Preparing For the Start of School

Admission is considered confirmed when Lethbridge College receives your signed acceptance of the Offer of Admissions, along with the required tuition-fee deposit of $300, or tuition fees.

Upon receipt of your payment, Lethbridge College will send you an official admission letter. You can then apply for a study permit or student visa if required. 

Note: apply early; it may take several months to process your application. For details, contact the Canadian embassy or consulate in your home country or visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada: www.cic.gc.ca.

Apply for your initial study permit 

A study permit is a document that gives you permission to study at a Canadian educational institution. Besides your passport, your study permit is your most important immigration document. It is stapled to your passport when you arrived in Canada. Study permits are issued for a specific period of time, normally for the length of time necessary to complete your study. If you did not receive a long-term study permit, you will need to renew your document before it expires.

All international students attending Lethbridge College must have a valid study permit, except in cases where the duration of the program of study is six months or less. Before you attend any program, be sure your study permit is valid for Lethbridge College. 

You must apply for your study permit from a Canadian government representative outside Canada, unless you are from the United States, Greenland, or Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. If you are from one of these places, you may apply at a Canadian port of entry.

The time it takes to process your application will vary, and in some cases it could take up to six months. The Canadian embassy, high commission, or consulate in your home country will be able to give you an application form and confirm waiting times and costs.

Documents you need to apply for your study permit:

• an original letter of acceptance from Lethbridge College
• a valid passport
• proof of sufficient funds to support academic/living expenses for the duration of your program
• a medical examination (if required)
• application-fee receipt
• completed application form
• Two passport photos
• Other documents specified by the Canadian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate nearest you

For more information, visit Immigration Canada's website:http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/study.asp.

Apply for a temporary resident visa (TRV)

Citizens of certain countries require a temporary resident visa to enter Canada. A TRV gives you permission to enter Canada for a specified period of time.

When you are issued a TRV, Canadian immigration officials will place a sticker in your passport for presentation at a Canadian port of entry. The TRV must be used prior to the expiration date, but does not have to remain valid after you enter Canada. Once you enter Canada, your study permit allows you to stay in Canada until the expiry date written on the document. In cases where no study or work permit exists, a stamp will be placed in your passport indicating the date you must leave Canada. If no date is written in the passport, the TRV is valid for six months from the date of entry. Not all students require a TRV; however, if you need a TRV to enter Canada, you will need a valid TRV to re-enter Canada if you visit any country other than the United States during your stay in Canada. 

Your TRV is not valid after the expiry date.

A TRV is not the same as a study permit. A TRV gives you permission to enter Canada. A study permit gives you permission to study in Canada. Not all students need a TRV to enter Canada (check with the Canadian embassy, high commission, or consulate in your country), but most students need a valid study permit. 

Students studying in Canada for six months or less do not need a study permit, but are advised to get one. Study permits allow students to work on campus.

TRVs cannot be issued within Canada. They are available only at a Canadian embassy, consulate, or high commission outside Canada.

You can download information and application kits for a TRV from: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/visa.asp.

Changing programs of studies or institutions within Canada

You do not need to request a new study permit if you only wish to change programs of studies or attend another post secondary (private or public) educational institution. In some cases, it may be necessary to have a new study permit issued. For example, if you have been attending a high school, you will need change your study permit to indicate you now have permission to attend a post-secondary institution such as a college or university. 

Also, if your study permit indicates you must attend institutions listed on the study permit, you must get a new permit before changing institutions.