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Since 1 September 2026 a single student needs CAD 23,448 for living costs plus first-year tuition, which is about INR 15.89 lakh before tuition. The New Delhi visa office also asks for 2 years of income tax returns for you and your parents and a study permit questionnaire.
Written by NextMovePath editorial teamLast updated:
| IRCC processing time from India | 5 weeks (Study permit (applying from outside Canada))IRCC's current estimate, as of September 28, 2026. Source: IRCC processing times |
|---|---|
| Living funds (single student, outside Quebec) | CAD 23,448 per year plus tuition and travel (about INR 15.89 lakh)Source: IRCC: Study permit, proof of financial support |
| Tax documents the visa office asks for | Income tax returns for you and your parents for the past 2 yearsSource: IRCC: New Delhi visa office instructions, study permit (IMM 5818) |
| Education loans | Must come from a bank governed by the Reserve Bank of IndiaSource: IRCC: New Delhi study permit instructions and acceptable banks (IMM 5957) |
| Late applications | After 1 April for May, 1 August for September or 1 December for January may not be processed in timeSource: IRCC: New Delhi visa office instructions, study permit (IMM 5818) |
| Government fees | CAD 150 study permit + CAD 85 biometrics (about INR 15,900)Source: IRCC: Fee list |
For applications from 1 September 2026, IRCC requires CAD 23,448 for a single student’s yearly living costs outside Quebec, plus first-year tuition and travel. Each family member coming with you adds CAD 6,318. At CAD 1 = INR 67.75, the living amount alone is about INR 15.89 lakh.
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Income tax returns for you and your parents for the past 2 years, a reference letter from each person funding you explaining how your studies will be paid and their occupation and dependants, and a letter from that person’s employer. Add tuition receipts and any scholarship letter.
The New Delhi instructions ask for your most recent diploma or leaving certificate with mark sheets for the entire program, and copies of all other certificates and degrees with their mark sheets. Consolidated mark sheets are not accepted, so request semester-wise or year-wise mark sheets from your university early.
A form the New Delhi office adds to the checklist. You must name any agent who helped with your admission or application, list your education and work since age 18 with no gaps, and give your parents’ and sponsors’ income. Not disclosing an agent can count against you.
Most students need a provincial attestation letter (PAL) from their school. Master’s and doctoral students at a public institution are among those exempt. The Student Direct Stream, which India was part of, ended on 8 November 2024. All Indian students now apply through the regular process.
The New Delhi office recommends applying at least 3 months before travel. It says applications received after 1 April for May intake, after 1 August for September, or after 1 December for January are unlikely to be processed in time and may be refused.
These are the grounds IRCC officers most often write in refusal letters for this kind of application. They are typical grounds, not statistics. Fix them before you apply, not after.
Tell us where you are in the process. A member of our team will tell you what is missing or weak in your India application, before IRCC does.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees and document lists change often. Confirm current requirements on canada.ca or with a licensed Canadian immigration representative (RCIC or lawyer) before you apply.