canada Study Visa

1. Online Application form

2. Valid Passport

3. Passport-size photographs

4. CNIC

5. Academic Documents 

6. CV

7. IELTS Certificates for Canada Study Visa

8. Statement of Purpose

9. Acceptance letter from an educational institution

10. Letter of Explanation

11. Proof of Legal Fees

12. Bank Statement for Canada Study Visa

13. Receipt of Visa Processing Fee

14. Immigration Medical Examination

15. Health & Travel Insurance for Canadian Visa

16. Copy of Hotel Reservation & Flight Booking

17. Police Clearance Certificate (Optional)

18. No Objection Certificate (Optional)

19. Certificates of extracurricular achievements

20. Polio & Corona Vaccination Certificates

21. Marriage and Childbirth Certificate

22. Certificat d’acceptation du Quebec

1. Online Application form for Canada Study Visa

Students need to apply for a study permit when they are planning to study in Canada. Some students can also apply for a study permit even in Canada.

To apply for a study permit, check this link and apply.

2. Valid Passport

1. 1. The passport has at least one year of validity period after issuance of visa.
   2. A passport must be issued during the last 10 years and has a minimum of two free pages.
   3. All previous passports must be attached. (If they have any)

3. Passport-size photographs

1. 1. Two color photos (35×45 mm size).
   2. White background for the last 6 months period.
   3. One photo will be glued to the application form and the other will be included in the documents.

4. CNIC

A birth certificate and a National Identity card are mandatory for study visas in Canada for international students. It depends on case to case.

5. Academic Documents for Canada Study Visa

It includes all academic records & certificates.

1. Certificate & transcript of Bachelor’s (If a student is applying for a master’s program)
2. Certificate & transcript of Master’s (If a student is applying for a Ph.D. program)
3. Transcript (DMCs) of Matric & FSC and certificates (if a student is applying for a bachelor’s degree)
4. Proficiency certificate in English from the university.
5. Course summary which explains current courses & previous courses.
6. Provide two Recommendation Letters from your university along with the referee’s details.

NOTE:

Respective universities and boards must attest the above documents for study visas in Canada.

If the documents of the applicants are not in English, they must translate these into English.

Translated Documents contain:

1. Confirmation from Translation Company/Translator
2. Translation Date
3. Name and Signature of the Translator
4. Translator’s Contact Details

6. CV

CV is compulsory for the university admission process and optional for embassy interviews.

It contains all the contact details and academic information.

7. IELTS Certificate for Canada Study Visa 

The requirements of graduate courses are different.
They demand an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in all four parts of the IELTS.

8. Statement of Purpose for Canada study visa

Applicants need to prove they are moving on a student visa to Canada to complete their education. A personal statement requires for this purpose.

This document comprises the following information about the student:

1. Previous academic documents and studies
2. Employment Status
3. Relationship with your home country
4. Immigration history
5. Economic conditions of the applicant

All this is to make sure that the applicant is moving to Australia for only educational purposes.

9. Acceptance letter from an educational institution

An acceptance letter is mandatory for a Canada study permit application. A student first applies to a Designated Learning Institution.

After the assessment, the institution will provide an Acceptance Letter. All the following are important for issuing the Acceptance Letter.

1. Name of the student and date of birth
2. Institution name
3. Institution contacts information

10. Letter of Explanation

The student must provide a “letter of Explanation” to the visa officer.
It will explain the details of your goal.

It will also explain why a student wants to study in Canada.

11. Proof of Legal Fees

It is a receipt or proof of the application fee from the university.
The receipt could be the first-semester fee or the fee for the whole year. It also depends from university to university.

12. Bank Statement for Canada Study Visa

The last 6 months’ bank statement is required for a study visa to Canada. The amount is up to CAD $10,000.

It is proof that the applicant’s finances are enough to support their study.
In case of, getting a scholarship, it may not be needed.

13. Receipt of Visa Processing Fee for Canada study visa

The student will pay a non-refundable fee and fill out the form.
Fee receipt of visa application is necessary to show at the time of the interview. Charges of visa processing are here:

The application Fee is CAD$150

Biometric Fee is CAD $ 85.

The total fee for a student visa to Canada is CAD $ 235

14. Immigration Medical Examination for Canada study visa

Canadian immigration demands all nationalities to go through necessary medical examinations,  which may comprise chest x-rays and laboratory tests.

After completing these tests, the doctor validates and sends them to CIC.

15. Health & Travel Insurance for Canadian Visa

Travel insurance is a must for everyone who is traveling to Canada.
It is proof that students can handle medical insurance in case of injury.

16. Copy of Hotel Reservation & Flight Booking

The booking confirms the arrival date in a particular country.
The hotel reservation shows that a student researched the process.

17. Police Clearance Certificate (Optional)

This certificate is optional.
A police clearance certificate doesn’t need a short-term visa. It is mandatory to study visas in Canada for international students.

18. No Objection Certificate (Optional)

It also varies from country to country.
It is compulsory for some countries and known as NOC. The university that tells students to return to their country issued this letter.

