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IMMIGRATION Table of Contents

Document Checklist – Study Permit

Canada
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Study Permit

Dakar Visa Office

Instructions

This application is made available free by

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Canada and is not to be sold to
applicants.

Cette trousse est également

disponible en français

IMM 5826 E (09-2019)

Application for a Study Permit – Checklist

Entry to Canada is a privilege and not a right.

To be eligible to study in Canada, you must meet the requirements set out under Canadian
legislation.
Any document not in English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation.
Failure to submit all required documentation may result in delay processing or the refusal of your
application
If you submit your application at a Visa Application Centre (VAC), originals and legible
photocopies must be submitted. If you fail to provide photocopies of each required document,
the originals will be kept. If your application is sent by mail, do not send any originals.

Note: If you are a legal resident of Senegal who also currently resides there, and you have been
accepted to study at a designated post-secondary school in Canada, you may be eligible to get
your study permit through the Student Direct Stream if you apply online.

After submission of all required documents, you may be required to submit additional documents
or attend an interview.
A medical exam will be required for study programs exceeding six months. Do not undergo a
medical exam until advised by this office.
Any preparations you make, such as paying administration or tuition fees, are done entirely at
your own risk, as you are not guaranteed to receive a study permit. The visa officer can refuse
your application if you have not shown that you satisfy all of the conditions set out in the
legislation.
Do not finalize travel plans unless you have received your visa from the Embassy of Canada.
All requirements must be met before courses begin; otherwise, your application may be refused,
as Canadian educational institutions do not admit new students after the official start date.
It is strongly recommended that you respect the following deadlines for submitting your
application, as all applications are processed by the Visa & Immigration section of the Embassy
of Canada in Dakar. Applications filed after these dates will probably not be finalized
before the start of the academic session:
 For the fall session (September in Canada) it is recommended to submit your application
before: July 01
 For the winter session (January in Canada) it is recommended to submit your application
before: November 01
 For the summer session (May in Canada) it is recommended to submit your application
before: March 01
Studying in Canada is demanding and expensive. Therefore, your application must be complete
and convincing (forms, letter of admission, proof of sufficient financial resources and additional
documents listed in Dakar visa section’s specific check-list).
If your application is refused, it is unlikely that a subsequent application will be approved unless
the circumstances presented in the new application have changed significantly from the previous
application.
A complete application does not guarantee that you will receive a Visa.

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You must demonstrate that you meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee
Protection Act and Regulations and that you will be in Canada for a temporary stay. You must
also:

 have been accepted by an accredited educational institution

 satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your studies
 prove that you have enough money during your stay in Canada to:
o pay for your tuition fees
o pay for living expenses for yourself and accompanying family members
o pay for return transportation for yourself and accompanying family members
o be law abiding and have no record of criminal activity
 not be a risk to the security of Canada
 produce any additional documents requested by the officer to establish your admissibility
 undergo a medical examination, if required.

Any false statement or the presentation of any fraudulent document(s) will result in the
immediate refusal of the application. Fraud can result in a five-year ban on further
applications.

√
You must submit the following:

Two photos meeting the photograph specifications with a white background. The
photographs should have your name printed on the back, as well as be dated and taken in
the past six months.

Each applicant’s original passport.

The passport must:

 be valid for a minimum of 6 months, preferably valid for the duration of your
planned stay in Canada, since a visa cannot be issued beyond the validity of the
passport;
 show that you are lawfully admitted to your current country of residence (e.g.
border stamp if you are not a citizen of the country, study/work/residency permit,
etc.);
 have a minimum of two blank pages;
 be accompanied with a copy of the passport bio-data page (i.e. the page with the
name, photo, place of birth, date of issue, etc.).

Each applicant must also submit the original or a copy of all the pages of all their
previous passports, as proof of past travel.

Your original birth certificate extract (a birth attestation is not accepted)

A completed and signed Schedule 1 form (Application for Temporary Resident Visa – IMM
5257B).

Family information form (IMM 5707). Each applicant must complete their own, adult
and children. Ensure to write every family member’s name, place of birth, date of birth,
marital status, current occupation and address. If a question is not applicable, write
“N/A”.

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A copy of your marriage certificate or statutory declaration of common-law union
(IMM 5409) if applicable.

Proof of relationship to the guarantor who is funding your studies in Canada if

they are a blood relative (for example: your guarantor’s birth certificate, family booklet,
etc.)

Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) or evidence that you have applied if you
will be studying in Quebec
 See www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca.
 Don’t delay in applying for your study permit
 If you have not yet received your CAQ, you can provide evidence that you have
applied (payment receipt). Once you receive the Quebec acceptance letter or
certificate, send us a copy.

Letter of acceptance from your educational institution stating conditional or

unconditional admission, course title, duration of study, start date (multiple start dates, if
applicable).

Academic documents:

 Copies of school transcripts (from the beginning of secondary school;

 Transcript from the baccalaureate (BACC) examination (submit once obtained, if
applicable);
 Copies of certificates and diplomas from all post-secondary studies completed.

Financial responsibility letters, from the persons funding your studies.

The letter from your financial guarantors must indicate:

 Their employment or occupation;

 Their relationship to you (e.g. parent, uncle, aunt, cousin, etc.);
 The number of dependents they have;
 Their full contact information;
 Your financial guarantors must also provide a copy of their photo identification
(national identity card or passport).

If your financial guarantor is not your father or mother, you must submit a copy
of your financial guarantor’s birth certificate and that of your relative, in order to
demonstrate the family relationship between you and your guarantor.
Proof of funds:

 You or your financial guarantor must provide proof that you have sufficient funds
to cover the expenses of a year of study in Canada;
 These expenses include approximately CAD $12,000 per year for living expenses
(food, housing, clothing and medical insurance) and from CAD $10,000 to CAD
$15,000 per year for tuition;
 You must therefore have at least around CAD $22,000 available for your first year
of study at university and be able to show that you will have an equivalent amount
for the subsequent years;
 In addition to the above costs, you must also consider the price of transportation
to Canada (from CAD $2,000 to CAD $5,000);
 We will review the financial means of the individual who will be paying for the
studies in Canada, as well as the applicant’s relationship to that person. We will

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 also examine any other source of income that can be attributed to a scholarship,
personal savings, business income, etc.

You can provide one or many of the following documents to demonstrate your
guarantor’s financial ability to support the proposed studies:

 Original personal bank statements for the past 12 months (bank books,
statements of account etc.);
 Pay slips for the past six months at least and employment contract stating the
salary;
 Financial statements (prepared by an independent chartered accountant) for the
business for the past two fiscal years if the applicant is an entrepreneur;
 Any proof of investment in your country or abroad;
 Any additional proof of income for the person funding the studies in Canada;
 Copy of civil documents (birth certificates and marriage certificates) for your
guarantor and your relative in order to demonstrate the family relationship with
your financial guarantor if they are not your father or mother;
 Proof of a transfer of funds from a Canadian bank or from the Canadian
educational institution (in both cases, the bank or school in Canada must send us
an acknowledgement of receipt of the funds transferred in the student’s name and
you must include this document in your application).

However, you do not have to submit proof that your tuition has been paid to your
educational institution with your application. This may be requested later in the
process by an immigration officer.

We do not accept cheques.

Scholarships: Scholarships or any financial assistance or award from a government or

other funding agency must be presented on official letterhead stating the full amount of
the award, its duration, and any governing conditions.

Proof of employment, if applicable

 A letter from your current employer;
 Payslips (last three months);
 Employment letter dated within two months of the application indicating
occupation, job description, position, salary, allowances, and years of employment.

If a student wishes to be accompanied by dependants (spouse, children): the

dependants must submit the appropriate forms for the type of application.

 The student must add any additional document attesting to the marital or parental
relationship and sufficient financial resources to support them.

Any additional documents that could support your statements during the
interview.

Self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your documents if you applied by
mail (applications by mail are accepted only in countries that do not have a VAC)

Note that a medical exam may be required (with exceptions). The medical form will
be sent to you once your application has been reviewed by an officer, if applicable.

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The documentation you provide with your application will be used to establish that your
authorization to enter Canada would not be contrary to the Immigration and Refugee Protection
Act.

Failure to provide complete, truthful and accurate material will result in your application being
assessed based on the documentation submitted, which may result in your application being
refused.

If your application is approved, a visa will be inserted into your passport and a letter will be sent
to you to allow you to obtain your study permit at the port of entry. The visa serves to confirm
that you fulfill the conditions of admission to Canada as a temporary resident, but these
conditions of admission can be checked again by an immigration officer when you enter Canada.

If your visa application is refused, you will receive a written explanation of the reasons for the
refusal. There is no official appeal mechanism for refusals of study permit applications.