Studying in Canada is one of the major aspirations for immigrants coming into the country. There are different avenues foreigners make use of when immigrating to Canada, one of which is an application to study in Canada.
Some go through the route of Express Entry, but whichever the case, Canada has known to attract immigrants from around the globe. There are more than 250,000 job applications and over 300,000 student applications each year in Canada.
Canada as a country is home to one of the most stable economies in recent times and its houses major tourist centers and businesses. Its educational sector rivals any other country in the world. The University of Toronto in Canada is said to be one of the best Universities in the world.
This is why students and applicants are striving for a chance to pursue their academic careers in Canada. In this article, you would come to understand everything about applying for a study in Canada, the requirements and tips you need to know to succeed in your pursuit.
Check your Eligibility Status
Checking your eligibility status before going forward with your student visa application is important in order to save yourself time and effort. You have to find out if you are eligible to travel to Canada let alone study in the country.
We have heard of people being blacklisted from traveling to Canada without their knowledge, probably because of a damaged record in the home country or a felony committed which has tainted their record of some sort.
The bottom line is to get all this out of the way before beginning your Student Visa application process to study in Canada.
A Student Visa/Study Permit
Coming to study in Canada requires you to have certain things one of which is a student visa or study permit. A Canadian study permit allows you to study in Canada for a given period, after which it becomes annulled after your academic study period usually between 4-5 years.
How to Apply
The question now is how do you get a student visa? There are protocols to follow when applying for a student visa. Due to the disruptions related to COVID-19, there have been some changes in the application for a student visa.
If you live in China, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, or Vietnam, you can apply for your student visa faster using the Student Direct Stream.
For other countries, you can apply using this link. There are things and documents you would need during your application process.
Apply Online
To go through the route of online application, you must have the following:
- Access to a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your document to upload and
- A valid credit card to pay with
Start your application now.
Apply on Paper
In this section, we are going to go over some little details you need to know before and when you are applying for a student visa on paper. This guide in the article is not a legal definition of any sort, and it is advisable to do your research even before beginning your application process.
Before applying whether online or on paper, you must first get an acceptance letter from a DLI (Distant learning Institute). A DLI is basically a university that offers admissions to international applicants from other countries.
It is usually an official letter having the school logo and a few other details like the tuition fees and starting date which would be used to register for your student visa. Once you have the application letter, you can then complete and submit an application for a study permit.
Below are some of the requirements needed to get a study permit:
- You must meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)
- You must be able to assure the Canadian authorities that you would be leaving the country after your studies
- No criminal record of any kind
- Good medical report
- Must remain to enroll through your duration of studies or risk getting your student visa annulled by the Canadian authorities.
Citizens of certain countries may require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). TRV is an official document issued by an officer that is placed in your passport to show that you have met the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident.
After going through all these, you can then prepare your application package. You need to select the country or region you are applying from in order to get your local visa office instructions.
Further Tips
One thing to take note of in order to improve your chances of getting admission into any university in Canada is research. Make sure you focus on applying to the university that suits your needs and one in which you would be able to study your choice of program.
You should also consider scholarship options, some universities offer grants or scholarships to international students. These grants are automatically given to every applicant who applies during a certain period or a particular program or course. This can be an opportunity for you to receive funding for your studies in Canada.
