Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all study permit applications must be submitted only. Applications submitted outside of Canada are processsed by the Canadian visa office that serves the country where you are residing. If you are already in Canada, you may be able to apply for a study permit from within Canada if you meet the specific requirements. If you are a United States citizen or Green Card holder, or a resident of Greenland or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, you may also apply at a Canadian port of entry. Determine where you can apply for your study permit.
The time it will take to process your application will vary, but you can check estimated processing times on the Government of Canada website. We recommend applying for your study permit as soon as you receive your Offer of Admission and Letter of Acceptance, and have collected all of the required documents.
If you were accepted to Waterloo as an exchange student, please visit the exchange page for more information about your immigration documents.
Please note: Due to variation among Canadian visa offices and the complexity of study permit applications abroad, the immigration consultants are unable to review applications being submitted outside of Canada or fully advise on application refusals outside of Canada.
Application Requirements
The following are required to apply for a study permit:
- Your official Offer of Admission and Letter of Acceptance from the University of Waterloo downloaded from Quest.
- A valid passport or travel document issued by your country of citizenship. When possible, obtain a passport that is valid for the entire duration of your study in Canada.
- Evidence of sufficient funds. You must provide proof that you have enough money for your tuition fees and living expenses, and to financially support any accompanying family members.
- A passport-sized photo of yourself that meets Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) specifications.
- Give biometrics. If you have given them in the past, check if your biometrics are still valid.
Other supporting documents may include:
- Proof of immigration medical exam
- Police certificate
- Custodianship declaration - Neither the university nor the Canadian government can assign a custodian. For more information, please see minor children guidelines.
- Proof of tuition payment - Use the student fee estimator. The estimator will generate a letter with the approximate amount of your total costs. The letter will be sent to the email address of your choice with instructions on how to pay your tuition in advance and how to access a receipt for your payment.
- Country-specific documents
- Documents requested by the visa office based on individual circumstances
Verify your country-specific study permit application requirements by:
Student Direct Stream:
You may be eligible to apply for your study permit through the Student Direct Stream depending on where you're living. This stream has additional application requirements to what is stated above. One of the requirements of this stream is proof of tuition payment for your first year of study. Learn how to pay your tuition early.
How to start an online application
- Go to the Government of Canada’s website and create/sign into your IRCC account. You can watch our video on creating an IRCC account if you haven't done this before.
- Under 'start an application' in your online account, select 'apply to come to Canada'.
- Under 'determine your eligibility and apply online', select ‘visitor visa, study and/or work permit’, and answer the eligibility questions to generate the document checklist.
Apply for a co-op work permit at the same time
If you are accepted into a co-op program at the University of Waterloo, you can apply for your co-op work permit together with your study permit. Make sure to indicate in your study permit application that you are also applying for a co-op work permit. Use your Letter of Acceptance in the application twice; once for proof of university acceptance, and again for proof of a co-op letter, with the Internship section highlighted. Application approval is determined by the Canadian visa office, and is not guaranteed.
If you are not issued co-op work permit approval or a co-op work permit at the port-of-entry into Canada, you can still apply for a co-op work permit once in Canada. We recommend applying right away after arriving at Waterloo.
You need your co-op work permit for all co-op placements. Make sure you have it before starting your first one.