Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for a Canada Study Permit
A letter of acceptance confirms that a Canadian designated learning institution has accepted you into a course or program of study. For most study permit applications, the LOA is a core document, and post-secondary DLIs must also verify acceptance directly with IRCC.
What Is a Letter of Acceptance?
A letter of acceptance, commonly called an LOA, is a document issued by a Canadian educational institution confirming that it has accepted a student into a course or program of study.
For a Canadian Study Permit Canada: Complete Guide , the acceptance document connects the study permit application to the school and program the applicant intends to attend.
An LOA does not itself give a foreign national permission to study in Canada. It is evidence of admission. The applicant must still qualify for the study permit and satisfy the other applicable immigration requirements.
Being admitted by a Canadian school does not mean that IRCC has approved your study permit. Admission is one part of the immigration process, not the immigration decision itself.
Do You Need an LOA for a Study Permit?
In general, yes. IRCC's current study permit instructions identify the letter of acceptance from the school as an application document that is normally required.
Section 219 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations establishes the legal acceptance requirement.
For an application naming a post-secondary DLI, the institution must confirm to the Minister that it accepted the foreign national to the course or program identified in the study permit application.
In other cases, the applicant must provide written documentation from the designated learning institution confirming acceptance.
Limited family-member exception
IRPR 219 also contains a limited exception for a foreign national applying for a study permit before entering Canada who is an accompanying family member of a foreign national whose study permit or work permit application was approved in writing before entry to Canada.
This is a specific regulatory exception and should not be treated as a general exemption from school admission requirements.
Your Letter of Acceptance Must Be from a DLI
A post-secondary student should confirm that the school issuing the LOA is a designated learning institution (DLI).
A DLI is a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students.
IRCC maintains the official list of post-secondary DLIs. The list identifies the institution, DLI number, province or territory, city and campus information.
The DLI number should correspond with the school identified in the study permit application.
An admission offer from a school does not automatically establish that the institution is eligible to host international students. Post-secondary applicants should verify the school on IRCC's current DLI list.
See Designated Learning Institutions (DLI) in Canada for the separate DLI requirements.
What Should You Check on Your LOA?
Before submitting the study permit application, compare the LOA carefully with the information entered in the application.
Depending on the institution and program, the letter may contain information such as:
- the student's name;
- the name of the institution;
- the DLI number;
- the campus or study location;
- the course or program of study;
- the level of study;
- the expected start date;
- the expected duration or completion date;
- tuition information; and
- any conditions attached to the offer of admission.
The details in the application should accurately reflect the applicant's actual admission and intended studies.
If there is a significant error or inconsistency, the applicant should normally resolve it with the institution rather than knowingly submit conflicting information.
How Does IRCC Verify a Letter of Acceptance?
Post-secondary LOA verification is now a formal part of Canada's study permit system.
DLIs must use the IRCC Portal to verify letters of acceptance or enrolment submitted with post-secondary study permit applications.
The verification requirement applies to post-secondary applications submitted:
- from outside Canada;
- from inside Canada; and
- for study permit extensions.
When verifying the document, the institution can identify it as matching a valid applicant or student, cancelled, or not matching its records.
The verification process is conducted between IRCC and the DLI. The applicant does not complete the institution's verification response.
Uploading a genuine LOA does not eliminate the verification step for a post-secondary application. The DLI must respond to IRCC's verification request within the applicable deadline.
What Is the 10-Day LOA Verification Deadline?
IRCC currently requires the post-secondary DLI to complete the LOA verification process within 10 calendar days after IRCC sends the verification email.
If the institution does not verify the document within the deadline, IRCC states that the study permit application will be returned and the processing fee will be refunded.
This is different from a refusal on the merits of the study permit application.
What should the applicant do?
The verification itself is the school's responsibility. However, an applicant should use a current LOA and accurate institutional information and should monitor communications relating to the application.
If IRCC returns an application because the DLI did not verify the LOA, IRCC advises the applicant to contact the institution and confirm that it will validate the LOA before the application is resubmitted.
Where Should You Upload the LOA?
IRCC instructs study permit applicants to upload the LOA in the LOA-specific document field in the online application.
This matters because IRCC sends the document submitted in that field to the post-secondary DLI for verification.
IRCC specifically warns applicants not to attach unrelated documents in the LOA-specific upload space. If other documents are included there, those documents may also be disclosed to the school as part of the verification process.
Other application documents should be uploaded in their corresponding document fields.
For the broader application package, see the Study Permit Documents Checklist .
Is an LOA the Same as a PAL or TAL?
No. A letter of acceptance and a provincial or territorial attestation letter serve different purposes.
| Document | Main function |
|---|---|
| Letter of Acceptance (LOA) | Establishes acceptance by the educational institution. |
| PAL/TAL | Provides the applicable provincial or territorial attestation where required under the study permit framework. |
Most applicants who require a PAL or TAL must obtain it in addition to their LOA.
In many cases, the student must first accept the school's offer and may need to pay some or all tuition before the province or territory issues the required attestation through the applicable process.
Some applicants are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement. The exemption does not generally remove the separate LOA requirement.
Letter of Acceptance for Studies in Quebec
Students planning to study in Quebec generally have an additional provincial immigration step. Where required, they must obtain the appropriate Quebec acceptance documentation, commonly referred to as the Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ), in addition to satisfying the federal study permit requirements.
