Taking time away from school for international students

If your study permit is still valid, no immediate action is necessary until you make your next immigration application, such as for a post-graduation work permit. However, if your study permit is no longer valid, contact International Student Advising for support.

Collect as many documents as you can related to the reason for your gap in studies. See “documents to prepare” below for more information.

If you took a gap in studies during Winter Term 2 2019 (January to April 2020) or Summer Session 2020 (September to May 2020)

There was a temporary IRCC policy for these terms due to the onset of COVID-19. See our FAQs for details on Winter Term 2 or Summer Session.

If you are an undergraduate student who took a gap in studies in Winter Session 2020 (September 2020 to April 2021) or earlier

Authorized leave for undergraduate students was not available at the time and you would not have been considered actively pursuing studies. Include our acknowledgment letter (pdf) in your application. 

If you are an undergraduate student who took a gap in studies in Winter Session 2021 (September 2021 to April 2022) 

Under the International Undergraduate Leave Procedure, students in good academic standing could request a leave letter to show they were on leave for one or both winter terms. If you took one or both terms off, request a letter through your academic advising office as soon as possible. If you have a leave letter, keep it until you need to show it to IRCC.

Status in Canada and eligibility to stay

You are considered to be maintaining your student status and can stay in Canada for up to 150 days. No immediate action is necessary if you will be on a gap for less than 150 days or before your study permit expires—whichever comes first. 

If you will be on a gap for more than 150 days, you must take action before the 150 day period is over. This applies even if you have an authorized leave of absence which is longer than 150 days, for example, an authorized leave for one year.

Before your 150-day period is over, you must do one of the following:

• Apply for a Visitor Record to stay in Canada as a visitor, which does not allow you to work.
• Hold a work permit unrelated to studies (if eligible). In general, these are difficult to qualify for and you may find an authorized immigration representative outside UBC for advice.
• Leave Canada.
• Start or resume studies. If you change institutions, as of Nov 8, 2024, you must apply for a study permit extension for your new institution and most students need to receive the new study permit before beginning studies at your new institution. Contact International Student Advising for support. If you plan to return to UBC, check with an Academic Advisor from your faculty to see if your credits can be transferred back to UBC or count towards your program requirements.

Exception: UBC undergraduate students on authorized leave beginning in Winter Term 2 do not need to take further action on your status in the summer scheduled break since UBC considers undergraduate students in summer to be on a scheduled break for immigration purposes.

Working during your gap

As soon as you are no longer enrolled in full-time studies, you are not eligible to work in Canada during an academic term, and also not eligible to work during scheduled breaks before and after the term in which you are taking a gap. If you have a co-op work permit, you cannot use it for work unrelated to studies. To be eligible to work, you must have a work permit which is unrelated to studies, which in general can be difficult to obtain. 

Exceptions: Undergraduate students may be eligible to work full-time during the summer scheduled break, or if you finished a program and will start a new program. Check the links to see if you are eligible.

Impact on your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) in the future

In general, your eligibility for the PGWP should not be impacted if you are on a gap which is considered actively pursuing studies for less than 150 days, however the officer who reviews your application will make the final decision. You should collect as many documents as you can related to the reason for your gap in studies. See “documents to prepare” below for more information. 

When you apply for the PGWP, write a letter of explanation about the reason for your gap in studies and provide as many supporting documents as possible. Contact International Student Advising for assistance.

Status in Canada and eligibility to stay

You are not considered to be meeting your requirements as a student and cannot remain in Canada during the gap without taking further action.

You must do one of the following before your gap begins:

• Apply for a Visitor Record to stay in Canada as a visitor, which does not allow you to work in Canada.
• Hold a work permit unrelated to studies (if eligible). In general, these are difficult to qualify for and you may find an authorized immigration representative outside UBC for advice.
• Leave Canada for the duration of the gap.
• Start or resume studies. If you change institutions, as of Nov 8, 2024, you must apply for a study permit extension for your new institution and most students need to receive the new study permit before beginning studies at your new institution. Contact International Student Advising for support. If you plan to return to UBC, ask an Academic Advisor from your faculty if your credits can be transferred back to UBC or count towards your program requirements.

Contact International Student Advising to discuss your options.

Work eligibility

As soon as you are no longer enrolled in full-time studies, you are not eligible to work in Canada during the academic term, and are also not eligible to work during scheduled breaks before and after the term in which you are taking a gap. If you have a co-op work permit, you cannot use it for work unrelated to studies. To be eligible to work you must have a work permit which is unrelated to studies, which in general can be difficult to obtain.

Impact on your Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) in the future

Taking gaps which are not considered actively pursuing studies can impact your PGWP eligibility. You should collect as many documents as you can related to the reason for your gap in studies. See “documents to prepare” below for more information. 

