Studying in Canada: A Guide for International Students

Coming to Canada

Your decision to study in Canada is an important one. You will need as much information as possible and at least six months to plan and prepare for your move.

 
Primary and secondary school

If you or your dependants want to upgrade your education before applying to a post-secondary school, make sure the courses you take will allow you to register at the post-secondary school you choose.

Canada's education standards are set individually by each province. If you want to go to a primary or secondary school, you can get information on provincial standards by writing to the Department of Education in the provincial capital. If you have any questions, you may also write to one of the organizations listed in this pamphlet.

 
Post-secondary school

Each Canadian university, technical school or community college sets its own requirements. The registrars of these schools can provide information on

• tuition fees,
• health insurance,
• scholarships,
• lodging and living expenses, and
• language requirements.

 
Private institutions

Before you enroll in a private institution, please check with Canadian immigration officials in your country to ensure that the institution meets Canadian requirements or the rules of the province where the institution is located.

 
Tuition

Every post-secondary student in Canada has to pay tuition fees. The fees vary from school to school and from year to year. The registrar or the nearest immigration office will help you determine the fees required.

 
Language

Canada has two official languages -- English and French. You will need to know one or the other to follow course lectures and reading assignments. Some post-secondary schools might ask you to take a language test. They may charge a fee for this test which you will have to pay yourself.

Language requirements are set by each school. School registrars can give you information on language requirements.

 
Health insurance

Medical, hospital and dental care in Canada can be expensive. As an international student, you are not insured for these expenses by the Canadian government. The school you attend may provide health insurance for international students, but be sure to ask when you are writing for information. If the insurance provided by the school does not meet your needs, you should make your own arrangements before leaving home.

 
Qualifying

Once you have decided on the courses you want to take, officials at the school where you apply will tell you if you qualify. If you are accepted, you will receive a confirmation letter from the registrar, the school board or the school itself.

To be acceptable to Canadian immigration officials, the letter should

• be the original, not a photocopy,
• specify in detail the courses you are taking,
• confirm that you have been accepted as a student, and
• indicate the length of program or studies

Keep this letter to apply for your student authorization at the visa office and to show to immigration officials when you arrive in Canada.

If you have any questions about the confirmation letter or the student authorization, you may write to the Immigration Section of a Canadian government office in your country.

 
Quebec

If you wish to attend a school in the province of Quebec, you will have to obtain additional approval from the province. This will apply after you have met the requirements of the Canadian government; as well, you must have the Quebec approval renewed every year. There may be a Quebec office in your country where you can go for information.

 
Planning

Before you apply for your student authorization or visitor visa, you must have

• a valid passport,
• a letter of acceptance from a Canadian school,
• proof that you have enough money to support yourself and your dependants for your entire stay in Canada,
• a letter from your sponsoring organization if you are being sponsored, and
• a medical clearance, if required

 
Financial support

You must be able to prove you can support yourself and your dependants before a student authorization may be issued. A letter from your bank in your country, a bank draft of a letter from your source of funding, will show immigration officials that you can afford to pay your expenses and, if necessary, the expenses of your spouse and dependants, while you are in Canada.

These expenses include post-secondary tuition, food, clothing, shelter, books, transportation, medical insurance, entertainment, personal or family needs and return trips home. The winters in Canada can be cold, so include warm clothing when calculating your living costs.

The cost of living in Canada varies from province to province. Canadian officials in your country will tell you approximately what it will cost to live in the province where you will be attending school.

 
Character reference

To be accepted by Canadian officials, you must prove you are a responsible person with no criminal record. You may be asked to provide evidence of this through your local authorities.

 
Health standards

You must be in good health. You may be asked for a medical certificate if you have been living in a country with a high health risk.

Canadian officials will tell you what you need when you make your application.

 
Student authorization

Once you have all the letters and documents, you may apply for your student authorization. Normally, you will have to apply at the nearest Canadian consulate, embassy or high commission.

Citizens or permanent residents of the United States, St-Pierre-Miquelon, and Greenland may apply for authorizations at any Canadian port of entry. Wherever you apply, the requirements are the same.

The student authorization allows you to study in Canada. Keep it in your passport. Your student authorization may specify terms and conditions which govern your stay in Canada. For example, the duration of study, the name of the institution or the level of study you are allowed to undertake. Please read these carefully. If you do not understand its contents, talk to Canadian officials.

