Check the program, not just the school鈥檚 name
Before paying a deposit, create a one-page record of the institution, exact program, credential, campus, delivery format, start date and refund terms. Compare the admission documents with the school鈥檚 published information. Ask the school to resolve inconsistencies in writing.
Study-permit preparation and future work-permit planning are separate checks. A school鈥檚 marketing language should not be your only evidence of an immigration benefit. Use the official designated learning institution and post-graduation work permit resources for the particular program.
Find out whether an attestation is required
Most study-permit applicants need a provincial or territorial attestation letter, obtained through their designated learning institution. The letter normally accompanies the application. IRCC lists exemptions, including degree-granting master鈥檚 or doctoral study at a public DLI from January 1, 2026; an applicant claiming an exemption must provide supporting proof.
Quebec uses its Quebec Acceptance Certificate process. Many students who are exempt from a PAL or TAL still need a CAQ for Quebec. Do not treat an exemption from one document as an exemption from the full study-permit process. Check validity and any new-letter requirement when reapplying or changing schools.
Budget beyond the first tuition payment
IRCC requires evidence of funds for tuition, living expenses and transportation without relying on work in Canada. Applicants must show first-year resources and explain funding for the full course when it lasts longer than a year. The required living-expense amounts change and Quebec has separate rules.
Use the current official financial-support table for your filing date and family size. Build your own budget alongside it: housing deposit, travel, insurance, transport, study materials and an emergency reserve. A statutory minimum and a comfortable real-life budget are not necessarily the same amount.
Keep a clear explanation of where the money comes from and how it is available. A balance alone may not tell the full story. Organize scholarship, loan or family-support evidence according to the official and visa-office instructions.
A PGWP is not automatic after graduation
Post-graduation work permit eligibility depends on the program and other conditions. IRCC identifies requirements concerning an eligible institution/program, study history, application timing and language skills; some graduates also face field-of-study requirements. Degree graduates and other program graduates do not all follow identical rules.
Before enrolling, record which PGWP requirements you have checked and which depend on future events. Recheck them while studying and before applying. Do not build a financing plan around a guaranteed work permit or permanent residence outcome.
Questions to answer before paying
Educational information, not legal advice or an eligibility assessment. Original Documentation is independent of the Government of Canada. Use the current official instructions for your circumstances; obtain advice from an authorized Canadian immigration professional for individual legal questions.
- Is the exact institution and program suitable for my study plan?
- Do I need a PAL/TAL or CAQ, and is it valid?
- Can I document tuition, living and travel funds?
- What are the written refund and deferral terms?
- Have I separately checked any future PGWP assumptions?