The Canadian Study Permit Application Process for International Students
Planning your studies in Canada involves much more than simply selecting a program, institution, and location. Once this step is completed, one of the most important phases of an international student’s journey begins – applying for and receiving a Study Permit for studies in Canada – and it is important to ensure that this is done correctly to maximize your chances to study in Canada.
Study Permit applicants should always review the latest advice and guidance from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canadian government department responsible for study permits, before they submit their application. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) information is found at: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/eligibility.html.
When you apply for a Study Permit as an international student, you must provide the following documents:
- Your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from your Canadian Institution, like Algonquin College
- A Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)
- Proof of Identity
- Proof of Funds sufficient to cover tuition, living expenses, and travel to Canada
- School Receipt:
- TIP: Payment of full year tuition/fees to your institution before you submit your Study Permit application is an excellent way to demonstrate proof of funds. Payment of full year fees is strongly recommended by IRCC
- A letter explaining why you want to study in Canada
Algonquin College’s Study Permit Approval Rate
Success rates for study permit applications vary from country to country and, believe it or not, from institution to institution in Canada. According to IRCC, study permit application approval rate data provided to Canadian colleges and polytechnics through Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), Algonquin College, a research-intensive, publicly supported Polytechnic in Canada, has had one of the highest study permit approval rates in Canada in 2026, with our rate almost twice as high as the average for colleges in Ontario and across Canada.