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Can you apply for everything on your own to come and study in Canada? Do you need to go to a local agent in your country to apply or is it all possible on your own? How long does it take? Do you need to pay for the whole 1-year tuition in advance? How much does it cost and what is the cheapest program out there for Canadian public colleges & universities? What documents and information do you need to include in your application? How long in advance should you apply to the school in Canada to receive the Letter of Acceptance and then apply for the Study Permit? How come your application has not been processed yet and it’s been over 2 months? Is SDS (Student Direct Stream) faster post-COVID19 and what are the study permit processing times from your region? What if you’re a mature student and thinking about studying? How important is the Study Plan or Statement of Purpose (SOP)? What if you’re refused? What if you’re approved, what next steps should you follow? And how to plan your immigration after you start your studies inside Canada?
Answer: Yes of course you can do the entire process on your own. And ‘No’ you don’t need any agent to process your application for the school or IRCC (i.e. the study permit application / visa processing)
Some education agents may push you towards a specific program or school in a region which you don’t really want to. It’s all about the commission they receive from the schools. Sure, everyone gets paid a commission from the schools, even us, but you must leave the choice up to the student – you!
From the time you apply to the school, receive the admission, and then apply for your study visa/permit, and receive a decision to come over to Canada – don’t estimate anything under 6 months. We start our student’s applications and admissions 10-12 months in advance in order to access the highest demand programs at the schools which fill up very quickly.
If you’re thinking about immigrating to Canada through studies, we are here to support you throughout the process. We have licensed immigration consultants that are willing to help. Get a FREE assessment with us if you want to study in Canada, click here.
Answer: Yes, under the Student Direct Stream (SDS) which is processed here in Edmonton Canada. The answer is ‘No’ to this question if you apply under the regular study permit application program (which is processed in the local embassy in your home country).
Answer: The lowest tuition fee out there in any PUBLIC college for an undergraduate diploma or certificate is approx. CAD$9,000 a year which is approx. 561,000 INR. The highest tuition you can find is approx. CAD $55,0000 a year which would be a branded top-notch master’s in business administration program in a recognized university. And of course, the average is $16,000 to $20,000 (Which is approx. 997,000 INR to 1,246,531.68 INR). This tuition depends on whether you are applying to a college, a university, if it’s an undergraduate program or it’s a very niche program, and the region/province where the school is located. There is a program for almost any tuition budget out there. We're only talking about public schools in this article because after graduation you can become eligible for a PGWP (Post-Graduate Work Permit), unlike private schools where you don’t have access to this post-graduation program.
Answer: You can download the checklist from the IRCC (Canadian government) website but here is a quick overview of what you really need:
*Besides needing your Letter of Acceptance from the school in Canada (hopefully unconditional), a valid passport, national ID, birth certificates, and completing all forms in the IRCC web portal, here are the supporting documents you may need (everything to be in either English or French, or officially translated):
*Proof of funds to support yourself in Canada (either yours or from a financial sponsor). You will need a notarized or attested financial sponsor letter.
*Proof of funds can include cash in the account, investments, and properties (yours, your parents, or any other financial sponsors).
*In case of applying under the Student Direct Stream: you will need the confirmed $10,000 GIC and proof of advance 1 year tuition paid in full to the Canadian school.
*Proof of language and other documents that prove that you meet the eligibility criteria of the program you have been accepted to. For example, under the Student Direct Stream, you need a minimum score of 6.0 in each band for any language score to be eligible in addition to meeting the minimum requirement of the program you have been accepted to.
*All previous educational transcripts and degree copies. If it’s either high school or maybe another post-secondary degree, you already did in your home country – this is required. Especially if you are doing a post-graduate program, the minimum requirement to meet the admission eligibility of that program may be previous studies which you need to provide.
*If you’re a mature student, you will need a resume of your professional history + existing proof of employment.
*And of course, everyone needs a “Statement of Purpose” or also known as a “Study Plan”, which outlines why you want to study in Canada and how it will help you in your future or existing career path and what your plans are after you graduate. Why did you pick Canada over other countries, especially your home country? Refer to previous YouTube study plan video where we explain the key factors to include and what not to include.
*Remember, each person’s profile and case are different, so you may need to add more supporting documents or less. No one case is ever the same. If you’re a fresh graduate in your 20s, applying is not complicated. If you’re a mature student with a big education gap, and no travel history, then you may encounter some obstacles. The key factor is ‘ties to your home country’ which prove that you will return after graduation in Canada.
Answer: If the student paid the tuition for the first year, they would need to show at least 10.000 CAD/ 616,268.10 Indian Rupees for your first year’s living expenses which can also be covered by the GIC if you are applying under the Student Direct Stream. Your parents or financial sponsors bank statements and investments/deposits can also cover this. For mature students do not expect to show the minimum amount of funds to get approved. You need to show much higher figures in terms of assets, etc. For younger students & fresh graduates, keep the minimum as a threshold and include assets from your parents such as properties and/or company shares. Keep in mind that your financial sponsors can be anywhere in the world, not just from your home country, and if you are in your 30’s then a financial sponsor for your studies could hurt your application if they are not your partner or spouse. Parents would not be really the best option for you as a mature student to mention them as your sole financial sponsors.
