Politeness is the default
Queueing, apologising and holding doors are automatic. Directness that works elsewhere can read as rude here.
🇨🇦 Canada
Study in Canada, from provincial letter to study permit.
A Canadian study permit now needs a Provincial Attestation Letter as well as a school offer. Miss that step and the application cannot move at all. Once the permit is granted, Canada is one of the more straightforward countries to live and work in as a student.
Next intake
January 2027
Applications close in
4 days
Applications close: 1 Sep 2026
Why students choose Canada
Canada is used to newcomers, and it shows. Cities are multilingual, universities have proper support offices, and people are patient with an accent. Winters in most of the country are genuinely cold, and that is worth planning for rather than being surprised by.
Work while you study, and after
Study permits usually allow part-time work, and graduates of eligible programmes can apply for a work permit afterwards.
Built for newcomers
Cities are genuinely multilingual and universities have proper support offices for international students.
Strong universities, public system
Most universities are public and the quality gap between them is smaller than in some countries.
What it is actually like
The parts of living abroad nobody puts in a brochure, the customs that catch people out and the ones that make it worth it.
Winter is a season, not an excuse
People ski, skate and walk through it. Proper clothing changes the experience completely.
Budget for the winter kit
A proper coat, boots and gloves are a real cost in your first month, and not optional.
The post-graduation work permit
Graduates of eligible programmes can apply to stay and work. Check eligibility before you choose a school.
Where you could live
Where you study changes what you pay and how quickly your language improves. These are the places we place students most often.
Toronto
Ontario
The largest city and the most international. Most jobs, highest rents.
Living cost / month
CAD 1,400 to 2,400
Known for: Jobs, diversity, city life
Vancouver
British Columbia
Mountains and sea together, with the mildest winters in the country and very high rents.
Living cost / month
CAD 1,500 to 2,600
Known for: Mild winters, mountains, ocean
Montreal
Quebec
French speaking, culturally distinct, and much cheaper than Toronto or Vancouver.
Living cost / month
CAD 900 to 1,600
Known for: Affordability, culture, French
Calgary
Alberta
Close to the Rockies, lower taxes, and a strong job market outside the big two cities.
Living cost / month
CAD 1,000 to 1,800
Known for: Mountains, jobs, lower costs
What nobody tells you before you go
The practical detail behind each stage, how school actually runs, where you will live, what work is really allowed and the admin that catches everyone out.
The provincial letter and study permit
Two documents now, in a strict order, and skipping one stops everything.
Where you will live
Residence in first year, shared housing after, and rents vary hugely by city.
Surviving your first winter
It is colder than you think and the right clothing solves most of it.
Working during and after study
Part-time work is usually allowed, and a work permit may follow graduation.
Studying there
1
The provincial letter and study permit
Two documents now, in a strict order, and skipping one stops everything.
The provincial letter and study permit
Two documents now, in a strict order, and skipping one stops everything.
You need a school offer, then a Provincial Attestation Letter from the province where you will study, and only then can the study permit application go in. The letter is issued in limited numbers, so applying early genuinely matters.
Confirm your school can issue the provincial letter before you pay any deposit.
Living there
2
Where you will live
Residence in first year, shared housing after, and rents vary hugely by city.
Where you will live
Residence in first year, shared housing after, and rents vary hugely by city.
University residence is the simplest start and often includes meals. After that most students share a house or apartment. Toronto and Vancouver are dramatically more expensive than Montreal or Calgary, and that gap should influence which school you choose.
Surviving your first winter
It is colder than you think and the right clothing solves most of it.
Surviving your first winter
It is colder than you think and the right clothing solves most of it.
Most of Canada gets properly cold, well below freezing for months. A rated winter coat, insulated boots, gloves and a hat are essential rather than optional, and buying them locally after you arrive is usually cheaper and better than bringing them.
Buy the coat in Canada. Local shops sell for the actual temperature outside.
Working there
1
Working during and after study
Part-time work is usually allowed, and a work permit may follow graduation.
Working during and after study
Part-time work is usually allowed, and a work permit may follow graduation.
Study permits generally allow a limited number of work hours during term. After finishing an eligible programme you can apply for a post-graduation work permit, which is a major reason students choose Canada. Not every programme qualifies, so check before enrolling.
Check that your exact programme qualifies for the work permit. Some short and private ones do not.
Culture and etiquette
1
Fitting in
Apologise often, queue properly, and expect small talk.
Fitting in
Apologise often, queue properly, and expect small talk.
