Study Permit Renewals: FAQ

In your study permit application, you must include proof that you have enough money to pay for tuition and fees plus living expenses for one year of studies. If you are finishing your studies in less than one year, you must prove that you have enough money to pay for the remainder of your studies. For information on tuition and fees, see the Undergraduate Fee Calculator or the Graduate Fee Calculator.

In general, we recommend that students include the following documents to demonstrate sufficient financial capacity:

• Your 4 most recent bank statements and/or a recent bank letter indicating the balance in your account(s)
• The 4 most recent bank statements and/or a recent bank letter indicating the balance in the account(s) of the person helping to fund your studies. *If this is the case, you must also include a letter from the person, signed and dated, where the person undertakes to cover the costs associated with your studies.
• (If applicable) Recent proof of financial aid, scholarship, award, etc.
• (For graduate students, if applicable) A letter from your Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) or supervisor confirming any funding you are receiving. If you are paying reduced tuition (e.g. Quebec rate of tuition), this should be mentioned as well.
• If the above documents will not, on their own, fully cover the cost of your studies, you can supplement them with:
  • Proof of employment *Your own or from the person helping to fund your studies.
  • Recent pay stubs *Your own or from the person helping to fund your studies.
  • (If you are applying for the study permit in the middle of the term and you have already paid the term’s tuition) Proof that you paid tuition and fees – e.g. your Account Summary by Term (available on Minerva).

In order to return to Canada to resume your studies, you must have:

• A valid study permit or a Port of Entry Letter of Introduction from Immigration Canada confirming that your study permit application has been approved
• (Depending on your country of citizenship) A valid TRV or a valid eTA
• A valid CAQ
• A valid passport
• Proof of Enrolment
• Recent proof of financial capacity to pay for your studies
• Documents you included in your study permit application (just in case)

In order to return to Canada to engage in any study-related activities, you must have a study permit approval letter (Port of Entry Letter of Introduction) or a valid study permit.

We do not recommend that you travel to Canada until you have obtained the required documents to study in Canada.

If you decide to return to Canada without the required documents, you must be honest with the border officer regarding your situation and purpose of travel to Canada. The following scenarios are possible:

• You may be allowed to enter Canada as a visitor. If this happens, you are not authorized to study or work until you obtain your new study permit document at a Port of Entry (if you applied from outside of Canada) or your study permit is application is approved (if you applied from inside of Canada). *Studying or working without authorization can have serious consequences on future immigration applications and can, for example, result in a 6-month ban from applying for a permit or a 1-year exclusion order.
• You may be denied entry to Canada

You are not required to hold a valid study permit while you are outside of Canada.

Depending on your country of citizenship, you may also require a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). If you do not have a valid TRV or eTA, you may not be allowed to board your flight.

• If you still have a valid study permit and TRV/eTA, you can return to Canada with these documents before they expire and resume studying and working as per the conditions of your current study permit. “ You will benefit from the maintained status as a student as long as you enter Canada before your current study permit expires and remain in Canada until a decision is made on your new application to extend your study permit.”
• If your study permit has expired, you must have a study permit approval letter (Port of Entry Letter of Introduction) or a valid study permit in order to return to Canada to resume your studies. We do not recommend that you travel to Canada until you have obtained the required documents.

If you still have a valid study permit and TRV/eTA,

• You can return to Canada with your valid study permit and TRV/eTA before they expire; and

• Submit an inside Canada study permit extension application “Application to Change Conditions, Extend My Stay or Remain in Canada as a Student (IMM 5709)” before your current study permit expires.

If you apply to extend your study permit from inside Canada before it expires, you will benefit from the maintained status as long as you remain in Canada from the date your study permit expires until a decision is made on your application. This means you can resume studying and working as per the conditions of your current study permit while you have the maintained status.

If your SP and TRV/eTA are no longer valid, you must apply for a study permit from outside of Canada. You must have a study permit approval letter (Port of Entry Letter of Introduction) or a valid study permit in order to return to Canada to resume your studies. We do not recommend that you travel to Canada until you have obtained the required documents.

If you are an international student under the age of 17 and you need to renew your study permit, contact ISS for guidance.