If you’re interested in studying in Canada, you’re at the right place! At INGWE, we have successfully supported applicants from +47 countries. Get a FREE assessment with one of our licensed immigration consultants, click here.
Answer: Like we mentioned before, minimum 6 months, but suggestion is 10-12 months to access all the best programs. Leave 3 months for your admission process, and minimum 3-4 months for your visa processing, and keep in mind about delays from schools responding, holidays in Canada, and what if you’re not accepted to the program of your choice. If you plan to apply for next September or summer intake period, you need to apply NOW! ASAP!
If you already have your Letter of Acceptance, when should you apply for your visa? The sooner the better. You need to allow a minimum of 3 months, but we suggest post-covid19 at least 4-5 months in advance before your classes start. Keep in mind that Master's and Graduate level studies in Universities have less intakes and you need to apply at least 1 year in advance (in most cases – not all).
Answer: Forget all the old processing times pre-covid19. You can throw them all out! We have not seen anything under 2-3 months for study permit application processing after the pandemic. Typically, 3-4 months average is a good number to work with. Do not expect faster processing if your classes are starting in a month and you haven’t applied yet to the embassy – they will not prioritize your case just because you applied late for whatever reason.
Answer: It used to be pre-covid19, with 2 weeks processing time. Now it’s 2-3 months at least. So the only reason you want to apply for the SDS program instead of the regular study permit stream is that the approval rate is 98% vs the regular stream which has higher refusals. The processing times are not an advantage anymore for SDS – which was the case before the year 2020.
Answer: There is no 100% right answer, but up to 2-3 months before your classes start is possible. If you’re worried, then just arrive 1 month in advance. Remember that the officer at the border wants to know if you have funds to support yourself and why you are arriving much earlier than your scheduled classes (if you’re coming in 3 months ahead of schedule). Make sure you have all supporting documents and refer to our YouTube video on the questions the Canadian border security officer will ask you on arrival, click here. And if you’re arriving late, make sure it’s not over 1-2 weeks and you have proof that you attended remotely and didn’t miss classes before your arrival.
Answer: Watch out for your education gap (i.e. the last time you graduated or completed any degree), travel history, your employment, and financial and family ties to your home country. Obviously, your chances are less than a fresh graduate who is 20 or 24 years old. If you’re over the age of 30, with an education gap of over 5 years and no travel history or employment, the risk of refusal is high. You can counter these with a valid Canadian or USA visa or a valid visa from the UK or Australia or New Zealand. And remember, you can convert literally anyone to a student inside Canada no matter what your age is, you just need a visitor visa.
Answer: If you are a fresh graduate between the ages of 16-22, your study plan or SOP is not the most significant document in your study permit application. If you’re a mature student, your study plan is extremely critical. If you are 22 to 27 and going for your Master’s or other graduate studies in Canada, then your SOP is also very important. Refer to our posted YouTube video where we talk about the Do’s and Dont’s in preparing and submitting your SOP or Study Plan for your studies in Canada, click here.
Answer: You can re-apply anytime, and any number of times – but you want to make sure you apply for the case officer refusal notes before you re-apply to understand their concerns so you can address these in the new application. Don’t re-apply blindly. You also have the option for Judicial Review which is the first step in Federal Court appeals for your study visa. Yes, you can appeal almost any type of immigration application in Canadian Federal Courts even if you’ve never stepped foot in the country.
Answer: Send your passport to the local VAC for the visa stamping (which allows you to enter Canada – and remember this is not your study permit), book your ticket, get your medical insurance if needed, and bring your Port of Entry introduction letter and all supporting documents to pick up your study permit at the border in Canada. Make sure you bring your prescription medications with you and a spare pair of prescription glasses since you may not have access to medical cover immediately when you arrive. Reach out to our office for a documented pre-arrival student guide for international students.
Answer: Make sure your school & program is eligible for a Post-Graduate Work Permit. We recommend BC, Ontario, or Newfoundland for Graduate level university students which allows them to apply for PR directly after graduation without a job offer or work experience. For other students, your best bet is the Express Entry program after graduating and using your PGWP to gain valuable Canadian work experience. Make sure you plan your studies and eventual PR in Canada in advance before you apply to the school for your studies. You need to reverse engineer your entire path to PR before you start the process. Don’t just apply for the sake of applying and coming here without knowing the exact steps you need to take for your conversion to PR after your studies.
Do you want to become a PR in Canada? At INGWE we could support you! Get a FREE assessment with one of our licensed immigration consultants. We speak over +8 languages, and we have helped applicants from +47 countries in their immigration path to Canada. Fill out our form, click here.
If you’re interested in studying in Canada, you’re at the right place! At INGWE, we have successfully supported applicants from +47 countries. Get a FREE assessment with one of our licensed immigration consultants, click here.
