Prerequisites of admission to Canada

You may have the courses, placement test scores, and grades to be admitted to a program at a great school in Canada. But do you have proof of financial support and a letter of explanation?

Studying in Canada requires a study permit, and to get a permit, you have to be accepted at a recognized Canadian school. If you want to attend school for more than six months, you have to prove you have money for tuition and living expenses.

The application for a study permit can be downloaded from the following page:
www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp.

To find out where to send your application, visit the Canadian visa office page and select the location in your country:
www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/apply-where.asp.

Along with the application you must submit:

• Proof of acceptance from a recognized Canadian school
  
  
• Passport or travel document with photos
  
  
• Proof that you can support yourself and pay for tuition
  
  
• In some cases, such as continuation of studies or renewal, you may need a letter of explanation
  
  
• If you plan to study in Québec, you will also be required to obtain a CAQ, issued by the Gouvernement du Québec.

The application for a study permit costs $125 to submit. Applicants from The United States, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon or Greenland can submit an application for a study permit upon arriving in Canada.

Be sure to submit your application well in advance of when you plan to travel. Processing times vary, but can take more than 28 days in some cases. In 2007, 29% of study permit applications processed outside of Canada took more than 28 days to be finalized:
www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/14-temp-students.asp.

Once submitted, you can check the status of your application any time by visiting the Citizenship and Immigration Canada application status page: https://services3.cic.gc.ca/ecas/?app=ecas〈=en.