The Dean or HOD of the university must write NOC.

This letter will include that the student is applying for a student visa in Canada.
The student will return to the country after completing their education.

19. Certificates of extracurricular achievements

These certificates include internship certificates and experience letters.
The embassy gives extra value to these certificates.

20. Polio & Corona Vaccination Certificates

It depends on case to case. A Polio vaccine certificate is mandatory for some specific countries. Different countries demand different vaccine doses.

Have desired corona certificates for different countries.

21. Marriage and Childbirth Certificate

The embassy may ask about Childbirth Certificates and marriage certificates.
It is better to bring both childbirth and marriage certificates along with you.

22. Certificat d’acceptation du Quebec

If a student wants to study for more than 6 months in Quebec, a Certificat d’acceptation du Quebec (CAQ) is issued by the Government du Quebec.

The school will provide all the details on how to apply for the CAQ.

Students have the option to apply for a study permit with an approval letter from the MIFI.

Students don’t need to wait for the CAQ before applying.

8. Interview Questions for Canada Study Visa

There are common questions students face during their visa interviews. These questions vary from profile to profile and are below:

What is the name of the student?

Tell us about your purpose for going to Canada.

What is your previous educational qualification?

Did you already search for opportunities in your home country?

Where is the university in Canada?

What is your course structure or Course summary?

Which course will you start at the university?

Why did you choose this university and subject?

How will this course shape your career?

How did you find this university?

What are your plans after the completion of the course?

When will your course start?

Why did you choose Canada and not another country?

Where will you stay in Canada?

9. FAQS for Canada Study Visa

HOW WILL I APPLY FOR A CANADA STUDY PERMIT?

First, it is necessary to get admission into a designated learning institute (DLI). After getting admission, students gather all the following documents:

Passport Documents

Two passport-size photos

Acceptance letter

Identity Proof

Financial Proof

Letter of Explanation

Other required documents

IS IT EASY TO GET A CANADA STUDY VISA? 

Yes, it is easy to get a student visa to Canada after completing all the requirements. A student can get a study permit after scoring 55% marks in high school.

Applicants have different options like Mechanical engineering and computer science. Students will get PR after getting job experience.

HOW LONG DOES A CANADA STUDY VISA TAKE?

Student visa to Canada expires 90 days after course completion.
Students must inform the embassy within 90 days before course completion.
Students will apply for a work permit in Canada.

1-year work permit for a 1-year course.

3-year work permit for the 2/3/4-year course.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF STUDYING AND GETTING A PR VISA IN CANADA?

There are various set criteria for PR applicants.
These criteria are used in evaluation like skills, age, and work experience.

It is necessary to get points in three areas like language, work, and education. Education criteria give valuable points in Canada for different immigration processes.

These immigration streams are Express Entry and PNP streams.

Students can spend 20 hours per week on work during their course. This work experience adds valuable points which help in CRS score.

WHAT ARE THE IELTS SCORE CRITERIA FOR A CANADA STUDY VISA?

A student must get a minimum of 5.5 bands in four segments of IELTS for undergraduate programs.
It becomes an aggregate score of 6.0 or higher to get a Canada Study Visa.

Graduate course requirements are different.
It requires a score of 6.5 bands with a minimum of 6.0 in all four parts of IELTS.

WHAT IS MEANT BY A STUDY PERMIT?

A study permit document issued by the Federal Government of Canada. It allows overseas nationals to study in the Designated Learning Institute (DLI).

WHAT MEANS BY DLI FOR A STUDY PERMIT IN CANADA?

DLI stands for Designated Learning Institution.

Students need to secure an acceptance letter from a DLI to apply for a study permit.

DLI is an educational institution. The territorial or provincial government of Canada approves them. They give admissions to international students.

CAN I WORK IN CANADA AFTER GRADUATION?

You will need a Post-Graduation Work Permit to stay. It will allow the student to work in Canada after graduation.

HOW WOULD I KNOW ABOUT THE APPROVAL OF MY STUDENT VISA IN CANADA?

You will get a letter in your email informing you about the application status of your visa.

You will receive an update on your study permit in case of application approval in your email.
In case of application rejection, you will receive a letter.
This letter will explain all reasons and the next steps for a study visa in Canada.

WHAT IS STUDENT DIRECT STREAM?

Student Direct Stream is for residents of some countries. It helps them get the permit in a faster duration.

Residents of the following countries can apply for the Student Direct Stream:

Brazil

Colombia

Costa Rica

China

Morocco

India

Senegal

Pakistan

Vietnam

Antigua and Barbuda

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

Vietnam

10. Canada study visa for international students (SUMMARY):

1. Take a visa appointment at a Canadian embassy & choose the correct category of visa. (Study Permit.)

2. Pay the visa fee & provide financial resources and bank statement details.

3. Prepare the list of documents discussed above i.e., IELTS, Health insurance, etc.

4. Appear at the visa interview & wait for the result. It will take up some time.

If something isn’t clear, Please don’t hesitate to ask us any further questions in the comments.