Canadians apologise reflexively and value not making a fuss. Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly rather than intrusive. In Quebec, even a few words of French changes how you are received completely.
Practical matters
1
Your first two weeks
Social insurance number, bank account, phone and provincial health cover.
Your first two weeks
Social insurance number, bank account, phone and provincial health cover.
You need a Social Insurance Number to work, and it is quick to get. Open a student bank account, which is usually free, then a phone plan. Health cover is provincial and the waiting period varies, so check what your province requires as soon as you arrive.
Ask your university about health cover in week one. Some provinces have a waiting period you must bridge.
Choose your pathway
Most students take more than one of these in sequence. Pick the one you would start with.
English or French programme
Best if: Students below the required language band
Language study before a college or university programme.
- Typical duration
- 12 months
- Language requirement
- None for entry
- Minimum age
- 18
- Education required
- 12 years
College diploma
Best if: Career-focused students
Two- and three-year practical programmes at a designated learning institution.
- Typical duration
- 24 months
- Language requirement
- Commonly IELTS 6.0
- Minimum age
- 18
- Education required
- 12 years
Undergraduate degree
Best if: Students with completed secondary schooling
Four-year bachelor programmes.
- Typical duration
- 48 months
- Language requirement
- Commonly IELTS 6.5
- Minimum age
- 18
- Education required
- 12 years
Postgraduate programme
Best if: Graduates seeking a specialist qualification
Masters study or a post-graduate certificate at a college.
- Typical duration
- 20 months
- Language requirement
- Commonly IELTS 6.5
- Minimum age
- 20
- Education required
- 15 years
What we actually do for you
English or French from where you are now
Reach the level your school asks for, taught here before you go.
What this means in practice
Schools want evidence, not confidence. We teach to the level your chosen school actually requires and give you the certificate to prove it, on the timeline the intake needs.
Working out which route is yours
An honest talk about your goal, your budget and your timing.
What this means in practice
We would rather tell you now that a plan does not work than let you find out at the visa stage. That conversation changes which schools we shortlist and how much you need to save.
Choosing schools and applying
A shortlist you can realistically get into, then the application itself.
What this means in practice
We shortlist schools that will accept a student at your level, in a city you can afford. Then we prepare and submit everything with you, including the personal statement, which schools read closely.
The document and funding file
Every paper checked and formatted before it goes anywhere.
What this means in practice
Most refusals are about paperwork, not the student. Bank statements in the wrong name, a sponsor letter that does not explain the relationship, a translation nobody certified. We check the file against what the school and the authorities actually want.
Provincial letter and study permit
We track the application and prepare you for the step that follows.
What this means in practice
This is the step everything else waits on, so we count backwards from your intake date rather than forwards from today. You always know what is outstanding and who is holding it.
Your first two weeks
Housing, registration, health cover, bank and phone, in the right order.
What this means in practice
Arrival admin unlocks in a sequence. Some things need an address, and the address needs a registration. Do it out of order and you lose weeks. We give you the order and stay reachable.
Your timeline
Every date below is calculated backwards from your intake. Choose a different intake to see how it shifts.
We do this
Eligibility confirmed
We check your academic history, language level and funding.
You
Service package started
You
Language test booked
IELTS, or TEF for French-language programmes.
You
Language test result received
We do this
Document checklist issued
You
All documents submitted
The deadline students most often miss.
We do this
Documents reviewed and approved
We do this
Applications sent to institutions
Only designated learning institutions can host a study permit holder.
The school
Letter of acceptance received
You
Tuition deposit paid
Usually required before the institution requests your attestation letter.
We do this
Provincial Attestation Letter requested
Provinces issue these in limited numbers, so timing matters.
The school
Legal deadline
Provincial Attestation Letter received
HARD REQUIREMENT: the study permit application cannot be submitted without it.
You
Guaranteed Investment Certificate purchased
Commonly used to evidence living costs. SAMPLE FIGURE: around CAD 20,000.
You
Study permit applied for
Processing times vary widely by country of application.
You
Biometrics submitted
Must be given within the window stated in your biometrics letter.
You
Medical examination completed
Required for stays over six months.
Immigration
Study permit approved
You receive a port of entry letter, not the permit itself.
You
Flight booked
We do this
Accommodation confirmed
Residence or homestay for the first term.
We do this
Pre-departure briefing
Covers arrival, the port of entry interview and winter preparation.
You
Arrival in Canada
Your study permit is issued at the border, not before you fly.
You
Bank account opened
Usually the same bank that issued your GIC.
