Canada Student Visa Requirement 2025: Processing time, Fees and Eligibility

Darshan Shah

22 Jul 2024

A Study Permit is a Government of Canada document that certifies its holder's eligibility to study at Designated Learning Institutions in Canada. Very often, it becomes valid for the period of the academic program the student intends to be attending and 90 more days after completing these studies to prepare for the departure from Canada or applying for further extensions. The permit fee will be at least $150, though it may vary depending on the applicant's country of origin and other factors.

It is because of the high-class universities, culture, and standard of living that Canada has become the favorite destination for international students. With a very high scale of academic quality, it offers diverse programs and opens an extended space for students to fulfill their academic and professional goals.

A study permit is not a visa and does not, by itself, allow you to travel to or enter Canada. You will need to obtain a Study Permit, and in some cases, a TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) i.e. a visa stamp on the passport, in order to study in Canada, according to Canadian government requirements.

Things You Need to Know Before Coming to Canada

There are some key issues that you need to familiarize yourself with about the country before traveling to Canada. These include:

• Weather Conditions: Part of living life in Canada means facing the cold weather; thus, always bring warm clothes.
• Official Languages: Take note that English and French are the official languages. It would thus be beneficial to know either of them well.
• Federal Sales Tax: When you make purchases in Canada, a Federal Sales Tax will apply.
• Traffic Rules: Be aware of the Canadian rules of the road and the speed limits that are allowed if you plan on renting a car or bike.
• Healthcare Expenses: Canada can prove to be an expensive place for meeting healthcare needs. Consider getting sufficient travel medical insurance.

These would serve you in mobility and getting value for your time in Canada.

Let's Begin with the Eligibility Criteria/Requirements

To be eligible to study in Canada, you must fulfill the following requirements:

• Enroll at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
• Demonstrate sufficient funds to cover:

1.    Tuition fees
2.    Living expenses for yourself and any accompanying family members in Canada
3.    Return transportation costs for yourself and any accompanying family members

• Obey the Canadian laws, possess no criminal record, and obtain a police certificate if necessary.
• Maintain good health and undergo a medical examination if required.

List of Documents Required for a Canada International Student Visa 

One needs to complete the documents below and do the following to obtain a student visa:

• An acceptance letter from the DLI, which is a post-secondary education learning institution. Your school must provide you with a letter of acceptance (LOA). Include the original or electronic copy of your letter with your study permit application. 
• You must have your stay outside Canada when you apply.
• Proof of payment of your first year's tuition fees. You can provide any of the following documents as a proof: 
• An Entitlement Receipt issued by the DLI.
• An official letter from DLI confirming tuition fee payment.
• One original bank receipt showing tuition fee payment directly to DLI.
• Proof of the transfer of an amount for tuition fee to a repository account at the DLI, solely for future application as tuition fees.
• A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) meeting the requirements of the province or territory where you intend to study.
• Quebec Acceptance Certificate—If studying in Quebec, obtain the CAQ attestation from the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration.
• Medical examination—if required, obtain before application.

You will probably need to have a medical examination if:

•   You have lived in or visited certain countries or territories for six months or more in the 12 months before coming to Canada.
•   You want to study in or work in Canada.
• Police certificate—if required, obtain before application
• Your latest academic transcripts from secondary or post-secondary education
• Obtain the minimum score to pass a qualifying language test. Student visa in Canada without IELTS is possible because for the Langauge Proficiency Test, you can submit the results from any of the following Institutions:
•  IELTS - International English Language Testing System
• CELPIP - Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program
• PTE - Pearson Test of English
• TOFEL - Test Of English as a Foreign Language

A minimum score equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 is required in any of these exams.

• You may also be required to provide other documents depending on the visa office where you will submit your application.

What is a (GIC) Guaranteed Investment Certificate?

A Guaranteed Investment Certificate, commonly called a GIC, is a Canadian investment vessel that has a guaranteed interest rate for a specified period. Several banks offer various types of GICs. The bank with your Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) needs to:

• Verify that you have purchased a GIC with one of the following:
• A letter of attestation
• A GIC certificate
• An Investment Directions Confirmation
• An Investment Balance Confirmation Verify your identity before releasing the funds to you.
• Provide you cash in one of these options :
• Provide an up-front lump sum when you present your identity upon arrival in Canada.
• Enroll the balance in equal monthly or bi-monthly installments to you over 10-12 months.
• The GIC you buy must be kept inside an investment or student account and you will have access to it once you arrive in Canada.

Canada Visa Fee 

Here is a concise summary table detailing the Canada Visa Fees from India for various types of visas.

Reasons For a Refusal of Canada Visa Application

There are many reasons why your visa application for Canada can be refused, and some of them are as follows: 

1. The immigration officer suspects bigger chances of overstaying than the validity period of your visa.

2. You do not pass the requirements to be granted entrance to Canada for many reasons.

Unless there is a significant change in circumstances or reasons that led to the initial refusal, subsequent applications are unlikely to be approved.

Canada Student Visa Processing Time

Usually, the processing timings vary depending on the type of application, the documents submitted, and where are you applying from.

The current Canada Student Visa processing time is 4 weeks as of July 10th 2025, provided you are applying from India i.e. Outside Canada and you are applying for a Student Visa (Study Permit)

The processing time indicates the duration it took to process most fully completed applications in previous instances.

It does not include:

• The transit time for posting an application between a visa application center and their office.
• The time that you need to give your biometrics

Processing time will start the day they receive a complete application and end the day a decision is taken. Processing time may vary depending on how many applications they receive and how complex they get.

Check Out some of the top Colleges and Universities 

 if you are looking forward to study in Canada.

• University of Calgary
• Centennial College
• Lakehead University
• Conestoga College
• University of Guelph
• Seneca College

Conclusion

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