Study Permit

In order to apply for a study permit, you must first receive your Offer of Admission and Letter of Acceptance (LOA). Your application must be approved before coming to Canada and you must apply for your initial study permit outside of Canada. 

Please note that as of January 22, 2024, the Government of Canada has amended its requirements for a study permit application (external link, opens in new window)  for undergraduate degree and English language pathway programs. These changes remain in place based on the January 22, 2025, update (external link, opens in new window)  and exclude graduate degree students (external link)  as of January 1, 2026.

When can I apply for my study permit?

Undergraduate degree and English language pathway program students:

• Please do not submit your study permit application until you have received the required Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).
  
• Once you have received your Offer of Admission, you will be required to accept your offer, pay your tuition deposit and complete one of TMU's engagement requirements. Upon receiving your acceptance, tuition deposit and confirmation of your mandatory engagement with TMU International Student Support (ISS) resources, TMU will request a PAL on your behalf if it is determined that you require one.
• You will be able to check your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal to see if we have requested a PAL on your behalf and when it is ready. When we receive your PAL, we will notify you via your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal so that you can download it from MyServiceHub. 
• Please continue to prepare your study permit application and gather relevant documents while you wait for your PAL.
• It is important that you do not submit your study permit application without the PAL as this will result in the refusal of your study permit application. The resubmission of your application will delay its processing.
  
• You must apply for an initial study permit (external link, opens in new window)  from outside of Canada online, unless you have a disability or extenuating circumstances that require you to apply using a paper application. Where possible, we recommend applying online as processing times are quicker.
• US citizens, permanent residents of the United States, residents of Greenland and residents of St. Pierre and Miquelon may choose to apply for a study permit at the Port of Entry (POE) upon entering Canada. Make sure you have the right documents (external link, opens in new window)  with you when crossing the border.  
  

Graduate degree students: 

• As of January 1, 2026, international graduate degree students studying at a public Designated Learning Institution (DLI) will be exempt from the PAL requirement (external link)  for study permit applications. This means you do not require a PAL for your study permit application.
• You can apply for an initial study permit (external link, opens in new window)  from outside of Canada online, unless you have a disability or extenuating circumstances that require you to apply using a paper application. Where possible, we recommend applying online as processing times are quicker.
• US citizens, permanent residents of the United States, residents of Greenland and residents of St. Pierre and Miquelon may choose to apply for a study permit at the Port of Entry (POE) upon entering Canada. Make sure you have the right documents (external link, opens in new window)  with you when crossing the border.

 What documents do I need?

• Document requirements may vary depending on your local visa office and are outlined on your GCKey/Sign-In Partner Account (external link, opens in new window)  (for online applications) after completing the questionnaire or Document Checklist (external link, opens in new window)  (for paper applications).
• New international TMU undergraduate degree and English language pathway program students:
  Please note that as of January 22, 2024, the Government of Canada requires a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) (external link, opens in new window)  for undergraduate and English language pathway program students. Your PAL must be submitted with your study permit application. Upon accepting your TMU Offer of Admission, paying your tuition deposit and completing your mandatory TMU engagement, TMU will submit a request for a PAL for you if it is determined that you require one. You may check your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal to see if one has been requested for you and when it is available for download.
• Please continue to prepare your study permit application and gather all other relevant documents while you wait for your PAL. Visit TMU's FAQ: Updates to Canadian International Study Permit Requirements.
• Please note that you may be required to obtain a medical examination (external link, opens in new window)  and/or biometrics (external link, opens in new window)  as part of your initial study permit application.
• For further information and guidance, refer to Guide 5269 - Applying for a Study Permit outside Canada (external link, opens in new window) .
• Effective January 1, 2026, international graduate degree students studying at a public Designated Learning Institution (DLI) are exempt from the PAL requirement (external link)  for study permit applications.

Minor children under the age of 18 may need to appoint a custodian, a responsible, adult Canadian citizen or permanent resident, in order to study in Canada. Please refer to studying in Canada as a minor (external link, opens in new window)  for more information.

You must apply to extend your study permit before it expires if you plan to continue studying in Canada past your study permit date of expiration. Study permit extension applications must be done from inside Canada. We recommend extending your study permit approximately 6 months before it expires.

You can extend your study permit online (external link, opens in new window)  or on paper (external link, opens in new window)  (in certain situations). Where possible, we recommend applying online as processing times are quicker.

What documents do I need?

Document requirements may vary depending on your individual situation and are outlined in your GCKey/Sign In-Partner Account (external link, opens in new window)  (for online applications) after completing the questionnaire or Document Checklist IMM 5555 (external link)  (for paper applications).

Please request your Confirmation of Enrolment letter through ISS as our letters include the full-time enrolment definition for immigration purposes. Learn more about requesting a status letter. 

Please note that you may be required to obtain a medical examination (external link, opens in new window)  and/or biometrics (external link, opens in new window)  as part of your study permit extension application.

