Study Permit
Study Permit
A study permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that allows international students to study in Canada for a specified period of time.
St. Thomas University partners with BorderPass, the leading Canadian immigration platform to streamline the immigration process for applicants and students throughout their stay in Canada. Through BorderPass, you’ll receive guidance and expertise from immigration lawyers to help prepare your study permit application at no additional cost to you. You’ll only need to pay the standard Government of Canada filing and biometrics fees (if applicable).
All accepted international applicants to St. Thomas University are required to use BorderPass to apply for their study permit. Once you’ve been admitted, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Pay the PAL Deposit
To receive your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), you must pay the CAD $2,500 non-refundable PAL deposit to St. Thomas University.
- The link to pay your deposit is found under the ‘Next Steps’ tab on your applicant portal and must be paid separately from tuition payments.
- The PAL deposit is applied toward your tuition for the second semester of first year.
- If your study permit is refused, CAD $2,000 of the CAD $2,500 deposit will be refunded with proof of refusal.
Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs)
As of January 22, 2024, accepted applicants for undergraduate programs at St. Thomas University who are not currently studying high school in Canada must include a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the Province of New Brunswick in their study permit application. St. Thomas University will obtain the PAL on your behalf once the PAL deposit has been paid.
Learn more about Provincial Attestation Letters
Step 2: Start the Study Permit Application in BorderPass
Create your BorderPass account and start the study permit application in BorderPass.
Our partnership with BorderPass can help make the process of applying for a study permit easier and more efficient - increasing your probability of success. Through BorderPass, you’ll receive:
- Guidance in preparing, reviewing and filing your study permit and future immigration applications by Canadian immigration lawyers.
- Access to Canadian immigration lawyers for any questions you may have.
- Notification tracking and document storage to keep you on-track with your immigration goals, ensuring compliance.
- Ongoing immigration support throughout your studies at STU.
Step 3: Receive your Provincial Attestation Letter
STU will request your PAL from the Province of New Brunswick and provide it directly to BorderPass. You will be required to complete your study permit application on BorderPass in order to access your PAL.
Step 4: Submit Your Study Permit Application on BorderPass
Once you submit your study permit application through BorderPass, BorderPass immigration lawyers will review and submit your completed application directly to IRCC. You will receive updates and guidance throughout the process until a decision is made.
You can check current IRCC study permit processing times here. We strongly recommend accepted applicants apply for their study permits as early as possible.