The information on this page may change
The information on this page is accurate at the time of publication, but is subject to change. Check IRCC’s page for the latest information on PAL requirements.
Last updated on Fri, Apr 26, 4:01 pm
The information on this page is accurate at the time of publication, but is subject to change. Check IRCC’s page for the latest information on PAL requirements.
Last updated on Fri, Apr 26, 4:01 pm
Depending on your situation, you will need one or two documents from UBC before you apply for your study permit, since these must be included in your application among other documents.
If your program is 6 months or less, you do not need to apply for a study permit—read the section below.
You must apply to UBC and receive your Letter of Admission, also known as an offer letter. Depending on your program or faculty, you might need to accept your offer and/or pay a deposit to get your Letter of Admission.
IRCC announced a temporary measure to stabilize the number of new study permits issued for 2 years. As of January 22, 2024, study permit applications from outside Canada require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) in addition to a Letter of Admission. Master’s degree and doctoral degree students do not need a PAL.
UBC will issue your PAL, if you need one. Whether you need a PAL and how you get one depends on your situation—read below for details.
Apply for your study permit as soon as you receive your Letter of Admission and Provincial Attestation Letter, if needed. You cannot travel to Canada until you receive your Letter of Introduction (study permit approval letter).
You will need both your Letter of Admission and your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before applying for your study permit.
You do not need a PAL since Master’s degree and Doctoral degree students are exempt from the PAL.
Apply for your study permit as soon as you receive your Letter of Admission, even if it has conditions. You’re also advised to include an explanation letter, which addresses how you plan to meet admission conditions.
If you are a continuing or returning student, contact your graduate program staff to request a current Letter of Enrolment indicating your expected completion date.
Please review our initial study permit tutorial to prepare your application.
You will need both your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before applying for your study permit.
You will need both your Letter of Admission and your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before applying for your study permit.
Graduate certificates and diplomas are not Master’s degrees and thus require a PAL. Check if your certificate or diploma is at the graduate level by seeing if it’s on this list.
You will need both your Letter of Admission and your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before applying for your study permit.
You will need both your Letter of Admission and your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before applying for your study permit.
You will need both your Letter of Admission and your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before applying for your study permit.
This section applies to one-term exchange students, VIRS, access studies, visiting, and unclassified students studying for 6 months or less.
If you will study in Canada for 6 months or less, you do not need to apply for a study permit and do not need a PAL, but you’ll likely need to apply for a travel document to come to Canada as a visitor.
Most visitors are allowed to stay in Canada for 6 months from the day they enter Canada. You can study in Canada without a study permit as a visitor if both of the following apply to you:
Therefore, if you will enter and leave Canada within 6 months and complete your studies within your first 6-month visitor period, a study permit and a PAL are not required. If you would like to stay longer, you can apply for a Visitor Record to extend your stay as a visitor after arriving in Canada, but your studies must be completed within your first 6-month period.
You must apply for and receive a travel document before you can travel to Canada. You should apply as soon as you receive your Letter of Acceptance from Go Global or Enrolment Services. Depending on your citizenship, you need one of the following to travel to Canada as a visitor:
Contact International Student Advising if you need support with your TRV.
US citizens and US lawful permanent residents do not need an eTA or TRV.
Check the Travelling to Canada guide for recommended documents to bring and other considerations.
If your program of studies is 6 months or less, you do not require a study permit—read the accordion above for “non-degree seeking students”.
If your program of studies will be more than 6 months, you will need both your Letter of Admission and your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before applying for your study permit.
If you cannot return to Canada before your current study permit expires, you will need to apply for a new study permit from outside Canada and wait for your application to be processed before returning to Canada. In this case, you will need a PAL in addition to a current Letter of Enrolment.
Your study permit validity and study permit extension application from inside Canada are not impacted by these changes, and you do not need a PAL for study permit extensions.
Plan ahead if your documents expire soon and you have travel plans. In general, it’s best to extend your study permit and Temporary Resident Visa (if you need one) inside Canada before you travel, or that you return before your documents expire to extend your study permit from within Canada. Contact International Student Advising for support with planning your document extensions and travel plans.
If you apply for your study permit extension from inside Canada before your study permit expires, you do not require a PAL. You will need a current UBC Letter of Enrolment for your study permit extension. Learn how to apply for your study permit extension by reviewing our study permit extension tutorial.
If your study permit extension was refused, or your study permit has expired, contact International Student Advising for assistance.
Your study permit validity and study permit extension application from inside Canada are not impacted by these changes. You do not need a PAL and can apply for your study permit extension before it expires with your UBC Letter of Admission.
Plan ahead if your documents expire soon and you have travel plans. In general, it’s best to extend your study permit and Temporary Resident Visa (if you need one) inside Canada before you travel, or that you return before your documents expire to extend your study permit from within Canada. Contact International Student Advising for support with planning your document extensions and travel plans, or if you are outside Canada.
You should apply for your study permit extension as soon as you receive your Letter of Admission. You can include a letter of explanation to request conditions to work in Canada.
If your study permit expires more than 6 months from now, contact International Student Advising for support.
If your study permit is still valid, you can use the same study permit to study at UBC. However you must notify IRCC by changing your DLI number online.
Contact International Student Advising for support with your study permit validity if you completed a program in Canada, as well as with your status in Canada if you will have more than 150 days between institutions.
Only some people can apply for a study permit through the process inside Canada and be exempt from the PAL.
Contact International Student Advising for support.
For support with obtaining your Letter of Admission:
For support with getting your Provincial Attestation Letter, contact ubc.pal@ubc.ca.
For support with your study permit application, travel documents, or other immigration questions, contact International Student Advising.
Find everything you need to know about life as an international student at UBC's Vancouver campus.
Get the latest updates on immigration and health insurance for international students in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).