If you are extending your study permit because you are about to transfer to Toronto Metropolitan University from another Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada OR because you are changing your level of study (i.e., college level to university level, Canadian high school to university), you will require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Please ensure to obtain a PAL from TMU prior to submitting your study permit extension application.

Students who have already entered Canada and are applying for a study permit extension at the same Designated Learning Institution (DLI) and level of study as their current study permit DO NOT require a PAL.

When setting up a study permit extension application, the system will ask if you have a PAL or meet an exception from submitting a PAL. If you are applying to extend your study permit at the same level of study as your current study permit (e.g., when you applied for your current study permit, it was for undergraduate studies and you are still in undergraduate studies), you must select:

• 'Yes, I meet an exception from submitting a provincial or territorial attestation letter'

You will be required to upload Proof of Provincial or Territorial Attestation (PAL or TAL) Exception with your application. If this option is missing from your document checklist, you must upload proof of your PAL/TAL exception to the Client information box. We recommend that you upload:

• A copy of your current study permit
  AND
• A brief explanation letter stating that you hold a valid study permit and you are applying for a study permit extension at the same Designated Learning Institution (DLI) and level of study as your current study permit. Consult our PAL Exemption Letter template on our Helpful Immigration Templates webpage.

You can amend your study permit (external link, opens in new window)  if there was a mistake made by IRCC when the study permit was issued.

If you are eligible to work in Canada but there is no mention of work eligibility on your study permit, you will need to amend your study permit to get the right wording to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

When and how can I apply for a study permit amendment?

• You should apply as soon as possible. You must have the correct conditions on your study permit in order to work in Canada.
• Study permit amendment applications are paper applications only. There is no online option.
• Use the amendment application form (external link, opens in new window) .
• The amendment application is free of charge.

What if I'm transferring post-secondary institutions at the same level of study?

Starting November 8, 2024 (external link) , students who are currently studying at another post-secondary Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada are required to apply to extend and obtain a new study permit before starting studies at a new post-secondary institution. Please ensure you include a letter in your application outlining why you are changing schools (check out our Helpful Immigration Templates for an example), as well as your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from Toronto Metropolitan University. You will also require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to submit with your study permit extension application, unless you are transferring at the graduate degree level.

If you have been studying in Canada at the post-secondary level under a Study Permit that is not tied to TMU: You need to get a new study permit by applying to extend (external link)  your current one and you will require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).

For more information about these procedures, please read IRCC’s guidance (external link)  closely as it applies to your situation.

What if I'm changing my level of study?

If you have been studying in Canada at the secondary (high-school) level: You need to get a new study permit by applying to extend your current one to attend a post-secondary institution (such as University or College). You can continue your studies at the post-secondary level while waiting for a decision on your new study permit application, as long as you held a valid study permit for secondary studies at the time that you submitted your study permit application to begin your studies at TMU. If your study permit application is refused, you must end your studies immediately.

If you're a student transferring from a different level of study (e.g., college to university), you will need to get a new study permit by applying to extend your current study permit (external link)  in order to attend your new post-secondary institution. You will also require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to submit with your study permit extension application. TMU will issue you a PAL once you have confirmed your Offer of Admission, paid your tuition deposit and completed your mandatory TMU engagement with International Student Support (ISS) resources.

In some cases, students are exempt from obtaining a study permit. Students who are pursuing short-term courses (external link, opens in new window) , meaning a course or program that is six months or less in duration, are not required to obtain a study permit.

For a full list of exemptions from obtaining a study permit, please refer to Who needs a study permit (external link, opens in new window)  on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.

Did you know?

If you are exempt from obtaining a study permit, you may still be required to obtain a temporary resident visa (TRV) (external link, opens in new window)  or electronic travel authorization (eTA) (external link, opens in new window)  in order to travel to Canada.

Exchange students studying under an exchange arrangement between their home institution and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) do not pay tuition fees to TMU and are therefore exempt from obtaining a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) (external link, opens in new window) . This applies for both one semester and year-long inbound exchange students. 

Exchange students who will study at TMU for less than 6 months can apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA (external link) ) or temporary resident visa (TRV) (external link)  depending on their country of citizenship. Exchange students who will study at TMU for more than 6 months are required to obtain a study permit.

International students intending to study in Canada are typically required to apply for a study permit. It is recommended that students have a valid study permit at least two weeks ahead of their program start date. If you intend to begin your studies at TMU but have not yet applied for your study permit, please do so as soon as possible.

Please share the status of your study permit application with TMU:

 (google doc) How-to guide: Accessing the TMU Study Permit Tracker (external link) 

IMPORTANT! We strongly recommend that you input your study permit expiration date in the tracker so we can remind you when your study permit is set to expire. Up to six months prior to your study permit expiration date, we will send you a monthly reminder advising you to get started on your study permit extension process.