Study in Canada
Start your Canadian study plan with the exact programme and campus, a verified school record, and a budget in Canadian dollars. Then keep university admission, scholarship funding and study-permit preparation as separate tasks. This guide explains those checks and shows how to compare two offers before paying a deposit.
Where should you start researching study in Canada?
EduCanada study planning explains the national study context. Your selected institution remains the source for the exact course requirements.
Research the school, campus and course before committing to an offer. The guide below links to the separate Canadian education and immigration sources used in this review.
Check the institution and the exact Canadian campus
Start with the institution’s official programme page, then use IRCC’s designated learning institutions list to check the school and campus. Record the programme title, qualification, location, duration and DLI number in your shortlist. A similar institution name is not enough to establish that you have found the right entry.
If work after graduation is part of your plan, make a separate check. IRCC explains that not every programme offered by a DLI is eligible for a post-graduation work permit, and applicants must meet the applicable eligibility requirements. Keep the official programme details and IRCC guidance together; do not rely on a broad claim that a school is “approved.”
Keep admission and study-permit preparation in separate folders
Your institution decides academic admission. Its checklist may address previous qualifications, prerequisites, language evidence, references or a research proposal. Copy the requirements for your exact programme and intake rather than using a general list for every Canadian school.
For immigration preparation, use IRCC’s current study-permit document guidance. Check which acceptance, identity, financial and other evidence applies to your circumstances, including any applicable provincial or territorial attestation letter or Quebec requirement. Requirements and exceptions differ; a university offer does not establish that your immigration file is complete.
- Academic record: programme URL, admissions contact, requested documents and deadline.
- Immigration record: official IRCC checklist, the circumstances selected and questions that still need clarification.
- Funding record: confirmed award terms, available funds, payment dates and costs still unfunded.
For a transcript, record who must send it. For a reference, distinguish a referee’s agreement from an actual submission. Our document tracker guide explains how to record those separate responsibilities.
Compare the full course cost in Canadian dollars
EduCanada’s cost guidance provides a starting point, but your decision needs figures for the actual programme, campus and study period. Request the international tuition schedule and check compulsory fees, housing, health coverage, deposits and payment dates. Keep each quote’s source and review date.
Worked illustration: the figures below are invented Canadian-dollar planning amounts for two imaginary two-year programmes. They are not school quotations, immigration financial thresholds or real offers. Establish that both courses meet your academic needs before comparing their totals.
| Item | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition per year | 18,000 | 23,000 |
| Living costs per year | 28,000 | 24,000 |
| One-off setup and travel | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Confirmed total award | 4,000 | 0 |
| Two-year funding required | 91,000 | 97,000 |
The calculation is two years of tuition and living costs, plus setup costs, minus the confirmed award. In this example, Option A requires CAD 95,000 if its award is only pending. Keep that version visible until funding is confirmed. Neither calculation determines whether immigration financial-evidence requirements have been met.
For a household funding the course in naira or another currency, keep the original CAD amount separate from the conversion assumption and transfer charges. Then map when funds will be available against deposit, tuition and housing deadlines. A workable total can still hide an unaffordable first payment. Use our budget checklist for the payment schedule.
What should you ask before accepting a Canadian offer?
- Which academic conditions remain? Request a list of the outstanding evidence and how it must be submitted.
- What does the deposit commit you to? Read the written refund and deferral conditions, including the treatment of an unsuccessful or delayed study-permit application. Do not assume a refund is automatic.
- Is the scholarship an award or an application? Check its value, duration, renewal conditions and when payments are released.
- Which campus services are available? Ask about housing, health coverage, accessibility, arrival arrangements and support for international students.
Save the answers with the offer. A phone conversation can help identify the right question, but obtain written clarification for a decision involving a payment or an important condition.
Canada planning questions
Does a DLI listing guarantee a post-graduation work permit?
No. IRCC distinguishes the institution, eligible programmes and the applicant’s own eligibility requirements. Check the exact course and current official rules before relying on a post-study work plan.
Can I use the example budget as proof of funds?
No. It is an invented comparison exercise. Build your budget from current, documented costs and check the separate financial-evidence rules applicable to your study-permit application.
Does Gallant represent the Canadian institutions mentioned?
A research link does not establish a university partnership or authority to make an admission or immigration decision. Ask for the precise scope and price of any optional support before agreeing to it.
Official sources reviewed 27 October 2026: EduCanada’s planning and costs guidance, IRCC’s DLI list and its study-permit document guidance. This is general preparation information. Recheck the applicable institutional and government instructions before paying or submitting.
Start with your plans
Talk to an advisor.
Tell us your destination, goals and budget. Ask for the scope and cost of support before you commit.