Canadian Study Permit - Proof of Funds

[Eno_R]

The official website says that for the study permit the minimum amount I need to prove as a single student is "tuition plus $10,000 for a 12-month period".

Now, here's where I am a little confused, because the wording is a bit unclear: if my program is a 2-year program (24 months), does that mean I actually need to show that I have tuition +$20,000, covering my entire stay in Canada? Or just $10,000 for the first year, regardless of how long the program is?

[TakeruK]

Note: I am not an expert in this, so you should definitely consult an official at Immigration Canada.

I believe you only need to show proof of funding for the first year, not the entire length of degree. See http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/tools/temp/students/evaluation.asp

Under "Financial Sufficiency", it says, "Students are required to demonstrate financial sufficiency for only the first year of studies, regardless of the duration of the course or program of studies in which they are enrolled."

This is similar to requirements for international students to the US. Of course, having more in the statement would help.

 

[Eno_R]

@TakeruK thank you for the link! I thought this was the case, but it doesn't hurt to double-check.

[Eno_R]

So, I have another question regarding the study permits: if I am funded by my university, is it enough to include the acceptance letter I received (with the general funding package outlined) with my visa application, or does there need to be some other type of document that proves I will be getting money from the school?

[qkhitai]

Tuition plus $10,000? Does that mean proof you can pay the tuition and then that you will receive/have $10,000 on top of that? My funding (TAship) covers my tuition, but doesn't stretch to $10,000 after that. The above linked site (cheers @TakeruK) says 'In other words, a single student entering a four-year degree program with an annual tuition fee of $15,000 must demonstrate funds of $15,000 to satisfy the requirements'. Not sure where this extra $10,000 is coming from.

Thanks for starting this thread. I really should look into this and sort out my own permit soon...

[TakeruK]

2 hours ago, qkhitai said:

Tuition plus $10,000? Does that mean proof you can pay the tuition and then that you will receive/have $10,000 on top of that? My funding (TAship) covers my tuition, but doesn't stretch to $10,000 after that. The above linked site (cheers @TakeruK) says 'In other words, a single student entering a four-year degree program with an annual tuition fee of $15,000 must demonstrate funds of $15,000 to satisfy the requirements'. Not sure where this extra $10,000 is coming from.

Thanks for starting this thread. I really should look into this and sort out my own permit soon...

It's plus $10,000 because the quote you put in your post only refers to the tuition requirement, that is, you should read the quote as saying "a single student entering a four-year degree program with an annual tuition fee of $15,000 must demonstrate funds of $15,000 to satisfy the [tuition] requirement and not the full $60,000 which would be required for four years." (edited added in bold). When you see the rest of the quote, it is more clear that the sentence is using these numbers as an example to show that, for tuition, you only need to show the amount for one year, not the entire length of degree.

If you read further in the linked document, you will see a second type of financial requirement. For "all provinces except Quebec", it says, 

• Student base: $10,000 for twelve-month period, prorated at $833 per month, plus cost of tuition.

So, the total financial requirements are tuition for one year plus $10,000 for 12-months to cover additional costs (the site describes it as "The base amount for students includes all requirements related to transportation and maintenance, including the cost of books, equipment, and supplies.")

It makes sense to ask for more than just the tuition since you will have to pay for rent and such while you are in Canada too. But you don't need your financial offer to cover tuition plus $10,000. You just need to show that you have enough money in total for this, so you may have to borrow from a student loan program or your family to show the amount in your bank account. 

(For comparison, a foreign student in the United States has to show much more than just $10,000 on top of tuition in order to qualify, because Canada expects that foreign students can probably find work to pay rent if necessary while the US forbids foreign students to work outside of their degree program).

 

[steve3020]

So can I ignore my immigration letter from university which rated the yearly cost as tuition + $20,000? Also does anyone know why my letter says student visa not permit? I thought there was no student visa in Canada?

[TakeruK]

8 hours ago, steve3020 said:

So can I ignore my immigration letter from university which rated the yearly cost as tuition + $20,000? Also does anyone know why my letter says student visa not permit? I thought there was no student visa in Canada?

I think the Immigration Canada amount is the minimum that they need in order to allow you to come here and study. The school's letter indicates how much they think your actual costs will be. $10,000 is not enough to live on for a whole year in most populated places in Canada, but that's what Immigration Canada wants you to at least have, with the assumption that you can probably earn more to meet your needs after you get here.

Whether or not there is a visa required depends on your country of origin. So, the letter is probably a generic one that is issued to all international students. Recently, Canada now requires an eTA (electronic travel authorization) for many foreign persons to enter Canada. Main exceptions are people from the US. So, you should check if you need an eTA, based on your passport and nationality. To check visit this page: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp. An eTA is basically a visa.

Note that a visa or an eTA is only permission to enter the country. You also need a study permit to stay in Canada and study. For information on how to get that, see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/index.asp. Again, the procedure depends a lot on your passport and nationality.

Note also that the application is often combined to help you get things done easier. The study permit page says "If you received your initial permit on or after August 1, 2015, you were automatically issued an eTA along with your permit."

So, that makes things a little confusing, because you are really getting two documents: a visa and a study permit, but you only need to submit one application. Maybe this is why many people think Canada doesn't require visas? 

[steve3020]

12 hours ago, TakeruK said:

I think the Immigration Canada amount is the minimum that they need in order to allow you to come here and study. The school's letter indicates how much they think your actual costs will be. $10,000 is not enough to live on for a whole year in most populated places in Canada, but that's what Immigration Canada wants you to at least have, with the assumption that you can probably earn more to meet your needs after you get here.

Whether or not there is a visa required depends on your country of origin. So, the letter is probably a generic one that is issued to all international students. Recently, Canada now requires an eTA (electronic travel authorization) for many foreign persons to enter Canada. Main exceptions are people from the US. So, you should check if you need an eTA, based on your passport and nationality. To check visit this page: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp. An eTA is basically a visa.

Note that a visa or an eTA is only permission to enter the country. You also need a study permit to stay in Canada and study. For information on how to get that, see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/index.asp. Again, the procedure depends a lot on your passport and nationality.

Note also that the application is often combined to help you get things done easier. The study permit page says "If you received your initial permit on or after August 1, 2015, you were automatically issued an eTA along with your permit."

So, that makes things a little confusing, because you are really getting two documents: a visa and a study permit, but you only need to submit one application. Maybe this is why many people think Canada doesn't require visas? 

Thanks! I should have read the immigration pages more thoroughly. 

[Johnpaul]

Please..please...i am filling my application form IMM 1294..the main one anyway..and am being sponsored by my uncle. Wat shld i put in the portion that asks for amount available for my studies..and the "other" and "room and board" segments.

Plus wat shld be the contents of the reference letter from my uncle since its his bank statements am makin use of. PLEASE I NEED URGENT REPLY..THNKS

 

[qkhitai]

What did folks do when they had multiple proofs of funds? For example, I have savings as well as my TA offer. It says I should upload 'as many documents as possible', but the system only lets you upload one. Should I merge things into one pdf?