Study Permit

All international students who wish to pursue a program of study of at least 6 months in length at King’s must hold a valid study permit that authorizes studies at any Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada, such as King’s University College. See below if your program of study is less than 6 months in length. King’s University College’s DLI Number is O19376872842

• The first digit is the capital letter “O”, not the number zero “0”
• King's DLI number can be found on your Letter of Acceptance

International students are responsible for applying for their initial study permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Please visit the IRCC website for further information, document requirements and application instructions. If you are applying as an undergraduate student for a new Study Permit , you will require a Provincial Attestation Letter. See below for instructions on attaining a Provincial Attestation Letter in support of your studies at King’s.

Your current country of residence and status in that country will determine whether you apply online, by paper through a Canadian Application Centre, or upon entry into Canada. Please note that only citizens of the USA and St. Pierre and Miquelon may apply for a study permit upon entry into Canada. 

Some international students can get their study permits faster by using the Student Direct Stream (SDS).

For new study permit applications submitted after January 22, 2024, undergraduate international students must include a Provincial Attestation Letter with their study permit application. King’s can request a Provincial Attestation Letter for applicants that have accepted their offer of admission to King’s and paid their tuition deposit. See the Process for Obtaining a Provincial Attestation Letter FAQ for more information.

You will need an Offer of Admission from King’s University College and a Provincial Attestation Letter before you apply for a new study permit from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 

Visit IRCC for current up-to-date processing times in your area.

Note: You may not begin your studies at King's until you have received a study permit that authorizes studies at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada.  

King’s University College is responsible for requesting Provincial Attestation Letters on behalf of applicants that have accepted their offer of admission to King’s. King’s has a limited number of seats; as such, applicants are advised complete following steps as soon as they have finalized their decision to enrol at King’s:

Process for Obtaining a Provincial Attestation Letter to Enrol at King’s:

1. Accept your offer of admission to King’s University College.
   1. If you applied through OUAC, accept the offer of admission through the OUAC.
   2. Internal Applicants, Accept your offer of admission via the King’s website.
2. Pay your tuition deposit
3. A Recruitment Officer from King’s will contact you by phone and/or email to determine whether you need a Provincial Attestation Letter.
4. King’s will request a Provincial Attestation Letter from Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities on your behalf.
5. Once King’s receives your Provincial Attestation Letter, it will be emailed to you with instructions on applying for your study permit.

If the province denies King’s request for your Provincial Attestation Letter or King’s reaches its cap, your tuition deposit will be refunded.

Please send any questions related to the study permit application process to King’s International. For questions about your offer of admission and/or the Provincial Attestation Letter process, please contact King’s Admissions team.  

If you are currently in Canada and can’t complete your program before your study permit expires, you must apply to extend your study permit before it expires.

If you have been studying at a secondary school in Canada and your study permit is still valid, you don’t need to apply for a new study permit. If you want to work while you study, you may need to change the conditions of your study permit. To do this, you’ll need to apply for a new study permit from within Canada.

If you are applying for a study permit extension from within Canada, the study permit will be mailed to your Canadian mailing address. If you also need a new Temporary Resident (TRV) for travel and re-entry into Canada during your studies, you can apply for a TRV separately from inside Canada.

International students who will be attending King’s  for a short-term program of under 6 months , such as a one-term exchange, may enter Canada as a visitor for the purpose of short-term studies. Please note that if you plan on using that course/program as a prerequisite for a subsequent program of study (e.g., English as a Second Language), you must apply for a study permit.

Please carefully read the instructions provided by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and follow the Document Checklists provided on their website and by their regional offices.

Generally, you will be required to provide the following documents in addition to the application form(s):

• Passport or travel document
  *Note: A study permit cannot be issued for longer than the duration of your passport validity. If your passport will expire during your studies in Canada, it is your responsibility to renew it as soon as possible and apply for a study permit extension before your study permit expires.
• Attestation Letter (if applying as an undergraduate after January 22, 2024)
• Offer of Admission from King’s University College
• Proof of means of financial support
  You must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover the costs of upcoming year’s tuition fees plus living expenses (for you and your family members if accompanying you to Canada) for a year. Please note that this is the minimum financial requirement to apply. You are expected to have sufficient funds or make arrangements for sufficient funds to be transferred to you for the duration of your studies. We DO NOT recommend relying upon employment in Canada to prove your financial status as this is not guaranteed and may not provide sufficient income to meet the minimum requirements.
  Further information about required documents.

