Canada study visa fee: the core government charges
The Canada study visa fee — officially the study permit fee — is set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and applies to every applicant, regardless of country or program.
These figures come directly from IRCC's official fee list and haven't changed as part of the broader 2026 fee increases that affected permanent residence and citizenship applications.
The real cost driver: 2026 proof-of-funds rule
The visa fee is the smallest part of your budget. The bigger number to plan around is IRCC's proof-of-funds requirement — the amount you must show you can access, on top of tuition and travel, to prove you can support yourself in Canada.
Current threshold: since September 1, 2025, single applicants outside Quebec must show CAD $22,895 in living funds, in addition to your first year's tuition fee and travel costs. This threshold is reviewed and adjusted by IRCC periodically — always confirm the current figure on canada.ca before finalising your budget.
In practice, once tuition and travel are added, most students report a total required amount somewhere between CAD $32,000 and $50,000 for the first year, depending on the program, city, and institution.
The PAL/TAL cap, explained
Since 2024, Canada has capped the number of study permit applications it will process each year. For 2026, IRCC has set 309,670 application spaces for students who need a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) — a letter from the province confirming you have a place within its allocated quota. Separately, IRCC expects to issue up to roughly 408,000 study permits in 2026 across new arrivals, extensions, and returning students.
📢 2026 Update: Master's & PhD Students Exempted from PAL
From January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at a public Designated Learning Institution (DLI) no longer need a PAL/TAL. They still must meet every other study permit requirement, including proof of funds, a valid letter of acceptance, and admissibility. This is the main structural change to the cap system this year.
If your program does require a PAL, your province issues these directly to institutions, who allocate them to admitted students — so securing your letter of acceptance early matters more than ever, since provincial quotas can run out during the year.
Other costs to budget for
- Medical exam — required for some applicants, paid directly to an IRCC-approved panel physician; cost varies by clinic and country.
- Language test fees — IELTS, PTE, or equivalent, required by most institutions as a condition of your Letter of Acceptance.
- Courier and VAC service charges — separate from IRCC's own fees, charged by the visa application centre handling your file.
- Currency conversion costs — since all IRCC fees are charged in CAD, budget a small buffer for exchange rate movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
The core government fee is CAD $150 for the study permit application, plus CAD $85 for biometrics for most applicants — unchanged from prior years.
Since September 1, 2025, single applicants outside Quebec must show CAD $22,895 in living funds, on top of first-year tuition and travel costs. Always confirm the current figure on canada.ca.
No. From January 1, 2026, master's and PhD students at public DLIs are exempt. Most college and undergraduate applicants still need one, subject to each province's quota.
No. IRCC application fees are non-refundable regardless of the outcome.
IRCC expects to issue up to roughly 408,000 study permits in 2026 across new arrivals, extensions, and returning students, with 309,670 application spaces specifically allocated for PAL/TAL-required students.