You
Social insurance number applied for
Needed before you can work on campus.
You
Provincial health coverage arranged
Rules differ by province; some have a waiting period.
We do this
30-day check-in
We do this
90-day check-in
We do this
Post-graduation work permit planning
Eligibility depends on your programme and institution - check before you enrol, not after.
What you will need
Start collecting these early. Most refusals come from documents, not from the student.
Passport (photo page)
Passport (photo page)
Colour scan, valid beyond your intended stay.
Where people go wrong
A permit cannot be issued for longer than your passport validity.
Academic transcripts
Needs certified translation
Academic transcripts
Needs certified translation
Certified records for all completed study.
Where people go wrong
Uncertified copies, or missing final results.
Language test result
Language test result
IELTS or TEF, depending on the language of instruction.
Where people go wrong
A result that expires before the programme starts.
Letter of acceptance
Letter of acceptance
From a designated learning institution. A non-designated school cannot host a study permit.
Where people go wrong
Applying to a school that is not on the designated list.
Provincial Attestation Letter
Provincial Attestation Letter
Issued by the province through your institution. Numbers are capped, so request it as early as the institution allows.
Where people go wrong
Assuming the letter of acceptance is sufficient. Without a PAL the application is returned.
GIC certificate
GIC certificate
A Guaranteed Investment Certificate held with a participating bank, commonly used to evidence first-year living costs. SAMPLE FIGURE: around CAD 20,000.
Where people go wrong
Opening the GIC too late - the certificate must exist before the permit application.
Proof of additional funds
From your sponsor
Needs certified translation
Original required
Proof of additional funds
From your sponsor
Needs certified translation
Original required
Tuition payment evidence plus any further funds beyond the GIC.
Where people go wrong
Recent unexplained deposits.
Statement of purpose
Statement of purpose
Why this programme, this institution and Canada, and your plans on completion.
Where people go wrong
Goals that do not follow from your previous study.
What it costs
Estimates only, shown as ranges. Verify exact figures with your school.
Where will you live?
Estimated first year
CAD 41,200 to 74,950
Excludes flights and visa fees. Schools set their own tuition; we confirm exact figures before you apply.
| Language programme tuition Per week. | 300 to 450 |
| College tuition Per year. | 14,000 to 22,000 |
| University tuition Per year. Varies sharply by field and province. | 20,000 to 40,000 |
| Living costs Per month, excluding rent. | 6,000 to 10,800 |
| Winter clothing One-off, in your first autumn. Genuinely necessary, and routinely forgotten. | 300 to 700 |
| Health insurance Per year where provincial cover does not apply. | 600 to 1,000 |
How we help
Essentials
For confident students who mainly need structure and deadlines.
Contact us for pricing
- Full country guide in your language
- Eligibility assessment and pathway recommendation
- Application to 1 partner institution
- Document checklist with deadline reminders
- Document vault
- Email support (5 working day response)
- Pre-departure guide
Most chosen
Full Support
Everything in Essentials, plus the human document review that prevents most refusals.
Contact us for pricing
- Everything in Essentials
- Applications to up to 3 partner institutions
- Human document pre-review with correction rounds
- Financial documentation coaching
- Personal statement drafting support
- Named case manager (1 working day response)
- Application tracking with proactive updates
- Visa appointment preparation
- Accommodation placement request
- Arrival checklist with hard-deadline alerts
- Airport pickup coordination
- First 90 days check-ins
Premium Concierge
For families who want someone accountable at every step, including on arrival.
Contact us for pricing
- Everything in Full Support
- Unlimited applications with shortlisting consultation
- Parent portal with updates in the parent's language
- Physical arrival escort: airport, registration, bank, phone
- Bank account and SIM setup accompaniment
- Progression planning into degree study
- Priority messaging (4 hour response in business hours)
- Quarterly review call with student and sponsor
Questions students ask
What is a Provincial Attestation Letter?
It is a letter from the province confirming your place counts against their allocation. Without it the study permit application cannot proceed.
Can I work while studying?
Study permits generally allow limited part-time hours during term. Confirm the current limit before relying on it.
Can I stay after I graduate?
Graduates of eligible programmes can apply for a post-graduation work permit. Not every programme qualifies, so check yours before enrolling.
How cold does it actually get?
In most provinces it stays below freezing for months, and well below in the prairies. Vancouver is the mild exception.
Find out where you actually stand
A short set of questions about your studies, your language level and your funding. You get an honest answer, including the parts that need work before you apply.
Check if you qualify