Canada is widely preferred as a top destination for many international students. However, before you can study in Canada, you need to get a student visa. This process is not complicated, but there are some steps that you need to follow.
These steps are explained in a detailed manner in this article.
Canadian Student VISA – Requirements
The first thing you should do is to check with the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate whether or not you fulfill the requirements for a student visa. You can also consult Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration website for more information about these requirements.
Generally speaking, the following are the general requirements for a student visa:
– You should have a college degree or have completed certain academic requirements for your country’s university system.
– Obtain an original document that shows your nationality or race.
– You must be 18 years old or older when you apply for a student visa.
– You must show proof of financial support from your family and/or from sources outside yourself.
– You must have proof that you have enough funds to pay for your fees, tuition, and living expenses.
– You must undergo a medical examination in order to show that you are healthy.
– The travel document you will use for traveling to Canada must be valid for at least six months after you enter the country. If your passport will expire within six months of entering Canada, then you should provide proof that it can be renewed or replaced prior to the date of your arrival in the country.
– You must be attending an eligible educational institution and have an admission letter from the institution in hand.
These are the major eligibility requirements to get a student visa.
How To Apply For A Canadian Student VISA
If you meet the requirements and have saved enough money for your stay, then it’s time to proceed with the application process. These are the necessary steps that you need to follow:
Step 1: Get an acceptance letter
You must receive a formal letter of acceptance from an educational institution or a university in Canada. This letter will contain the name of your institution and the courses you will be studying, as well as the information about your living arrangement – whether you can stay in Canada on a part-time basis, or whether you are allowed to remain in the country for the entire duration of your study.
Step 2: Apply for a study permit
Once you get the acceptance letter from the University, you can proceed to apply for the study permit using the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website or you visit the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate. This process will require your admission letter and proof of financial support.
Step 3: Student visa documentation
It is imperative that you bring your original passport with you when you visit the embassy or consulate. You will also need to provide the requirements mentioned earlier with a letter of intent, proof of payment for the study permit (150 CAD), and 2 recent passport photographs.
Step 4: Proof of English Skills
You will also need to show proof that you have sufficient English language skills if you come from a non-English speaking country. Canadian universities will require you to submit IELTS or TOEFL.
Step 5: Biometrics and Interview
Depending on your country, it might be required to take your fingerprints at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) with another 85 CAD. After this, you might have to also do a short interview depending on your application situation.
How long does the process take?
For this, it really depends on the efficiency of the Canadian embassy or consulate you want to apply with. It might take less than a quarter or sometimes more than one quarter. It all depends on their workload and how busy they are.
As a general rule, the process would take about three months in most cases. Unfortunately, we could not include times for all countries because there are too many applications coming from different countries. But we can give you an approximation of what the process would be like in your country.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has provided you with enough information on how to apply for a student visa. Getting a visa is not as complicated as many people think it is. If you follow the steps in the article, you should be able to get your visa without any problems.
