Canada manages to attract a steady volume of foreign students for higher education. A Canada student visa validates one to get admission to Universities or Colleges in Canada.
To get your own Canada student visa, you will have to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa that is provided by the High Commission of Canada. The visa also grants entry for dependents of a full-time student on a Canada study visa. VFS Global Services is the designated Visa Application Centers through which the study permits are issued.
Study permit for higher education in Canada
A study permit for higher education allows any foreign students to study in Canada for the entire duration of course. Students on Canada student visa are expected to get admission in Designated Learning Institutions only.
In order to be eligible for a Canada student visa, students will have to fulfill the following criteria:
- Proof of financial resources to pay tuition fees & cover all your living expenses.
- Students are expected to have no legal cases or criminal records against them.
- A medical certificate proving that you are healthy to travel.
- You are required to leave Canada immediately at the end of your study course. However, you may find a suitable job in Canada relevant to your educational qualifications for which a post-study work permit visa is required.
Furthermore, you can check eligibility for immigration to Canada for higher education through thisfree assessment form.
Documents required to apply for a Canada Student Visa
Most students prefer Universities or Colleges that follows the September intake. Therefore the ideal time to apply for a Canada Student Visa would be around the month of June. Keep the following documents ready before you take an appointment at one of the nearest VFS Global Centres.
| Valid Passport | Make sure that the validity duration of your Passport is well beyond the intended stay in Canada. |
| Proof of Acceptance by chosen University or College | Make sure that University or College in Canada which you had applied for admission is recognized by the Immigration Department. Submit a letter of acceptance at the time of applying for a Canada student visa. |
| English Language Proficiency test score | English Language proficiency score from exams like TOEFL, IELTS, etc. is valid to apply for a Canada student visa. |
| Proof of Funds | It is required to submit proof of financial resources covering tuition fees, living expenses as well as return travel expenses while applying for Canada student visa. This is done to discourage financial dependency of immigrants to Canada.The average cost of living in Canada each year could go up to $10,000. |
| Passport Size Photographs | For the offline application of Canada student visa: Two formal passport-size photographs, not older than 6 months.For online application of Canada student visa: Digital copy should not be more than 4MB in size. |
| Medical Examination Certificate | Booking for medical examination has to be made at least one week before the appointment for the Canada student visa application.Medical test results are sent directly to the visa application authorities. |
| Statement of Purpose | Includes your purpose to choose Canada as a study destination and reason to choose a particular University or College. |
Typically, an application for a Canada student visa takes about 60 days to process whereas under the Study Direct Stream (SDS) it takes about 45 days to complete the process. Aspiring students can apply through both online or offline modes. However, candidates will have to mandatorily visit the Visa Application Centre to submit their passport.
Online application fees of Canada student visa is to be paid only through a credit card. The successful submission of the documents is followed by a round of personal interviews.
Study Direct Stream (SDS)
Getting a Canada student visa for students from Asian countries such as India, China Vietnam & Phillippines is made easy and simple through the SDS category. It shortens the Canada student visa processing time from 60 days to 45 days, opens up more courses and colleges to choose.
Possible reasons for the rejection of Canada Study Visa
The popular myth is that students with backlogs fail to get a study visa to Canada whereas Canadian Universities accept a maximum of 5 backlogs for under-graduate courses and a maximum of 7-8 backlogs is allowed for postgraduate courses. Hence, the factors that may lead to possible rejection of Canada student visa are:
- Being financially unstable: Your inability to convince the authorities on the proof of funds for tuition fees, living expenses may lead to rejection of Canada student visa application.
- Poor academic performance: For a Canada student visa, you need to have academic scores well-above the prescribed limit of chosen University or College.
- Below threshold Language Proficiency test score: scores above the prescribed band in exams like IELTS, TOEFL is mandatory for securing Canada student visa.
- Change of study program: You may be questioned and possibly rejected if your educational background or work experience does not correlate with the chosen study program.
- Permanent stay is not allowed: If you had indicated plans for permanent stay in your student visa application, then it is more likely to be rejected. A Canada student visa is only a temporary resident visa and due process has to be followed for permanently staying in Canada.
There may be more than one reason for the rejection of the study permit. It is best to fix an appointment with a professional Canada education consultant and reapply your student visa to Canada. Immigration consultants help you evaluate your previously rejected visa and suggest corrective steps to apply for a new Canada student visa.