STUDY PERMIT AND IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS APPLICATION TIPS
Starting January 22, 2025, a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) is required for most study permit applications, including those applying for graduate programs or changing schools (e.g., high school to post-secondary or transferring DLIs).
For more information on PAL exemptions, visit the . For PAL related inquiries, visit our PAL FAQ page.
Study Permit and Immigration Documents Application Tips
Planning to study at SFU? Review our guide to help you apply for an intial study permit from outside Canada and get ready to start your journey.
SFU's Designated Learning Institution's (DLI) number is O18781994282 (begins with the letter “O”).
Before applying for your study permit:
Check application processing times
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processing times vary by country and fluctuate
- The time it takes to provide , a or send an application from a visa application centre to IRCC is not included in the processing time
- Apply as soon as possible to avoid delays
Ways to apply
Apply online
- In most cases, applicants must
Apply by Paper
You are only eligible to apply for a study permit on paper if you
- have a disability that prevents you from applying online; or
- hold an identity or travel document for non-national residents, refugees or stateless persons
Visit the for eligibility details and application instructions.
Student Direct Stream and Nigeria Student Express
- The last day to apply was November 8, 2024, before 2 p.m. ET.
US citizens or permanent residents
- You have the option of submitting an application upon arrival at a Canadian port of entry (e.g., your airport of arrival or land crossing into Canada)
- See US students: Apply at a port of entry for details
What you'll need to apply
Read the and collect the necessary and
The IRCC website provides the resources you will need to apply for your documents. Please note that to apply for a study permit, you will typically require the following items:
APPLICATION FOR A STUDY PERMIT
Available on the .
BIOMETRICS
- Most study permit applicants are required to provide fingerprints and photographs as part of the application.
- There is a fee associated for submitting biometrics if they are required. You will pay this fee as part of your application
- You will receive instructions on how to submit your biometrics after you have submitted your application
- Biometrics are valid for 10 years
Visit the for details of where you can give biometrics.
Valid Passport
- Must be valid during the period of your academic program in Canada
- If it will expire before the end of your studies, renew six months before the expiry date (note that each country/territory has their own procedures regarding passport renewal)
- US citizens: you do not currently need to have a passport to enter Canada, but you will be asked to show proof of citizenship
- As this policy may change, we advise all US citizens to have valid passports
OFFICIAL SFU LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE / ADMISSION LETTER
New Undergraduate Students:
- Submit your Offer of admission letter from SFU (4 pages in total) as the official Letter of Acceptance in support of your study permit application
- SFU does not issue separate letters of offer and letters of acceptance
If you have received a letter from SFU and would like to verify whether it is the correct one to include with your application, you may contact an International Student Advisor to confirm.
New Graduate Students:
If you have been admitted to a graduate program (Master's or PhD), you will receive a two-page Offer of Admission package including the Admission letter and Study/Work Permit information form from the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies office.
Include both your Admission Letter and the Study/Work Permit information form to apply for your study permit.
The Study/Work information form will indicate the maximum length of your program, detail any funding you have been offered, and provide the estimated tuition and fees for your first year.
If your program has a mandatory internship or co-operative education (co-op) component, this will also be indicated on the Study/Work Permit information form and can be used as your "Evidence of Work Requirement in Study" to request a Co-op/Internship work permit, in addition to a Study Permit. Co-op work permits are fee exempt.
For returning/current students who are applying for a study permit outside Canada, given that you have already started your studies at SFU, please use your current SFU Confirmation of Enrollment Letter (which you can access via goSFU) in lieu of your original Letter of Acceptance. |
Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)
Starting January 22, 2025, a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) is required for most study permit applications, including those applying for graduate programs or changing schools (e.g., high school to post-secondary or transferring DLIs).
For more information on PAL exemptions, visit the . For PAL related inquiries, visit our PAL FAQ page.
Proof of Funds
If you apply for a study permit on or after September 1, 2025, you need to meet the new for financial support. |
You must prove you have enough money to pay for your tuition, living expenses, and travel costs to and from Canada for at least one year (without working). If your spouse and/or children are accompanying you, you will need to show adequate funds to support them as well. Please review typical estimated costs of living on the SFU Financial Aid website.
For more information regarding proof of financial support, including a list of acceptable documents, please visit the . You should also consult the for your region to see region-specific requirements and recommendations.
