Next steps for admitted students

Browse: Home / Applying to UBC / After you’ve been admitted / Apply for a study permit

Next steps for admitted students

Apply for a study permit

International students need a valid study permit to attend UBC. Getting a permit can take several months, so be sure to begin the process as soon as you can.

Who needs to apply

You will need to apply for a study permit if:

  • You are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
  • Your UBC program of studies is more than 6 months long.

Special instructions apply if:

  • You are under 19 years of age.
  • You are attending high school in Canada on a study permit.
  • You are coming to UBC from a Canadian college or university.
  • You are a United States citizen, permanent resident of the United States, or a resident of Greenland or St. Pierre and Miquelon.
  • You are a resident of Antigua and Barbuda, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or Vietnam, and are eligible for the Student Direct Stream process.
  • You are applying from Bhutan, India, or Nepal.

When to apply

You need to be admitted to UBC and receive your letter of admission from UBC before you can apply for a study permit.

As of January 22, 2024, international undergraduate students outside of Canada applying for a new study permit will now also need a Provincial Attestation Letter from the province of British Columbia. Some international students may be exempt from requiring a Provincial Attestation Letter.

For international undergraduate students outside Canada:

  • You can apply for your study permit as soon as you are admitted to UBC, receive your UBC letter of admission, pay your deposit, and receive your Provincial Attestation Letter.

For international undergraduate students inside Canada:

  • You can apply for your study permit as soon as you are admitted to UBC, pay your deposit, and receive your UBC letter of admission.

How to apply

Study permits are issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the government department that handles immigration. As an international student, you’ll either need to extend your existing study permit from inside of Canada or apply for a new study permit from outside of Canada.

If you are applying for a new study permit from outside of Canada, you need a Provincial Attestation Letter. If you are extending your study permit from inside of Canada before it becomes invalid, you don’t need a Provincial Attestation Letter. You can confirm that you’re exempt from requiring a Provincial Attestation Letter on the IRCC website.

Depending on your country of citizenship, you may need a medical exam or you may need to provide biometric information in addition to supporting documentation.

International undergraduate students outside Canada

If you are applying for a new study permit from outside of Canada, you need a Provincial Attestation Letter. To apply for your study permit:

1

Verify your personal information with UBC. Log in to the Applicant Service Centre, click Edit Profile and select Contact Summary to confirm that your name matches the name on your passport and that your home address and date of birth are correct. You can update your address in the system if needed. To update your name or date of birth, email ubc.pal@ubc.ca.

2

Accept your offer of admission and pay your deposit.

3

Wait for UBC to send you your BC Provincial Attestation Letter in about 3 business days. Check your email account that UBC has on record to get your BC Provincial Attestation Letter.

4

Download your letter of admission from UBC. Log in to the Applicant Service Centre, click Admissions, and select Letter of Admission. You will need both your offer of admission and your Provincial Attestation Letter in your study permit application.

5

Follow the steps to apply. Learn more about how to apply for an initial study permit for UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver.

International undergraduate students inside Canada

If you are extending your study permit from inside of Canada before it becomes invalid, you don’t need a Provincial Attestation Letter. You can confirm that you’re exempt from requiring a Provincial Attestation Letter on the IRCC website. If you are in Canada as a visitor or asylum seeker, contact International Student Advising at UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver for support. To extend your study permit:

1

Accept your offer of admission and pay your deposit.

2

Download your letter of admission from UBC. Log in to the Applicant Service Centre, click Admissions, and select Letter of Admission.

3

Follow the steps to apply for a study permit extension at UBC Okanagan or UBC Vancouver and be sure to review the Important Considerations section.

 

Contact an advisor

Only certain people can legally provide Canadian immigration advice. UBC’s international student advisors are authorized to provide immigration support and can help you through applying for study permits, free of charge. They can answer a wide range of questions about immigration advising, health insurance, and general transition support. If you decide to hire someone outside of UBC to help you, make sure they are authorized.

Okanagan campus Vancouver campus

UBC Admissions Blog

How to apply for your study permit

International students need a valid study permit to attend UBC. Study permits are issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the government department that handles immigration. As an international student, you’ll either need to extend your existing study permit from inside of Canada or apply for a new study permit from outside of Canada.

Read more
Students studying in Sturgeon House

Take the next step

Plan your finances