Study Permit Documents Checklist

Canada Study Permit Document Checklist

Most foreign nationals applying for a study permit need several core documents, but there is no single document package that is identical for every applicant. Your required evidence depends on your program, province or territory, country of application, immigration history, family circumstances and whether a particular requirement or exemption applies to you.

IRCC's online application system creates a personalized document checklist based on the answers you provide. You should also review the applicable local visa office instructions before submitting the application.

1. Letter of Acceptance from a DLI

Your Canadian school normally provides the letter of acceptance, commonly called an LOA. You upload it in the designated LOA field of the online study permit application.

The institution must be a designated learning institution where the proposed studies require DLI status. For post-secondary applications, acceptance is also subject to confirmation by the DLI through IRCC's verification process.

Under IRPR 219, a study permit generally cannot be issued for a post-secondary program unless the named DLI confirms to the Minister that it accepted the applicant to the course or program identified in the application.

For a detailed explanation, see Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for a Canada Study Permit .

2. Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter

Most applicants who are subject to the study permit cap must provide a provincial attestation letter or territorial attestation letter, commonly called a PAL or TAL.

The province or territory where you plan to study issues the attestation. In practice, applicants should contact their DLI for instructions on how to obtain it.

If you need a PAL or TAL, IRCC instructs you to submit it with the study permit application rather than after submission.

If you are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement

You should provide evidence demonstrating that the exemption applies. The absence of a PAL/TAL should not be left unexplained where the online checklist would otherwise expect one.

Current exemptions include certain preschool, primary and secondary students and, since January 1, 2026, applicants to degree-granting master's or doctoral programs at public DLIs, along with other categories specified by IRCC.

See PAL/TAL for Canada Study Permits for the current rules and exemptions.

3. Proof of Identity

You and each accompanying family member must provide acceptable proof of identity.

For an online application, IRCC generally requires a copy of the information page of a valid passport or travel document. The passport details in the application should match the document exactly.

IRCC's document instructions also identify two recent passport-size photographs, with the person's name and date of birth written on the back, as part of the proof-of-identity requirements. The actual upload or collection method depends on the application process being used.

Passport validity matters

A study permit generally cannot be issued beyond the validity of the passport or travel document, subject to limited regulatory exceptions. Applicants with a passport that will expire during the proposed study period should consider the practical effect before applying.

U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents have specific identity-document rules. A U.S. lawful permanent resident must travel with valid proof of U.S. permanent resident status and an appropriate passport or equivalent travel document.

4. Proof of Financial Support

Financial evidence is a core part of a study permit application.

Under IRPR 220, the applicant must have sufficient and available financial resources, without working in Canada, to pay:

• tuition for the proposed course or program;
• living expenses for the applicant and accompanying family members; and
• transportation to and from Canada for the applicant and accompanying family members.

Examples of financial documents

Depending on how your studies are being financed, useful evidence may include:

• bank statements;
• proof of a Canadian bank account where funds have been transferred to Canada;
• a Guaranteed Investment Certificate;
• proof of tuition or housing payments;
• a student or education loan;
• scholarship or funding documentation;
• employment and income evidence;
• evidence of financial support from another person or institution;
• pension documentation; or
• evidence of rental income or other legitimate income sources.

Bank statements and source of funds

IRCC's current guidance identifies bank statements for the past six months, including the month the application is submitted or the preceding month, as one example of financial evidence. It also states that the documentation should show the source of income reflected in the statements.

This is important because IRCC does not assess only the final account balance. Current guidance states that the amount, source and availability of the funds are assessed.

Current living-expense minimum

For applications submitted on or after September 1, 2026, one applicant studying outside Quebec must currently demonstrate at least CAN$23,448 for first-year living expenses, in addition to tuition and transportation.

For a program lasting longer than one year, IRCC requires evidence of sufficient resources for the first year and information showing how the applicant plans to finance the full duration of the studies.

See Proof of Funds for a Canada Study Permit for the complete financial requirements.

5. Letter of Explanation

IRCC recommends including a letter of explanation with a study permit application.

IRCC states that the letter should explain why you want to study in Canada and demonstrate that you understand your responsibilities as an international student.

In practice, the usefulness of the letter depends on the circumstances of the file. It can provide context for the proposed studies and explain matters that are not clear from the application forms and supporting documents alone.

