Canadian universities and schools enjoy great respectability and reputation throughout the world because of the quality of education imparted in the country’s educational institutes as well as the country’s inclusive environment. This is reflected by the fact that the number of international students enrolling into Canadian schools is rising year on year.
A variety of factors have contributed towards making Canada a global favourite of international students, some of which are:
- Canadian student visa application programs and approval procedures have shorter processing times than most major countries due to the country’s high efficiency.
- Canada is a firm proponent of the ‘Earn while you Learn’ theory as it allows its international students to work on and off their respective campuses during the duration of their course.
- Pursuing a degree in Canada offers a diverse cultural experience to any international student because of the country’s liberal, accepting and welcoming outlook towards people from all regions of the world.
- Canada offers a relatively modest cost but a high standard of living when compared to other major countries, making it an alluring destination from a financial standpoint too.
Things You Need to Research Before Seeking a Canadian Study Permit
Deciding upon your school: Canada offers a multitude of renowned and reputed options to prospective international students in terms of the universities and colleges. Your college choice may get influenced by factors such as the college’s ranking, cost of tuition or the general climate area where you are intending to move since the northern parts and provinces of Canada experience frigid temperatures throughout the year.
Canada certifies all of its schools and universities through a standard, designated committee to ensure that consistent and quality education is imparted throughout the country. There might be some variation in terms of the scale of research in the various research projects students have to undertake, but that is down to the fact that the more affluent universities have more funds at their disposal. However, the Canadian government is very supportive of such endeavours and financial support can be procured by a university directly from the government.
Applying to Your Preferred University or School
Canadian universities believe in conducting admissions in a time-bound and efficient manner and thus strictly adhere to their application deadlines, making it imperative for you to be aware of the important dates with respect to your preferred college’s admission schedule. Even though most major universities and colleges have successfully transitioned from offline application to online applications, some universities may still require you to submit hard-copy or paper-based applications, so it is advisable that you take into consideration the expected transit time of your application’s courier package and submit your application accordingly. As a general rule of thumb, it is recommended that you prepare a shortlist of your preferred universities and apply to multiple universities to ensure that you have a better chance of getting selected. In order to procure a study permit you need to get several important documents in order which need to be submitted along with a copy of your college application form. Yes, approval is necessary for applying to study at a Canadian university, but to initiate the process, you need a copy of your application as well as other important documents as listed down in the next section of this page.
Language proficiency test: Some universities require international applicants from certain countries to undertake a Vocabulary Proficiency Test to prove their level of fluency or comfort whilst communicating in English or French language. Generally, your college application contains the exact details with respect to the kind of proficiency test you are supposed to undertake and their preferred scores.
We would advise you to procure a confirmed list of documents to be submitted from your country’s visa department to apply for study permit as these documents may vary from region to region.
The following documents are generally mandatory if one wishes to apply for a Canadian study permit:
- Letter of Acceptance: A letter of acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution (any government recognized college or school) is imperative in most cases.
- Proof of Finances: Provide the authorities with a statement that proves you have adequate funds to pay for your education. Generally, this requires you to disclose bank statements of the preceding four weeks, and an official document from your institution which acts as the proof of payment of your fees.
- An Explanatory Declaration: In certain cases, students may wish to pursue multiple courses or wish to work during the transitionary period between one course to another. In such cases they will need to submit a note of explanation to inform the authorities about their predicament.
- Identification documents: A legal and valid passport is required to apply for a study permit. In addition to that, you might also be asked to furnish the travel details and documents of other family members who might be arriving into the country with you.
Short-term or Temporary Resident Visa: This is necessary in only certain special cases depending upon an international student’s native country. This visa can only be procured upon paying a fixed application charge.
Arriving into Canada: Once the aforementioned steps have been cleared and you have procured the requisite legal permits and documents, you are legally entitled to enter the country. We would advise you to keep the following documents handy as you might be asked to produce them:
- Legal and valid passport
- Letter of Acceptance or Approval from your University or school
- Document containing details of your financial disclosures
- Temporary Resident Visa – (only applicable in certain cases)
- Study Permit
- Medical Insurance documents: The Canadian Government is legally bound to provide international students with a state-sponsored medical insurance.
- Other supporting documents or references
Staying beyond your permit: If you wish to live in Canada beyond the duration indicated on your study permit or visa, you MUST apply for a renewal or an extension, at least a month before your permit’s date of expiry.
Canada’s cultural and linguistic diversity coupled with the populace’s amicable and welcoming nature make it a preferred destination for many and if you are a prospective international student then rest assured that in Canada you will always have a home away from home, as it is very easy to find fellow immigrants from your native country in Canada.
To ensure a seamless and hassle-free study permit application process, get in touch with Kurzfeld Law.