Visas
Documents required for a Canada study permit
In short
IRCC lists four documents as always required for a study permit: a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, proof of identity (a copy of a valid passport and two photos), proof of funds, and, in most cases, a provincial or territorial attestation letter (a CAQ in Quebec). It marks a letter of explanation as recommended, and a medical exam, police certificate, custodian declaration for a minor and country-specific documents as check-if-needed. For applications on or after 1 September 2026 a single applicant outside Quebec shows CAD 23,448 for living costs on top of first-year tuition.
The study permit checklist is short, and refusals come from two items on it being thin rather than from anything being missing. Below is IRCC's list as the page states it, then what each item has to do.
This is one of seven posts on the documents each destination asks for; the [document preparation](/study-abroad-documents) page sets out who produces each document and the order to start them in.
IRCC's list, in its own words
From IRCC's "Get the right documents" page, dated 6 October 2026, read on 27 October 2026.
- Letter of acceptance, always required: "Your school will give you a letter of acceptance. Upload this to your online application."
- Provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL), needed in most cases: obtained from your school, usually after accepting the offer and paying tuition in part or full; students in Quebec need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) instead. Master's and doctoral students at public institutions are exempt for programmes starting on or after 1 January 2026; see the PAL post.
- Proof of identity, always required: a copy of a valid passport or travel document and two recent passport-size photos; the original passport is sent if the permit is approved.
- Proof of funds, always required: evidence that you can support yourself and any family members who come with you. The figures are on IRCC's financial-support page; see Canada proof of funds.
- Letter of explanation, recommended: "You must explain why you want to study in Canada" and show that you understand your responsibilities as an international student.
- Medical exam, check if needed: may be required if you plan to stay more than six months, have recently lived in certain countries, or will work in certain jobs.
- Police certificate, check if needed: "In some cases, we may ask you for a police certificate."
- Proof of care for minor children, check if needed: children under 17 not travelling with a parent or legal guardian must have an appointed custodian.
- Country-specific documents, check if needed: requirements vary by visa office; a re-entry permit, if your passport-issuing government requires one, "must" be obtained "before you apply for a Canadian visa".
The two that decide it
Proof of funds and the letter of explanation are where most Indian applications are won or lost. The funds figure is specific: a single applicant outside Quebec shows CAD 23,448 for living costs for applications on or after 1 September 2026, plus first-year tuition and travel, and the officer reads the statement history, not just the closing balance. A lump sum that appeared last month is a question, not evidence.
The letter of explanation is marked recommended, which applicants read as optional. It is optional in the sense that the application is accepted without it. It is not optional for anyone whose file raises a question: a refusal, a gap, a programme at or below the level already held, or money that arrived recently. The letter of explanation post covers what it must argue.
The documents the university already has
The college or university asked for its own set before it issued the letter of acceptance: transcripts, a statement of purpose or statement of intent, an English test, often references. None of those go to IRCC unless asked, but all of them have to agree with the letter of explanation and the funds file. The officer who finds the statement of intent describing a career in Canada while the letter of explanation promises a return to Kochi has found the ground for refusal in the applicant's own documents.
That is the consistency pass described on the document preparation page, and it is the reason the letter of explanation is written last, after the rest of the file exists.
Order and timing
Accept the offer and pay the deposit, because the attestation letter is usually issued after that. Request the letter from the institution immediately; provinces ration them and the letter is valid only for its cap year. Open or consolidate the funds account early, so the statement history is clean. Book the medical if your stay exceeds six months. Write the letter of explanation last. The preparation timeline gives the months.
Sources
Quoted from IRCC on 27 October 2026.
Related questions
Is the letter of explanation mandatory for a Canada study permit?
IRCC marks it "Recommended". The application is accepted without it, but for anyone with a refusal, a gap, a step down in level or recently arrived funds, it is the only document that answers the question the officer will ask.
Do I need a PAL for a master's in 2026?
Not for a degree-granting master's or doctoral programme at a public designated learning institution starting on or after 1 January 2026. You must still provide proof that the programme and institution fit the exemption.
How much money do I need to show?
For applications on or after 1 September 2026, CAD 23,448 for living costs for a single applicant outside Quebec, plus first-year tuition and travel. The amount rises with each accompanying family member.