As an international student, if you want to study in Canada, you need a student visa before you are allowed into the country for academic purposes.
Make no mistake, a student visa and a study permit are not the same thing (although they work towards the same purpose).
While your student visa allows you to enter Canada for school purposes, when you get to Canada, you still need to get the study permit before you will be allowed to engage in any academic activities.
Therefore, while your student visa allows you to enter, the study permit allows you to do what you enter Canada for, which is to engage in academic activities.
Before you are issued a student visa, you must meet all of its requirements, then apply to the IRCC, which will review your application, certify i,t and if it’s complete, you will be issued a student visa to Canada.
The requirements of Canada’s student visa are:
List of all Canadian student visa requirements
The first and most important document required for a Canadian student visa is proof of acceptance to study in a designated learning institution in Canada.
1. Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
Let me be as clear as possible: Nobody will grant you a Canadian student visa if you don’t submit proof of your admission to study in one of the designated learning institutions in Canada.
What this means is that, before you even think of applying for a student visa, you must first apply for admission to study in Canada, then get accepted by the school you applied for admission.
The school will then issue you a Letter of Acceptance (LOA). This letter is what you will submit to immigration authorities.
Remember, your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) must come from a school that’s officially recognised by the Canadian government – what they call a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
The LOA must also state your name, program title, start and end dates, tuition fees, and any conditions of the offer.
If your program you got accepted into is the type that mandates students to complete language training first, your LOA must state that.
Also Read: Study Breaks in Canada: What Happens If International Students Take a Semester Off
Finally, you must make sure that the institution’s DLI number matches what’s listed on Canada’s official immigration site – if not, your visa application will be rejected for enrolling in an unqualified school.
2. Proof of Sufficient Funds (Minimum CAD 20,635 or More)
Your proof of funds is as important as your visa application itself. It is one of the documents required for a Canadian study visa that you can’t submit your application without including.
Records show that it is one of the most common reasons for student visa refusals.
You must show proof that you can cover both your tuition and living expenses for at least your first year in Canada.
The current financial minimum for a single applicant (excluding tuition) is CAD 20,635 per year (as of 2024), but this figure increases if you’re bringing a family.
To show your proof of funds, you can submit your recent bank statements, Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), education loan letters, and proof of tuition payment.
Sponsorship is allowed, but only if you submit full documents from your sponsor.
If you submit unclear or inconsistent evidence of proof of funds, it’s a red flag to the visa officers, and your application will be rejected.
3. Valid Passport and Identification Documents
Of course, your passport is needed. It is on it that your visa stamp will be placed. Canadian immigration authorities don’t accept just any passport, they will only accept it if it is valued for the entire length of your proposed stay in Canada.
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If your passport is expiring soon, you should renew it before you submit it for your visa.
When submitting your application (submission is done online), you need to upload a clear scan of all ID pages, including pages with visas, stamps, or travel history.
Sometimes, they will ask you to submit your national ID, birth certificate, or other legal documents.
If there is any error in your name, dates, or spelling across your documents, it will delay the processing of your application or even lead to a refusal.
4. Immigration Medical Exam (IME) – If Applicable
Another important requirement for a student visa in Canada is your medical report.
If you want to study in Canada for more than six months – especially if you are going for public health, agriculture, or childcare-related fields – or you’re from a country with high TB risks, you’ll do a medical test and attach the result to your application.
Your medical test will be conducted by a panel physician approved by the IRCC. You can do the test upfront or wait till IRCC asks you to do it before you go ahead and do it.
Once you are done with it, your doctor will send your results directly to IRCC, and you’ll be given a document called an IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report form.
If the test shows that you have serious medical issues that will pose a public risk, your visa application will not be approved.
5. Statement of Purpose (SOP) / Letter of Explanation
You should know that this isn’t listed as “mandatory” on the application portal, but the thing is, in practice, a strong SOP can make or break your visa outcome.
To get your Canada student visa approved, you need to convince the immigration authorities that you have geneuie reason to study in Canada and this letter presents such opportunity.
“It’s your personal letter explaining why you’re choosing Canada, your school, your program, how it fits your goals, how you’ll fund yourself, and why you’ll return home after graduation.”
Visa officers use your SOP to check your true intent and credibility. If you submit a poorly written or generic SOP, your application can be rejected for not being genuine about choosing Canada.
6. Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
This requirement is also not compulsory; it depends on your country of origin and history.
If required in your case, you will be asked to submit a Police Clearance Certificate from any country you’ve lived in for six months or more in the past 10 years.
Also Read: What to do if you have a valid study permit, but your visa has expired
The Canadian immigration authorities use this to check if you have any criminal records that they should worry about or that will make you inadmissible to Canada.
“Applicants from high-risk regions or those with previous visa refusals, are more likely to be asked for this.”
7. Biometrics (Fingerprints and Photo)
Once your application is submitted, you’ll be asked to book an appointment and do your biometrics at any Canada VAC (Visa Application Centre) near you.
Biometrics is a digital photo of you and your fingerprints. You will be asked to do this except if you’ve already done biometrics for any other Canadian visa in the last 10 years.
If you don’t submit your biometrics within the deadline, your application will be rejected.
The biometrics fee is CAD 85, and you must book an appointment in advance.
When going for your biometric submission appointment, bring your Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL) and passport to the appointment.
8. Tuition Payment Receipt (Especially for SDS applicants)
If you’re applying through the Student Direct Stream (SDS), you must pay at least one year’s tuition upfront and submit the receipt.
Even as a regular applicant that this is optional for, it is always better for you todo it and include your receipt in your application.
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When you do it, it reassures the visa officer that you’re financially committed – its a form of commitment from you.
It makes refusing your application harder unless there is a huge concern.
After payment, you can include bank drafts, online transfer receipts, or letters from your school confirming the payment.
Also Read: 15 Disadvantages of studying in Canada for international students
If you’re on a scholarship, attach information or a receipt about the full award letter and fund disbursement info.
If you don’t pay your tuition in advance, you will increase the chances of getting a student visa rejection, especially if you are an SDS.
9. GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate – SDS Only)
For SDS applicants, it’s mandatory to purchase a GIC worth CAD 20,635 from a Canadian financial institution.
This amount will be released to you monthly once you arrive in Canada. You will need it to cover your living expenses.
GICs must come from approved banks like Scotiabank, CIBC, or ICICI Bank Canada.
When you get it, you will submit the GIC certificate and payment receipt as part of your application.
Without doing this, SDS processing won’t be available, and your application can be switched to a regular stream with longer wait times.
10. Passport photograph
Another part of the application requirement is your recent passport photograph. After taking it, you will upload it with your application.
Your photograph must meet IRCC’s strict specifications: 35mm x 45mm, clear background, neutral expression, and no filters or heavy edits.
Also Read: How long can I stay in Canada after my study permit expires
It is wrong to upload selfies or casual photos, it will delay the processing of your application.
Always use a professional photographer who understands visa photo requirements, or use an online tool that adjusts the dimensions for Canada.
11. Custodian Declaration (For Minors)
If you’re under 18 or 19 (depending on the province you want to study in), you will be asked to submit a notarised Custodian Declaration Form.
The form must be signed by your parents or guardians in your home country and by a responsible adult in Canada who will take care of you.
“This form is a kind of legal requirement that proves someone will be looking after you in case of emergencies.”
If you are a minor and you fail to submit this form, your application will be rejected immediately, even if everything else is perfect.
12. Proof of visa Fee Payment or Visa fee payment Receipt
When applying for your Canadian student visa, you must pay a non-refundable application fee of CAD 150, either online or through a VAC.
After payment, keep the receipt because you will upload it during your application. If you want extra services like expedited processing or courier return, you will pay extra money.
13. Translate your documents into English or French
“Any of your documents that are not in English or French must be translated by a certified translator and submitted along with the original document and an affidavit.”
IRCC is strict about this – if you do machine translations, casual human translations, or submit half-translated files, your application will be rejected and returned to you.
Another thing that will play a key role in the outcome of your Canada student visa application is your travel history.
Your travel history shows how well you’ve followed immigration laws in other countries.
If you’ve travelled to countries like the US, UK, or Schengen nations and obeyed your visas, it will boost your credibility.
But if you’ve ever been refused a visa, even for minor reasons, you must declare it in your Canada application.
If you hide this information, it can count as misrepresentation, and could get your application rejected. Honesty is key.
If you submit all the required documents and each one has the right information that Canadian immigration needs, your application should be approved.