What a useful explanation may address

Depending on the case, relevant subjects can include:

• why the particular program was selected;
• how it relates to previous education or professional experience;
• the applicant's educational and career objectives;
• an apparent change in field or level of study;
• a significant study or employment gap;
• the financing arrangement;
• previous immigration history; and
• any material fact that could otherwise appear inconsistent or unexplained.

6. Academic Documents

Academic records are not listed by IRCC as an identical universal document requirement for every study permit application, but they may be required by the personalized checklist or local visa office instructions and can be relevant evidence in many applications.

Depending on the applicant's history and proposed program, the package may include:

• diplomas and degrees;
• transcripts;
• certificates;
• current enrolment records;
• language test results where relevant; and
• other evidence of prior education or training.

These records can help establish the applicant's educational history and provide context for the proposed course of study.

7. Employment and Professional Documents

Employment documents may be relevant where the applicant relies on professional history to explain the proposed studies, where employment income is part of the financial evidence, or where the personalized or local checklist requires them.

Depending on the circumstances, useful records may include:

• employment letters;
• pay statements;
• employment contracts;
• business registration documents;
• professional licences or certificates; and
• other evidence supporting the employment history declared in the application.

Dates, positions and other material information should be consistent with the application forms and the applicant's immigration history.

8. Immigration Medical Examination

Some study permit applicants need an immigration medical examination. The requirement depends on factors such as the proposed length of stay, residence or travel history and the type of work the student may undertake in Canada.

Where an immigration medical examination is required, it must be completed by an IRCC-approved panel physician.

If you complete an upfront medical examination, retain and submit the document or information provided by the panel physician as instructed by IRCC.

See Study Permit Medical Exam for the circumstances in which an examination may be required.

9. Police Certificates

A police certificate is not necessarily required upfront in every study permit application.

IRCC may ask an applicant to provide one. IRCC advises applicants who believe they may need a police certificate to apply for it as early as possible.

The requirements and procedure for obtaining a police certificate vary by country or territory. Applicants should follow IRCC's country-specific police certificate instructions rather than assuming that a local criminal-record document is automatically the correct document.

10. Documents for Minor Students

Minor children may need additional documentation, particularly where they will study in Canada without a parent or legal guardian.

IRCC states that children under 17 who come to Canada without a parent or legal guardian must have a custodian in Canada. A custodian is a responsible adult who will care for and support the child while the child is in Canada.

Depending on the circumstances, documents can include custodianship declarations, birth certificates, parental authorization and other records demonstrating the child's care and travel arrangements.

For students who are 17 or older but have not reached the age of majority in the applicable province or territory, an officer may still request a custodian based on the circumstances.

11. Documents for Students Studying in Quebec

Students who intend to study in Quebec generally have an additional provincial immigration requirement.

Under IRPR 216(3), where Quebec law requires a foreign national to hold a Certificat d'acceptation du Québec, commonly called a CAQ, a study permit cannot be issued without it.

For the federal study permit application, IRCC currently instructs Quebec students to provide the attestation of issuance of the CAQ.

Most students who are exempt from the federal PAL/TAL requirement but intend to study in Quebec must still obtain a CAQ unless a Quebec exemption applies.

Quebec also has its own financial requirements. Applicants studying in Quebec should therefore not use the federal living-expense table for other provinces and territories as a substitute for the applicable Quebec requirements.

See Study Permit for Quebec: CAQ and Study Permit Requirements .

12. Documents for Accompanying Family Members

If a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child is applying to accompany the student, each family member must meet the requirements for the immigration status they are requesting.

Depending on the family member's application, supporting documents may include:

• passports or travel documents;
• marriage certificates;
• evidence of a common-law relationship;
• birth certificates;
• proof of financial support;
• medical examination information;
• biometrics where required; and
• documents supporting the particular visitor, study permit or work permit application.

The principal student's admission does not automatically give accompanying family members a particular immigration status or work authorization.

13. Country-Specific and Visa Office Documents

One of the most important parts of preparing the application is checking whether IRCC requires additional documents for the country or territory from which you are applying.

IRCC expressly states that additional documents may be required based on the local visa office. Applicants applying outside their country of citizenship may also need evidence of their legal immigration status in the country from which they apply.

