Student Visa Process

To study in Canada for more than six months you need a study permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The application is online. The old fast-track Student Direct Stream, which many Nepali students used, was closed in November 2024, so everyone now applies through the regular stream.

Step by step

1. Choose a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Only DLIs can accept study-permit students, and a few DLIs are not eligible for a post-graduation work permit, so check this before you apply.
2. Get a Letter of Acceptance (LOA).
3. Get a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) if you need one. Canada limits the number of study permits, and most college and undergraduate applicants need a PAL from the province. Master’s and PhD students at public institutions are exempt from 2026, but confirm for your case.
4. Prepare proof of funds (see the costs page): living costs, first-year tuition and travel.
5. Write a clear study plan that explains your course, your career goal, your finances and why you will leave Canada at the end of your stay if you do not get another status.
6. Medical exam and police certificate if requested, and biometrics at a visa application centre.
7. Apply online, pay the fees, and wait for the decision. Processing times change; the IRCC site shows the current estimate.

Common reasons for refusal

• Not enough or unclear funds, or unexplained deposits.
• A weak study plan: no reason for the course, no link to the past studies.
• A study gap with no explanation.
• Applying to a course that does not fit your background.

A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) is not compulsory in the regular stream, but a GIC from a participating bank is still a convenient way to prove part of the living funds.

Check before you rely on it. The study permit cap, PAL rules and proof-of-funds amount have all changed several times in two years. Rules, fees and dates are changed by governments often. We last reviewed this page in October 2026. Confirm the current position on the IRCC study permit page or ask our counsellors, who check it again before your file is submitted.

Talk to WIEC about Canada

Our Lalitpur counsellors can review your marks, English score and finances and tell you honestly which courses and universities fit. Book a free appointment, start your file online at Apply Online, or practise for the English test with IELTSWIZZ.