Canada Student Visa (2027): Requirements, Proof of Funds, Fee, Processing Time

What you need

1. A letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI).
2. A valid passport or travel document.
3. Proof of financial support covering tuition, living costs and return transportation.
4. A provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL or TAL) confirming an allocation, for most study levels and provinces. It is not required for most master's programs of 16 months or longer or for doctoral programs at a public institution, effective 1 January 2026, and Quebec's Certificat d'acceptation du Quebec (CAQ) serves as the attestation for study in Quebec.
5. Two recent passport style photos, where requested.
6. A letter of explanation or statement of purpose, if requested by the visa office handling the application.
7. Biometrics (fingerprints and photo), for most applicants aged 14 to 79.
8. An immigration medical exam, if required based on country of residence or intended program.
9. A police certificate, if requested.

How to apply

1. Get a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution and, where required, a provincial or territorial attestation letter.
2. Gather proof of funds, passport, photos and any other documents the visa office lists.
3. Apply online through an IRCC secure account, or on paper where online application is not possible, and pay the CAD 150 study permit fee.
4. Give biometrics at a visa application centre if asked to, within 30 days of the request.
5. Wait for a decision. Processing time depends on the applicant's country and current application volumes and is shown by IRCC's own processing time tool rather than a single fixed number.
6. If approved, receive a port of entry letter of introduction, and a visa or electronic travel authorization for travel where needed.
7. Travel to Canada and receive the study permit itself from a border services officer, who checks the documents and confirms the conditions of stay.

Why applications are refused

IRCC most often refuses a study permit when the officer is not convinced the applicant has enough money to study and live in Canada without working, or is not convinced the applicant will leave Canada at the end of the authorized stay. Other common reasons include an incomplete application, a study plan that does not match the applicant's academic or career background, unclear or unverifiable financial documents, and inadmissibility on health, security or criminal grounds.