Your student authorization for post-secondary study should be valid for the duration of your course of studies. Remember, however, that if you are studying in the province of Quebec, you will have to renew your authorization every year.

 
You've arrived

Once you have all your papers and have arrived in Canada, you must show Canadian immigration officials the following:

• your student authorization (form IMM 1208),
• valid passport,
• valid visitor visa if required,
• any letters or papers used to obtain your student authorization.

If any documents are missing or incorrect, you could be refused admission to Canada.

 
Passports and visas

Citizens and permanent residents of the United States, St-Pierre-Miquelon, and Greenland do not need a passport or a visitor visa to enter Canada. If you are coming from anywhere else, you will need a passport and probably a visa as well. Canadian officials in your country will inform you before you leave home. The Canada Visitors Visa is affixed to a page of your passport. It tells you the date you must arrive in Canada, the length of time you can stay and whether it is valid for one or more entries into Canada.

When you arrive in Canada, you must show immigration officials your passport and visa. The passport will be stamped with the date you must depart from Canada. Check that this date is valid for your whole stay. If you need more time, apply at an immigration office. Do not overstay the date stamped on your passport. If there is something you don't understand, immigration officers will be happy to help you.

If you want to renew your passport while you are in Canada, contact your embassy or consulate at least two months before the passport expires. You may wish to keep a photocopy of your passport, visitor visa, your most recent immigration stamp, and student authorization for your own records. Make sure that your passport will allow you to return home or travel to another country if you wish.

 
Canada Customs

As an international student studying in Canada, you are eligible for certain customs benefits, including the temporary importation into Canada of your household and personal effects. A number of conditions apply, so before coming to Canada you should refer to the booklet Entering Canada to Study or To Work. This is available from any Canada Customs office, Canadian Consulate, or by contacting

Revenue Canada
Customs and Excise
Travellers Directorate
MacKenzie Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0L5

 
Working in Canada

International students may be allowed to work while attending school. But jobs may be difficult to find in Canada so you should not count on getting one.

You may be allowed to work if you meet one of the following requirements:

• you want to work as a graduate assistant;
• your employment is part of your course of study, such as a work term during the year;
• you want to work on campus;
• you want to work after graduation in a study-related job for up to one year.

Your spouse may also be allowed to work under certain circumstances. A Canadian Immigration official can give you details on working in Canada as an international student.

If you work without an employment authorization you may be in violation of the Immigration Act and may be required to leave Canada.

 
Fees for immigration services

Immigration charges a fee to process your application. Please refer to the brochure entitled Fee Schedule for Immigrant Services or ask a Canadian immigration official for information.

 
If your circumstances change

If anything about your studies, funding or documentation changes, you must contact the nearest Canada Immigration Centre immediately. Contact the CIC if

• your course is longer than you expected,
• you finish your studies before the course is ended, or
• you wish to change any terms and conditions noted on your student authorization.

Any other questions about your stay in Canada can also be answered at the CIC. If you do not report your changed circumstances to your CIC, you might be asked to leave Canada. Canada Immigration Centres are listed in your local telephone book in Canada.

 
For more information

For more information on educational options and requirements, contact one of the following organizations:

Degree courses

Canadian Bureau for International Education
220 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 1100
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1P 5Z9
Tel.: (613) 237-4820
Fax: (613) 237-1073
Internet Site: http://www.cbie.ca

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
600-350 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1R 1B1
Tel.: (613) 563-3961
Fax: (613) 563-9745
Internet Site: http://www.aucc.ca

Technical and other non-degree courses

Association of Canadian Community Colleges
110 Eglinton Avenue West, 2nd Floor
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
M4R 1A3
Tel.: (416) 489-5925
Fax: (416) 489-5080
Internet Site: http://www.accc.ca

Privately funded institutions

National Association of Career Colleges
P.O. Box 340
1-301 Fairview Drive
Brantford, Ontario
Canada
N3T 5N3
Tel.: (519) 753-8689
Fax: (519) 753-4712
Internet Site: http://www.nacc.ca

The entry of international students into Canada is regulated by the federal government, but your admission may be affected by education or other policies in the province where you want to study. Ask a visa officer for more details.

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