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A study permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) which allows you to study and stay in Canada temporarily.
You must have a study permit if your courses or program of studies is longer than 6 months.
You do not need a study permit if your program or course:
If you hold a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), you may study in programs of up to 6 months as long as the program ends before your work permit expires.
Some students are also study permit exempt.
Depending on your country of citizenship, you might need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada.
Study permits become automatically invalid in one of two ways, whichever comes first:
If you do not submit an application to extend your study permit before it becomes invalid, you must stop studying and working immediately.
Tip: for helpful reminders to keep track of your important documents use UBC’s reminder system.
International students in Canada on a study permit are required to actively pursue studies.
Certain students are exempt from this requirement such as exchange students and refugee claimants.
These enrolment statuses are considered ‘actively pursuing studies’:
Note: UBC is required to report to IRCC on your enrolment status twice a year based on UBC’s definitions for immigration purposes.
IRCC also requires you to remain enrolled and make reasonable progress towards the completion of your studies. You are welcome to change your majors, programs or in some cases institutions during your time in Canada. However, an officer may request additional information to ensure your intention to be in Canada is to study.
In BC, students under 19 are considered minor children, and when you apply for a study permit you might need to have a custodian, who is a responsible adult (Canadian citizen or permanent resident) who will support you.
If you are 17 or 18: an immigration officer will decide whether or not you need a custodian; if you are not required to show proof of a custodian when you apply, you can apply without it; if you need it, an officer will notify you after you apply. For more information, visit IRCC’s details about minors.
If you do require a custodian:
You must apply to extend your study permit within 90 days after written confirmation of high school completion first becomes available, or before your study permit expires, whichever comes first.
Apply as soon as you receive your letter of admission from UBC.
If you are applying within Canada: apply for a study permit extension
If you are applying outside of Canada: apply for an initial study permit
If you have a valid study permit and did not complete your previous program before coming to UBC, you can use that permit to study at UBC. You must inform IRCC of your institution change by changing your Designated Learning Institution (DLI) online via your MyCIC account.
If you completed your previous program in Canada before coming to UBC in Canada, you must apply to extend your study permit within 90 days after receiving confirmation of program completion, even if your study permit has not expired.
You can apply for an initial study permit directly at an international airport in Canada upon arrival or at most major US/Canada border-crossings.
Follow the same steps as outlined on the study permit tutorial. Note:
If you are currently a legal resident in Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or Vietnam you have two pathways available for a study permit application – regular stream and the Student Direct Stream (SDS).
To apply under SDS, you have to meet certain criteria, including proof of upfront tuition payment to UBC. Most students are able to pay for and receive a receipt of tuition payment after they register for courses in late June or early July. Furthermore, you must have all required documents at the time of application to be eligible for SDS, including medical exams. The estimated processing times for SDS may not be accurate. Although SDS provides faster processing, we do not recommend delaying your application and waiting until early July to apply for your study permit in order to apply through SDS.
We recommend that you apply for your study permit as soon as you receive your UBC letter of admission and your study permit application is complete. If your registration date has not yet arrived, we strongly recommend applying through the regular stream. If your registration date has already arrived you can pre-pay your tuition and apply through the SDS stream.
Under the regular stream, you can improve your chances of getting a study permit (and avoiding any unnecessary delays) by completing as many of the following as you can:
If you have already registered for courses, your tuition assessment is available in the Student Service Centre (SSC). You can view your Term 1 and Term 2 tuition amounts in 'Financial Summary' under Finances. After making a payment it may take 1-5 days for tuition payment to appear on your account. You can get proof of payment from your SSC by selecting 'Tuition History' under Finances.
As of June 15, 2021, you can now pre-pay your tuition to apply through the Student Direct Stream (SDS) if you are entering your first year of studies in September 2021. The deadline to apply for pre-payment is Friday, September 3, 2021. Students beginning studies in 2021 Winter Term 2 (January to April, 2022) and Diploma in Accounting students are not able to pre-pay tuition.
If your contact information changes after you have submitted an application, be sure to update it through IRCC's webform.
If you will be studying in Canada for more than six months, you require a valid study permit for the duration of your studies. Apply for your study permit as soon as you receive your Letter of Acceptance.
Every study permit has an expiration date, and you must renew it before it expires if you’re planning to study in Canada past your study permit’s expiration date. Study permits can only be renewed from inside Canada.
Amendments apply only to the mistakes that are made by IRCC when your documents were issued. For example, if you are eligible to work in Canada, but the wording on your study permit states you "may not work" or "may not accept employment", you will need to amend your study permit to get the right wording to apply for a SIN in order to work.
Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC's Vancouver campus.
The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.
International Student Advising is ready to support you on questions related to immigration, health insurance, and life as an international student in Canada.
