Study Permits: Prepare for 2023 Intake

As we approach the end of the year, there’s no better time to start making education, career and immigration plans for the new year. In particular, if you’re hoping to study in Canada in 2023, you need to start the process now, to ensure you have your study permit finalized in time to start your program.

Key dates to be aware of

 Designated Learning Institutes (DLIs) generally have three intakes throughout the year:

·      Fall Intake: September

·      Winter Intake: January

·      Spring/Summer Intake: May

The September intake is the primary intake where all courses are available, but a large number of courses also have possible start dates in January and May, and these intakes tend to be particularly popular with international students.

When should you apply for your preferred intake?

 Program Deadlines

Application deadlines vary from school to school, and international student deadlines can also vary from domestic students. You can find the relevant deadlines and application information on your prospective DLI’s website. In particular, you should have a look at their international education/department information, for information relevant to your situation.

 For most DLIs, applications are accepted up until the following deadlines:

·      Fall Intake: February – April

·      Winter Intake: August – November

·      Spring/Summer Intake: January – February

 You should be as proactive as possible when applying for your preferred course, as certain programs are competitive, meaning they have more applications than spaces available. Some schools will also continue accepting applications after the initial deadline, but will only consider them on a first come, first serve basis. Therefore, you want to ensure your application is submitted early on, so it is given equal consideration to other applications and gives you the best chance of being accepted.

 Study Permit Deadlines

 Although it is important to be aware of the institution deadlines, as an international student you need to be applying as early as possible to ensure your study permit is finalized in time for you to start your course. This means you will often need to apply to your DLI and obtain a letter of acceptance long before the final deadline to apply.

 Although there is no actual deadline to apply for a study permit by, we recommend applying for your study permit at least 5 months before your program is due to start. This is because IRCC can take around 3 months to process your study permit application, not taking into account the passport request, which usually takes another 2 weeks, but can be longer depending on how busy the Visa Application Centre (VAC) is.

 Keep in mind that your DLI will also have deferral or withdrawal deadlines, which are usually several weeks before the program start date. You ideally want to have your study permit finalized before these deadlines, but if this isn’t possible, you should speak to your school about the option of deferring or withdrawing from your course, hopefully without financial penalty, before these deadlines come around. We recommend you read our blog post on when you need to apply for a study permit for more information on timings and what to do if your study permit isn’t approved in time.

What do you need to do NOW?

 January 2023 (Winter) Intake

 If you’re aiming for the January 2023 intake and haven’t yet applied for admission to your program of study, or for your study permit, some DLIs may still be willing to offer you a place, but it is unlikely that your study permit application will be approved in time.

 If your study permit application is still pending, you should check processing times to get an idea of when you could expect an outcome on your application. If you have already exceeded normal processing times, you can try following up with IRCC by Webform and we would recommend you book a consultation with us to discuss your situation further.

 If you have been admitted to a program of study but your study permit has not yet been approved, NOW is the time to speak to your DLI to see what deferral/withdrawal options you have, and if there is anything else they can do to accommodate you.

May 2023 (Spring/Summer) Intake

If you’re aiming for the May 2023 intake, NOW is the time to apply to your preferred program and obtain a letter of acceptance from your DLI. You should be aiming to submit your study permit application in the next 6 weeks, to ensure it is processed in time for you to start your course in May.

If you already have a letter of acceptance from your DLI, you should be starting the study permit application process now, to allow yourself as much time as possible. Preparing the application can often take a lot longer than you expect, given how thorough you need to be and depending on what supporting documents you need to provide. Therefore, it’s best to be proactive and start the process early! 

The key things we recommend you do NOW are:

·      Familiarize yourself with the study permit application process

·      Get your document checklist and gather your documents

·      Start preparing your letter of intent/study plan by downloading our FREE Letter of Intent Guide

·      Consider taking our Study Permit Course and Masterclass, due to commence on December 12!

·      If you would like our assistance with your study permit application, the first step is to book a consultation 

September 2023 (Fall) Intake

If you’re aiming for the Fall 2023 intake, most schools will currently have applications open and we recommend applying sooner rather than later! Schools will start making their offers of admission as early as January, so you want to submit your application NOW to ensure you are captured in the first round of offers.

Once you have an offer of admission, make sure to request a Letter of acceptance from your DLI and then you will be able to start the study permit application process. Although September seems far away, it isn’t too early to start the study permit application process. The more time you have the better, in case you experience any issues or delays with your application.

Finally, we also recommend you start familiarizing yourself with the study permit application process and consider taking our Study Permit Course and Masterclass.

Speak to a Canadian immigration lawyer

If you have concerns or questions about your file, or you want to work with a Canadian immigration lawyer on your study permit application, you should start by booking a consultation and we will be able to guide you through the process.

Click here to speak to one of our Canadian immigration lawyers.