The Student Direct Stream (SDS) ended on November 8, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET and does not accept new applications.
Applications submitted on or after this date and time will be processed as regular study permits.
Student Direct Stream (SDS) – Overview
If you are a legal resident of one the countries that are part of the Student Direct Stream (SDS), you can enjoy faster processing times for your Study Permit application (usually around 20 days).
This article will help you navigate through the paperwork needed for applying, the eligibility requirements, the fees and process associated with getting a Study Permit through the SDS.
Student Direct Stream (SDS) – Eligible Countries
To be eligible to the Student Direct Stream (SDS), you must be a legal resident living in one of the following countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Brazil
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- India
- Morocco
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Philippines
- Senegal
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Vietnam
Even if you are a citizen of one of the countries above, and are not currently a legal resident in said country, you cannot apply through the SDS. You can still however apply to a Study Permit through the regular process.
Student Direct Stream (SDS) – Eligibility
To be able to obtain a Study Permit through the Student Direct Stream (SDS), you must:
- be accepted to a post-secondary Designated Learning Institution, and have a certificate of acceptance,
- pay the tuition fees for the first year of your program of studies if you plan to study outside Quebec,
- live outside of Canada when you apply,
- hold a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) from the province or territory where they plan to study if you studies are outside Quebec,
- hold a “Certificat d’Acceptation du Québec” (CAQ) if your studies are in Quebec,
- get an upfront (before applying) medical exam (if applicable),
- get a police certificate before applying (if applicable),
- have your most recent secondary or post-secondary school transcript(s),
- have at least one language test result taken in its in-person format from:
- If the study permit application is submitted before August 10, 2023:
- IELTS (academic or general training) with a score of 6.0 or higher in each skill (reading, writing, speaking and listening), or
- TEF Canada scores of at least 207 in reading, 310 in writing, 310 in speaking and 249 in listening.
- If the study permit application is submitted on or after August 10, 2023:
- IELTS General with a score of 6.0 or higher in each of the four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening),
- CELPIP General with a score of 7.0 or higher in each language skill,
- TEF Canada scores of at least 207 in reading, 310 in writing, 310 in speaking and 249 in listening,
- TCF Canada scores of at least 453 in reading, 10 in writing, 10 in speaking and 458 in listening,
- IELTS Academic with an overall score of 6.0 or higher, with results in each language skill,
- CAEL with an overall score of 60 or higher, with results in each language skill,
- Pearson PTE Academic with an overall score of 60 or higher, with results in each language skill,
- TOEFL iBT Test with an overall score of 83 or higher, with results in each language skill,
- TEF – 5 épreuves with an overall score of 400 or higher, with results in each language skill, or
- TCF – tout public with an overall score of 400 or higher, with results in each language skill.
- If the study permit application is submitted before August 10, 2023:
- have a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) :
- that amount to 20,635 CAD if you intend to study outside Quebec. If you have family members accompanying you, you also need to prove that you meet the regular study permit financial requirements for each additional person.
- that amount to the living expenses for one person (yourself) as outlined by Quebec. If you have family members accompanying you, you also need to prove that you meet the regular study permit financial requirements for each additional person.
List of institutions that offer Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs)
- Bank of China (Canada)
- Bank of Montreal
- Bank of Nova Scotia
- Bank of Xi’an Co. Ltd. – in partnership with the Bank of Nova Scotia
- China Everbright Bank Co. Ltd. – in partnership with the Bank of Nova Scotia
- Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
- Simplii Financial’s GICs are provided by CIBC.
- Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec
- Habib Canadian Bank
- HSBC Canada
- ICICI Bank Canada
- Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Canada)
- National Bank of Canada
- Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
- SBI Canada Bank
- Shinhan Bank Canada
- The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)
Student Direct Stream (SDS) – How to Apply
You can only apply for the Study Permit through the Student Direct Stream online. There are no exceptions.
You must have a debit/credit card to pay the fees and a camera/scanner to make electronic copies of your documents.
You may need to provide biometrics (fingerprints scanning and photograph). You can find more information on Biometrics in this page. If applicable, it is better to pay for the biometrics fee at the same time as your Study Permit application as to not delay the processing of your application.
Student Direct Stream (SDS) – Supporting Documents
In addition to the regular Study Permit required supporting documents, you will need to provide the following:
- If intending to study outside Quebec, proof of full payment of tuition for the applicant’s first year of study, that can be in the form of:
- a receipt from the DLI,
- an official letter from the DLI confirming payment of tuition fees,
- a receipt from a bank showing that tuition fees have been paid to the DLI, or
- a proof that the tuition fee amount has been transferred into a repository account at the DLI to be applied to the tuition bill at a later date.
- A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) is a Canadian investment with a minimum rate of return for a fixed period of time. The bank that you choose for setting up the GIC:
- has to confirm that you bought a GIC by giving you one of the following:
- a letter of attestation
- a GIC certificate
- an Investment Directions Confirmation
- an Investment Balance Confirmation
- must hold the GIC in an investment account or a student account that you can’t access until you arrive in Canada,
- needs to make you confirm your identity before they release any funds to you,
- must release the funds in the following manner:
- an initial lump sum once you identify yourself upon arrival in Canada,
- the remainder of the funds in monthly or bi-monthly instalments over 10 to 12 months.
- has to confirm that you bought a GIC by giving you one of the following:
- Acceptable language test results.
- Most recent secondary or post-secondary school transcript(s).
- Medical exam report and police certificate(s), if applicable.
It is important to consult the visa office instructions of your country of residence because it is possible that certain specific documents will be required for a particular country.