The school's LOA and Quebec immigration authorization should not be treated as the same document.
Applicants should follow both the current Quebec requirements and IRCC's federal study permit instructions.
See Study Permit for Quebec: CAQ and Study Permit Requirements .
What If Your Admission Is Conditional?
Some educational institutions issue an offer that requires the student to satisfy conditions before beginning the main program.
Applicants should read the LOA carefully and make sure the study permit application accurately describes the program for which they have actually been accepted.
Where admission depends on completing a prerequisite program, language course or another requirement, the immigration consequences depend on the actual admission arrangement and the documents issued by the institution.
The applicant should not present a conditional offer as unconditional admission or describe a future program in a way that is inconsistent with the school's documentation.
The LOA, application forms and explanation of the study plan should describe the same genuine course of study. Conditions on an offer should not be hidden or characterized inaccurately.
What Happens If You Defer Your Studies?
A deferral means that the DLI agrees to move the student's start date to a later intake.
If you want to defer while IRCC is processing your study permit application, current IRCC instructions require you to:
- obtain approval for the deferral from the DLI;
- obtain an updated LOA; and
- submit the updated LOA to IRCC through your online account or the IRCC web form.
A student should therefore not assume that an old LOA remains sufficient after the institution has moved the admission to a different intake.
What if the DLI becomes de-designated?
A deferral can create an additional problem if the school loses its DLI status before the student begins studying.
IRCC states that a student who deferred enrolment cannot begin studies at that school if the institution is de-designated before the studies start.
What If You Change Schools After Applying?
A new school generally means a new admission document, and the required immigration procedure depends on the stage of the study permit process.
Application still in progress
If the study permit application is still being processed and you want to change the DLI, IRCC currently instructs applicants to submit the new LOA and a new PAL or TAL, if required, through the IRCC web form.
Application approved while you are outside Canada
If you are outside Canada and the study permit application has already been approved, IRCC currently requires a new study permit application if you change the DLI.
The new application requires the new LOA and payment of the applicable application fees.
Changing schools after a study permit has been issued is subject to separate rules and should not be handled merely by replacing the original LOA.
Does an LOA Mean the Program Is PGWP-Eligible?
No. A valid LOA from a DLI and eligibility for a post-graduation work permit are separate issues.
IRCC's DLI list distinguishes between institutions and programs, and specifically warns that not every program offered by a DLI is necessarily eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).
A student whose future plans depend on PGWP eligibility should therefore check the current PGWP rules for the specific institution and program before making a study decision.
A school can be a DLI and issue a valid LOA without every program at that institution being PGWP-eligible.
Common LOA Problems to Avoid
Applying with an LOA from a non-DLI
For post-secondary studies requiring a study permit, verify that the institution appears on IRCC's current DLI list.
Using an outdated or cancelled LOA
If the institution has cancelled the admission, changed the intake or issued a replacement document, relying on an outdated LOA can create a verification problem.
Inconsistent program information
The school, program, level and intended study details entered in the application should be consistent with the genuine admission documentation.
Uploading unrelated documents in the LOA field
IRCC instructs applicants to place only the acceptance document in the LOA-specific upload field because that material is provided to the institution for verification.
Assuming the applicant verifies the LOA
For post-secondary applications, the DLI—not the applicant—responds to IRCC's verification request.
Ignoring a deferral
If admission is formally deferred while the application is being processed, obtain an updated LOA and provide it to IRCC as instructed.
Assuming admission guarantees the study permit
An LOA establishes admission. The applicant must separately satisfy the applicable study permit eligibility, financial, temporary-residence and admissibility requirements.
See Canada Study Permit Eligibility: Who Can Apply? for the broader eligibility framework.
Letter of Acceptance FAQs
Do I need an LOA before applying for a study permit?
Generally, yes. Most applicants need acceptance from the DLI they intend to attend before submitting the study permit application, subject to limited exceptions in the Regulations.
Does my school have to verify my LOA?
For post-secondary study permit applications, yes. Current regulations and IRCC procedures require the post-secondary DLI to confirm the applicant's acceptance.
How long does the school have to verify the LOA?
IRCC currently gives the DLI 10 calendar days after the verification email is sent to complete the verification.
What happens if the school does not verify it?
IRCC states that the application will be returned and the processing fee refunded if the institution does not verify the document by the deadline.
Is an LOA the same as a PAL or TAL?
No. The LOA establishes school admission. A PAL or TAL is a separate provincial or territorial attestation required for many study permit applicants.
Can I use an LOA from any Canadian school?
Not for a post-secondary study permit simply because the school operates in Canada. The school must have the required DLI status.
Do primary and secondary schools appear on the DLI list?
No. IRCC states that all primary and secondary schools in Canada are designated, but they are not included in the public DLI list used to search post-secondary institutions.
Can I defer after submitting my application?
Yes, if the DLI approves the deferral. While the application is being processed, IRCC requires an updated LOA to be submitted through the online account or web form.
Does a valid LOA guarantee study permit approval?
No. A valid and verified LOA addresses the acceptance requirement. IRCC must still determine whether the applicant meets all other applicable study permit requirements.
Does an LOA prove that my program is PGWP-eligible?
No. DLI status and PGWP eligibility are separate. Not every program offered by a DLI is necessarily eligible for a post-graduation work permit.
Study permit document and LOA verification procedures can change. Confirm the current IRCC requirements before submitting an application.