New requirements for Canadian study permits

Your first step is to apply to the University of Waterloo. If you receive an offer of admission, you can then begin the process of applying for a PAL, and then applying for your study permit.

Some of our undergraduate programs may still be accepting applications through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre website. You can also learn about applying to Waterloo.

Once you’ve received an offer of admission to Waterloo, you can apply to extend your study permit from within Canada for your undergraduate studies. If you extend your study permit from within Canada, you are exempt from requiring a PAL. If you leave Canada and plan to apply for a new study permit from outside of Canada, you will require a PAL.

If Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not approve your study permit application, you may be eligible for a refund of the tuition deposit required to access your PAL. You'll need to send us documentation that your study permit was denied.

Please see our New students outside of Canada study permit page for details on how to deal with this situation. If possible, it's best you make a final decision about the institution you want to attend and obtain the appropriate PAL before submitting your study permit application.

If you require a PAL, and you submitted your study permit application on or after January 22, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. ET, it will not be processed and you will be issued a refund. This doesn’t mean your application was rejected. You can apply again once you have obtained a PAL.

If you receive or accept an offer of admission, our quiz will help you understand whether you may need a PAL and what your next steps are.  Here’s how to take the quiz.

1. Log in to Quest.
2. Select the Personal Information tile.
3. Scroll down to "Provincial Attestation Letter."
4. Select the term for which you require the PAL. 
5. Once you have selected your term, the quiz will open.
   • NOTE: at this time, you must take this quiz on a desktop computer.

If you need a PAL, please ensure that your home address in Quest is up to date. Your address will be sent to the Ontario Ministry of Education to request the PAL. If the address noted on your PAL is different than what you use for your study permit application, it may cause issues with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and delay your study permit.

How to check your address in Quest.

To request your PAL, you'll need to accept your Offer of Admission and pay your $1,000 deposit. Depending when your payment appears in Quest, it may take 5-20 business days for the PAL to appear in your account. 

We strongly recommend paying the tuition deposit by credit card to speed up the process.

The PAL will be uploaded to your Quest account.

• Log in to Quest.
• Select the Personal Information tile.
  • Scroll down to Provincial Attestation Letter.

Other than a few exemptions, most international applicants to undergraduate degree and English language pathway programs will be required to provide a PAL. You can take our quiz to see if you need a PAL.

If Quest won't let you submit your application again, then your PAL application has been recorded in Quest.

Yes, you can apply for admission and submit your transcripts, etc. However, if you receive an offer of admission, then you'll need an attestation letter.

No. Prospective Master’s and PhD students are exempt from this requirement. Read more on the Graduate Studies website.

Learn how to pay your tuition deposit from outside Canada.

We highly recommend paying the tuition deposit using the approved international payment options via credit card. That is the fastest way to pay the deposit and have it appear in your Quest account sooner.

You will see two options when you click on the link above: Convera or CIBC payment portal. There are various ways to pay the tuition deposit, depending on which option you choose and which country you’re paying from.

Here is an example of what you might see when you choose the CIBC portal option. (video)

There is no official deadline, but keep in mind that you need your PAL in order to apply for your study permit. We will request your PAL from the Ontario Government after we receive your tuition deposit.

The deposit will be applied to your tuition for the fall term.

Processing times for international payments vary. You can track your payment using the reference number provided on the payment instructions. If the payment doesn’t go through, you’ll need to resubmit it.

This is your choice. You can apply for the PAL with the offer of admission you have and later change to your preferred program without needing to apply for a new PAL.

All undergraduate offers of admission will be sent out by May 17 so you'll know by then which Waterloo programs you've been admitted to.

No, if you've paid your tuition for the fall term, no additional deposit is needed.

The tuition deposit is non-refundable. The only exceptions are

1. the University of Waterloo revokes your offer of admission, or
2. the IRCC does not approve your study permit application (documentation must be provided).

No, the new cap does not apply to you and your application will be processed.

If you currently have a valid study permit, you are exempt from the cap and can apply to transfer to Waterloo.

No, the study permit cap will not affect you. It applies only to new study permit applications submitted on or after January 22, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

It's unclear at this time what the process will be for either PALs or study permit allocation. We're confident that we have the systems and supports in place that meet the government’s stated criteria for international students.

Yes, an international student can pay domestic fees at Waterloo if their parents have a valid Closed Work Permit with an employer located in Ontario and supporting documents.

If you need to update your immigration status, you can request a change by submitting a Request to Update Residency or Immigration Status with the required documentation prior to the term’s deadline. If your request is approved, your status will be revised and, if applicable, your tuition amounts will be updated.

The University of Waterloo is a public institution that was founded in 1957.

Yes, you're eligible to get your post-graduation work permit after completing your education at Waterloo if you meet the eligibility criteria.