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27 May 2021

How to Get a Student Visa for Canada?

How to Get a Student Visa for Canada?

To learn abroad will be a dream of many. Getting educated abroad has several advantages including exposure to new learning methods, better career opportunities and possibilities of earning along with learning. With all these added benefits, overseas education is one of the top priorities on your bucket list. 

Being a country that welcomes immigrants, Canada makes an ideal choice to pursue higher education. However, getting a student visa might be concerning. This piece of information will help you know more about how to get a student visa for Canada. 

Steps to Get a Student Visa for Canada

1. Apply and Receive the Acceptance Letter from a Canadian University 

To start with, you will need to apply to a Canadian University and receive their acceptance letter. It is only after that you will be able to apply for a student visa. So beforehand, research the best universities in Canada and finalise the one you really want to apply to. 

2. Check if you are eligible for conditions that let you in without a Student Visa

Not every student who applies to universities in Canada needs to get a student visa to migrate. There are certain conditions where you can learn in Canada without having a student visa. You need not really bother about applying and getting a student visa if you are a family or staff member of a foreign representative in Canada, who is accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada.

A student who is applying for a course with a duration of fewer than 6 months also need not worry about getting a student visa. 

A member of foreign armed forces from the Visiting Forces Act or a citizen of another country with an Indian status registered in Canada are also eligible to study in Canada without a student visa. 

So check out if you are included in any of these categories. If you stay away from all these then move on to the next step of applying for a student visa.

3. Apply for a Canadian Student Visa

Once you receive your university acceptance and find yourself ineligible for the concession, the next step is to apply for your Canadian study permit. To get your study permit you need to follow some steps.

  • Apply online for your Canadian study permit, on the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada(CIC) before you arrive.

  • In case of limited network facilities, send your visa application documents via post.

  • Then you need to submit an acceptance letter from a learning institute recognized by the Canadian Government. 

  • Provide the proofs showing that you have no criminal records

  • Present the medical certificate to show that you are in good health. 

In normal cases, your student visa expires 90 days after your course completion. However, there are exceptions if there is a course extension or a university switch. 

4. Prepare Your Documents 

There are certain important documents that you need to prepare while applying for a study permit in Canada. 

  • Filled-in student permit application form and the original letter of acceptance from the university.

  • Except for students from the USA, all others need to present their passport.

  • Two passport size photographs specifying name and date of birth on the back

  • A financial statement proving you have the required amount of money to support you during your course period. This is an amount of 10,000 and 11,000 CAD per year.

  • A letter of intent and proof that you have paid the student visa fees. 

  • If you plan to study in Quebec, you will also need a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec, English and French translations of your document, a statement from the translator and a certified copy of the original documents 

5 Language requirements

Unless you are from an English speaking country, the Canadian Government demands to present proof of English language proficiency. 

Language tests like IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and C1 Advanced are accepted. 

6. Biometric appointment and interview

Depending on the countries, some will have to visit the visa application centre to get their biometric done. Some countries are excluded from this and students from that place need not get into this step. Depending on your individual situation, you might also be called for an interview.

In normal cases, your visa will be processed in 90 days or less. Applicants from countries like China, India, Morocco, Pakistan, The Philippines, Senegal and Vietnam can use the Student Direct Stream to get their visa processed faster. 

Make sure that you have completed all these steps promptly as a slight mistake in any of these would affect your study in Canada dreams. Cross-check if you have submitted all the required documents. If you find any kind of difficulty or confusion, take help from experts. 

Apachia study abroad consultants will help you in all your paths for getting a study visa for Canada and makes your paths easier to achieve. Contact us to know more!