• photos (digital if applying online)
• Biometrics (fingerprints and photograph)
  You will be asked to go to a Application Centre (VAC) abroad or a Biometrics Centre in Canada.
  Find out more about providing your biometrics.
• Study Plan
  Undergraduate students may wish or be required to provide a Study Plan. A Study Plan is a letter of explanation about why they have chosen a program at King’s (academic reasons), and how the program is related to any past education and/or future career goals.
• Depending on your country of residency, you may also be asked to provide:
  • An immigration medical exam that has been performed by a Panel Physician who has been approved to conduct immigration medical examinations
  • Specific documents to prove financial support
  • A police certificate
  • Any additional documents as requested by the responsible office
• Fee payment

"Minor children who are less than 17 years of age and come to Canada to study without a parent or legal guardian must be cared for by a responsible adult in Canada. This person is known as a custodian. A notarized custodianship declaration, such as the form Custodianship Declaration - Custodian for Minors Studying in Canada (IMM 5646) (PDF, 1 MB), must be completed by the parents or legal guardians in the country of origin and by the custodian in Canada.

Minor children between 17 years of age and the age of majority in the province or territory (18 or 19 years old) where they intend to study, may need a custodian at the discretion of an immigration officer." ¹  

It is the responsibility of the student's family to satisfy this requirement. King’s is not able to serve as a custodian.

See IRCC's information on minor children studying in Canada

Spouses and children of international students may apply to accompany the international student to Canada during their studies. Further information.

You have lost your status if you are still in Canada and:

• The expiry date of your permit passed before you had applied for
  • a new study permit
  • a work permit, or
  • to stay in Canada as a visitor
• You didn’t respect the conditions of your permit

In some cases, you may apply to restore your status as a student. To apply, you must:

• Submit your application within 90 days of losing your status
• Clearly and completely explain how you lost your status
• Pay your fees

NOTE: You may stay in Canada while the IRCC makes a decision on your application. However, you aren’t allowed to study until your status has been restored. The application for restoration does not guarantee restoration of student status.

Once your study permit is approved by IRCC, you will receive a Letter of Introduction to confirm the decision. This is not your study permit. You will need to present this letter to an immigration official upon entry into Canada and your study permit will be printed and issued to you upon arrival.

• If you are a national of a country that requires a visa to travel to Canada, you will be asked to provide your passport for issuance during application processing.
• If you are a national of a country that does not require a visa to travel to Canada (-exempt), an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) will be automatically issued and this is linked to your current passport.
  
  The Temporary Resident (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA for -exempt nationals) allow you to travel to and enter Canada. 

Study permit processing has resumed. See the Application Process FAQ (below) for instructions on next steps.

If you haven’t already applied to King's on the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC), now is a great time to apply. Learn more about applying.

The Province of Ontario has announced its Provincial Attestation Letter procedure. King’s can request Provincial Attestation Letters on behalf of applicants that have accepted their offer of admission to King’s and paid their tuition deposit.

See the Application Process FAQ for further information.

If you submitted your completed study permit application prior to January 22, 2024, the new cap does not apply to you and your application will be processed.

If you applied after January 22, 2024, your study permit will not be processed and you will be issued a refund. This does not mean your application was rejected; instead, you need to re-apply for your study permit once you have a Provincial Attestation Letter. Once you have accepted your offer of admission to King’s and paid your tuition deposit, King’s will be able to request a Provincial Attestation Letter for you to include with your Study Permit Application.

See the Application Process FAQ for further information.

If you have a valid study permit, you will not need to apply for a new one.

Please ensure to extend your study permit before the expiration of your current one (if it is nearing expiry). Once you have accepted your offer of admission to King’s, paid your tuition deposit, and upon completion of your current program, please update your DLI with the IRCC and/or extend your study permit (whichever is applicable). Note: You must update your DLI to King’s University College at Western University DLI # O19376872842 prior to starting your studies at King’s.

Your study permit will be valid for any Canadian province as long as it has not expired. If you have a valid study permit, you will not need to apply for a new one.

Please ensure to extend your study permit before the expiration of your current one (if it is nearing expiry). Once you have accepted your offer of admission to King’s, paid your tuition deposit, and upon completion of your current program, please update your DLI with the IRCC and/or extend your study permit  (whichever is applicable). Note: You must update your DLI to King’s University College at Western University DLI # O19376872842 prior to starting your studies at King’s.

Yes, if you have a valid study permit you are exempt from the cap and can apply to transfer to King's.

Please ensure to extend your study permit before the expiration of your current one (if it is nearing expiry). Once you have accepted your offer of admission to King’s, paid your tuition deposit, and upon transferring to King’s, please update your DLI  with the IRCC and/or extend your study permit (whichever is applicable). Note: You must update your DLI to King’s University College at Western University DLI # O19376872842 prior to starting your studies at King’s.

Yes, you can renew an existing valid study permit. IRCC is launching a new version of the study permit extension form on January 30, 2024  – if you are applying on or after this date, you MUST use the new version of the form. IRCC will not accept applications using the old form.

Please send any questions study permit questions to King’s International. For questions about your offer of admission, please contact King’s Admissions team.