How to Apply

CAQ Requirement: As of January 1st 2026, incoming graduate students (Master's and PhD) will no longer need a PAL for their study permit application. However, they are still required to obtain a CAQ.

The instructions given here are only for the application process via the IRCC Secure Account (Online Application).

1. Fill out the Check your eligibility questionnaire.

   • To access the questionnaire, register for an IRCC Secure Account. Scroll down to Start an Application and click on Apply to come to Canada. You should then be directed to the questionnaire. *If you already have an IRCC Secure Account, sign-in using your GCKey or Sign-in Partner.
   • At the end of the questionnaire, you will be provided with your Document Checklist and a personal reference code (save this).

   Sample Questions & Explanations (Check your eligibility questionnaire)

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   Do you have a provincial or territorial attestation letter or meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter?

   • “YES, I have a provincial or territorial attestation letter” if you are an undergraduate student. Your CAQ acts as your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).
   • “YES, I meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter” if you are a Master’s or PhD student. NOTE: As of January 1st, 2026, incoming Master's and PhD students will be exempt from the PAL requirement. Master's and PhD students will continue to require a CAQ.

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   Is work an essential component of your studies?

   • Most students should answer NO.
   • Answer YES, only if you are in a program that has a mandatory student work placement (internship/stage/field work). If your program includes a mandatory student work placement, your department or faculty has likely already provided you with a work placement support letter.

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   Have you had a medical exam performed by an IRCC authorized panel physician (doctor) within the last 12 months?

   Answer "Yes" only if you have completed a medical exam for Canadian immigration purposes within the last 12 months – also called an upfront medical exam. You should complete an upfront medical exam  if you are required to do a student work placement in a job in which public health must be protected as part of your program.

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   Have you visited or lived in any one of the designated countries for 6 consecutive months in the last year?

   • Review the list of countries that require a medical exam.
   • Answer YES if you have visited or lived in a country that require a medical exam for 6 months or more in a row in the last year.

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2. Complete the Application for a Study Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1294)

   1. The “Application for a Study Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1294)” is a PDF form that is included in the Document Checklist.
   2. For instructions on how to download and complete the IMM 1294 form, see IRCC’s webpage.
   3. If you are having trouble opening the IMM1294 form, see IRCC’s Help Centre.

   Sample Questions & Explanations (IMM 1294 form)

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   UCI (universal client identification number)

   • 8 to 10 digit “Unique Client Identifier”. It looks like this: 0000-0000 or 00-0000-0000.
   • If you have never applied for an immigration document from Immigration Canada (IRCC), then you do not have a UCI number and should leave this part blank.

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   McGill University Address

   845 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Quebec, H3A 0G4

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   McGill University Designated Learning Institution (DLI) number

   O19359011033

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   Duration of expected study

   • For the “From” date, indicate the first day of courses. See Key Academic Dates for details. If your starting term does not yet appear, see Future dates for information on upcoming term.
   • For the end date, indicate the end date you included in your CAQ application – i.e., an end date that reflects the approximate duration of your entire degree or program of studies. For example:
     • Undergraduate degree: Maximum 4 years
     • PhD degree: Duration of your program
     • Master's Thesis degree: Duration of your program
     • Master's Non-thesis degree: Duration of your program
   • If approved, your study permit will be issued to your CAQ expiry date or your passport expiry date – whichever date comes first – even if your expected end date of studies is beyond those dates.
   • For example, Undergraduate degree students admitted to Fall 2026:
     • Start date : August 31, 2026
     • End date : August 31, 2030

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   The cost of my studies will be:

   • Tuition = Total tuition and fees for your first year of studies. Refer to McGill's Fee Calculator. If you are a graduate student, you can refer to your departmental offer letter for tuition and fees information (if your department has provided you with this information). NOTE: If McGill has not yet released the Fee Calculator for your admission year/term, you can provide an approximate amount based on expected increases.
   • Room and Board or Other = Indicate your estimated living expenses for your first year of studies. The amount should be at least the minimum required amount for one year of living expenses in Quebec (also called “basic needs”) plus roundtrip travel from your country of origin. You can indicate an amount for living expenses in the "Room and Board" section and leave the "Other" section blank (or divide your living expenses between the two sections). 
   • Total Cost = Tuition + Room and Board and/or Other

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   Funds available for my stay:

   •  Indicate the amount of funds available to you as per your financial capacity documents.
   • This amount should be equal or greater to the sum of the amounts you indicated in your “Tuition” and “Room and Board”/ “Other” sections, i.e. the Total Cost.

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   My expenses in Canada will be paid by:

   • Indicate who will be paying for your studies in Canada.
   • If you will be receiving loans, bursaries, scholarships or other funding from McGill or any other institution, select “Myself” in the drop-down menu. 
   • NOTE: You are required to prove that you have sufficient financial capacity for only the first twelve months of your studies.

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3. Employment Section:
   1. Do not leave this section blank.
   2. If you have no work history, indicate your studies or activities for the past 10 years.
   3. Do not leave any time gaps in this section.
   4. If you run out of space, include additional information in a document that you can upload in the Optional Documents - Client Details section of your Document Checklist.

4. Collect all of the supporting documents listed on your personalized "Document Checklist"

   1. See our Required Documents page for more information about each required document.
   2. In addition to your Document Checklist, consult the Visa Office Instructions Guide for your region. If additional documents are required that do not appear on your "Document Checklist", merge them into one file and upload in the Optional Documents - Client Details section of your Document Checklist.

5. Pay the required fees and submit the application

   1. The application processing fee is $150 CAD and must be paid online using a credit card. You may also be required to pay the Biometrics fee of $85 CAD.
   2. Take a screenshot of the payment confirmation screen as proof of payment.

6. Obtain your study permit approval letter and travel document

   1. When your study permit application is approved, you will receive a study permit approval letter (Port of Entry Letter of Introduction), through your IRCC secure account.
   2. Depending on your country of citizenship, you will receive either an electronic travel authorization (eTA) linked to your passport or you will be asked to mail your passport to the Visa Office in order to get a temporary resident visa (TRV/visitor visa).
   3. Before travelling to Canada, print a copy of your POE Letter of Introduction. You will need to present this letter to the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) Officer upon arrival in Canada in order to obtain your actual study permit.
   4. Before you leave the immigration hall, verify that your name, date of birth, and gender are all correct on your document and that you have "on-campus and off-campus" work provisions under the “Remarks” section at the bottom.

7. Upload copies of your CAQ and study permit to McGill

   1. After you arrive in Canada, send copies of your valid CAQ and study permit to McGill’s Legal Documents.

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