Guidelines for preparing your financial support documents:
- Any financial documents that are not in your own name should be accompanied by proof that you have access to the funds shown.
- For example, if you are including a copy of your parents' bank statement and/or proof of your parents' employment as evidence of financial support, you should also attach a signed letter from your parents confirming they will be supporting you during your studies.
- It is also helpful to include proof of your relationship with the person funding you.
- The source and history of the funds must be clear enough for an officer to understand.
- Large deposits made to accounts without evidence of the origin of the funds may not be considered as reliable evidence of your ability to afford studies in Canada.
- Funds must be readily accessible to you.
- Proof of assets such as property ownership may be included with your application; however, these should not be seen as a replacement for more accessible funding sources (e.g., bank accounts, employment, etc.)
- Proof of funding from SFU (in the form of a scholarship or an offer of employment as a Teaching or Research Assistant) may be included as evidence of financial support. However, because these funds have not been disbursed to you yet, we recommend you avoid relying solely on funding offered by the University for your study permit application. Please ensure you are showing additional sources of readily available financial support as well.
STUDY PLAN (STRONGLY RECOMMENDED)
A one-page document, written by you, to demonstrate that your plan to study in Canada makes sense in the context of your academic and professional history, as well as your future goals. You may upload the study plan under "Client Information" if applying online.
Your study plan should address the following:
- Why do you wish to study in Canada in the specific program for which you have been accepted?
- What is your overall educational goal?
- Why are you not pursuing a similar program in your country of residence or citizenship?
- What research have you done into studies in your country of residence or citizenship?
- How will this program enhance your employment opportunities in your country of residence or citizenship?
- What ties do you have to your country of residence or citizenship?
- Any additional details as per the visa office instructions for the location where you will apply (in cases where a study plan is required by the visa post) - and select a country from the drop-down list to access specific visa office instructions
Digital Photo
Your digital photo must be taken within the last six months. They may be either black and white or colour. See the complete list of the .
Contact an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist if you have any questions about your application or the application process. Some applicants may also require:
(A) MEDICAL EXAMINATION
An immigration medical examination is required if you have resided or stayed temporarily for six or more consecutive months in a in the year preceding your application to come to Canada.
If this is a requirement for you, start the process early. Immigration Medical Examinations (IME) may take several months to process. If your IME has expired, you must allow enough time to obtain a new one before travelling to Canada. Information about who needs an IME and how to get one, visit the .
(B) CUSTODIANSHIP DECLARATION FORMS (impacts students under the age of 19 only)
Students under 19 years of age may also require custodianship declaration forms certifying that they will have a legal custodian in Canada. Please see Students under 19 years: Custodianship for further details.
(C) OVERCOMING CRIMINAL INADMISSIBILITY (for students who have been convicted of a criminal offense)
If you have previously been convicted of a crime, please visit the for information on overcoming criminal inadmissibility.
After you apply:
Monitor your email as well as your online IRCC account for any updates or requests for further information, and respond promptly to any requests you receive.
Once IRCC has all the necessary information and documents required, an immigration officer will make a decision on your application and you will be notified of the outcome.
For more information about what happens after you apply, visit the .
If your application is approved
Upon final approval of your application submitted outside Canada, you will be issued a Letter of Introduction (also known as a study permit approval letter or Port of Entry letter). You will need to present this letter to the officer upon your arrival at the port of entry to Canada in order to have your study permit issued to you. For more information on the arrival process, see Travelling to Canada.
If you require a to enter Canada, this will also be issued to you when your study permit is approved:
- If you require a TRV, you will be given instructions on how to submit your passport to the visa post so that the visa counterfoil can be issued.
- If you require an eTA, this will be issued electronically and the eTA number will be noted on your study permit approval letter.
If your application is refused
- If your study permit application is refused, you will be given written reasons for the refusal.
- Your options in the event of a refusal may vary depending on the circumstances and reason/s why your application was refused.
Please contact an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist if you receive a refusal decision on your study permit application and next steps. Alternatively, you may reach out to an such as a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant or lawyer external to SFU for assistance.
You can also find some general information regarding refusals on the following pages of the IRCC website:
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- Note: although this page refers to visitor visa refusals, much of the information is also applicable to study permit refusals