If the country that issued your passport or travel document requires a re-entry permit, IRCC states that you must obtain it before applying for the Canadian visa where applicable.

14. Translations and Non-English or French Documents

Documents submitted to IRCC that are not in English or French must meet IRCC's translation requirements.

Applicants should follow the current IRCC instructions applicable to translations, translator declarations or affidavits and copies of the original-language documents.

Do not upload only an informal English summary of an important foreign-language document. The translated material should correspond to the underlying document and satisfy the applicable IRCC requirements.

15. How to Prepare Documents for the Online Application

Study permit applications are generally submitted online. The system creates document fields based on the applicant's answers.

Before uploading documents:

• make sure scans are complete and readable;
• include all relevant pages of multi-page documents;
• check that names, dates and numbers can be read clearly;
• use the correct document field;
• combine related pages logically where a field permits only one upload;
• ensure translated documents include the required accompanying material; and
• review the final uploaded files before submitting the application.

Client Information field

The Client Information field can be important where supporting evidence or an explanation does not have its own dedicated upload field.

For example, IRCC currently instructs an applicant relying on a PAL/TAL exemption to upload evidence of that exemption in the Client Information field where appropriate.

However, the Client Information field should not become an unstructured collection of irrelevant documents. Additional material should have a clear purpose in the application.

For the complete submission process, see How to Apply for a Study Permit in Canada: Step-by-Step .

Common Study Permit Document Mistakes

Submitting the checklist without proving the requirement

Uploading a document does not necessarily establish the fact it is intended to prove. The evidence must be sufficiently clear, credible and relevant to the requirement.

Providing a bank balance without explaining the source

IRCC currently assesses both the amount and source of funds. A recent unexplained deposit can therefore create a different evidentiary issue from long-standing savings supported by a clear income history.

Uploading unrelated documents in the LOA field

IRCC specifically warns applicants to upload only the LOA in the LOA-specific field because documents uploaded there may be disclosed to the DLI during verification.

Ignoring the local visa office instructions

The generic IRCC checklist does not necessarily capture every local requirement applicable to a particular applicant.

Leaving contradictions unexplained

Employment dates, education history, family information, financial evidence and previous immigration information should be reviewed together. Material inconsistencies should be corrected or properly explained before submission.

Sending excessive irrelevant evidence

More pages do not automatically make an application stronger. Supporting documents should be relevant, organized and connected to the facts or requirements they are intended to establish.

Study Permit Documents FAQs

What documents are mandatory for a Canada study permit?

Core documents generally include an LOA, proof of identity and proof of financial support. A PAL or TAL is required in most cases unless an exemption applies. Other documents depend on the applicant's circumstances.

Do I need a letter of explanation?

IRCC recommends a letter explaining why you want to study in Canada and showing that you understand your responsibilities as an international student. The appropriate scope of the letter depends on the individual application.

How many months of bank statements should I provide?

IRCC's current proof-of-funds guidance lists bank statements for the past six months, including the month of application or the preceding month, as one example of financial evidence. The guidance also calls for documentation showing the source of the income reflected in those statements.

Do I need to provide every type of financial document?

No. IRCC expressly states that its examples are not an exhaustive list and that applicants do not need to submit every listed type of evidence. They must provide enough evidence to demonstrate that the financial requirements are met.

Is proof of tuition payment enough?

No. Tuition payment can be useful evidence, but IRPR 220 also requires sufficient resources for living expenses and transportation. IRCC specifically states that proof of first-year tuition and housing payments must be accompanied by evidence covering the remaining required costs.

Do I need a PAL or TAL?

Most applicants do, but important exemptions exist. If you rely on an exemption, provide evidence establishing that you qualify for it.

Do master's and PhD students need a PAL or TAL?

Starting January 1, 2026, applicants to degree-granting master's or doctoral programs at public DLIs are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement. Quebec's separate provincial requirements, including the CAQ where required, still need to be considered.

Do I always need a police certificate?

No. IRCC may request a police certificate in applicable cases. Applicants should follow the country-specific instructions if one is required.

Can IRCC ask for more documents after I apply?

Yes. IRCC may request additional information or documents during processing. Applicants should monitor their online account and contact information after submission.