When you apply for the PGWP, write a letter of explanation about the reason for your gap in studies and provide as many supporting documents as possible. You can still submit a PGWP application; however, unfortunately, there is no guarantee the application will be approved. The officer who reviews your application will decide whether or not to approve the application on a case-by-case basis based on your individual circumstances and will make the final decision.

Undergraduate students

Starting from the 2021/22 Winter Session, UBC offers a procedure for international undergraduate students to document their authorized leaves. The undergraduate leave procedure allows you to take time away from studies and still be considered to be actively pursuing studies, maintaining the conditions of your study permit and maintaining eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit program for leaves up to 150 days.

UBC Vancouver Senate’s  Academic Leave Policy enables students in good academic standing to take up to a year away from studies without having to reapply for admission.

If you want to prove to IRCC that you were on an authorized leave, you must request the leave and receive a letter from UBC confirming that you are authorized to take the leave.

When to drop or withdraw from courses

• If it is your first term in your program:
  • If Winter Term 1 is your first term in your program and you drop all courses before the last day to drop courses without a W, and you are registered in Term 2, you would be considered to have deferred enrolment for immigration purposes. You would not need and would not be eligible for an authorized leave in Term 1.
  • If in your first term in your program you withdraw from all courses after the Course change dates with a W, you might qualify for the Academic Leave Policy. The leave would start on the day you withdraw.

• If it is not your first term in your program:
  • If you drop all courses before the last day to drop courses without a W, then your leave would start on the first day of classes for that term, or 
  • If you withdraw from courses before the deadline to drop a course with a W, then your leave would start on the day you withdrew from all courses.

If you withdraw after the deadline to drop a course with a W, you will not be eligible for an authorized leave for that term.

When to request a leave letter

You can request a leave letter as soon as registration opens for the term(s) for which you are requesting a leave letter. If you drop or withdraw from courses on time, you can request a leave letter until August 31, following the last term for which a leave letter was requested. We recommend you request a leave letter by mid-October for leaves starting Term 1, or mid-February for leaves starting Term 2, so your leave will be recorded accurately in the Immigration Report which IRCC receives from UBC each winter term.

Eligibility for a leave letter

To be eligible to request a leave letter, you must meet all of the following requirements:

• Request a leave letter for one or more winter terms in Winter Session 2021 (starting September 2021) or later
• Be eligible to register as of the first day of classes for each term for which you’re requesting a leave letter
• Have no active registration in the term(s) for which you’re requesting a leave letter
• Request a leave letter for a maximum of one full academic session (Winter Term 1 + 2) plus any number of one-term leaves per program; however, programs reserve the right to deny leave letters if sufficient academic progress is not being made
• Be an international student in a program that leads to a UBC degree, diploma or certificate and to which graduate student leave policies don’t apply
• Have withdrawn from courses in time (read “when to drop or withdraw from courses” above)

How to request a leave letter

If you are considering taking a gap in studies, follow these steps:

1. After reading this page, carefully consider whether you will take Term 1, Term 2, or both terms away from studies.
2. Talk to an Academic Advisor to check your program requirements and discuss your options for taking a gap and returning to studies later. You must meet all academic regulations of your program. Taking a leave does not guarantee courses will be available when you return to studies. 
3. Carefully review how taking time away from studies impacts your immigration and other potential impacts on this page, particularly if you will be on leave for more than 150 days and will be in Canada during your leave. Contact International Student Advising if you have any questions about the immigration and health insurance impacts of taking a gap.
4. After you withdraw from all courses in Term 1, Term 2, or both terms, send a request to your Academic advising office. Tell them you are requesting a leave and for which term(s).
5. If they agree, the authorized leave letter will be emailed to you. The leave will not appear on your transcript. Include the authorized leave letter with future IRCC applications as needed.

Your authorized leave letter will say when your leave began. You can remain in Canada for 150 days after that date.

Leaves longer than 150 days affect your Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility and status in Canada.

Graduate students and students in the Diploma in Accounting and Juris Doctor programs

If your leave of absence is approved, you could remain in Canada for 150 days after:

• The day your leave was approved, or
• The first day of classes of the term in which your leave starts, whichever comes last.

If you plan to take a gap:

1. After reading this page, carefully consider which term(s) you plan to take time away from studies.
2. If you are a graduate student, review UBC’s Graduate Student Leaves of Absence policy.
3. Talk to your program staff to discuss your options for taking a gap and returning to studies later, as well as any impacts on funding.
4. Contact International Student Advising if you have any questions about the immigration and health insurance impacts of taking a gap.