Apply online
From outside Canada you must apply online. Paper applications are only for people who cannot apply online because of a disability, or who hold certain refugee or stateless travel documents.
Fall 2027 intake · Study permit, applied for online
In Canada the student visa is called a study permit. Bangladeshi students apply online to IRCC with a letter of acceptance, a provincial attestation letter (PAL) for a bachelor's, and proof of CAD 23,448 a year for living costs plus first-year tuition and travel. You pay CAD 150 plus CAD 85 for biometrics, give your fingerprints at the VFS Global Canada centre in Bangladesh, and receive the permit itself when you land in Canada.
Written and reviewed by Anisuzzaman Kiron, Founder & CEO · Updated
| What you apply for | Study permit, online with IRCC |
|---|---|
| Biometrics | VFS Global Canada centre in Bangladesh |
| Who decides | Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) |
| Money to show | CAD 23,448 a year + first-year tuition + travel |
| Fees | CAD 150 study permit + CAD 85 biometrics |
| Medical exam | Needed from Bangladesh for a stay of over 6 months |
| Permit issued | At the port of entry when you land |
From IRCC and VFS Global · Last verified
The basics
It is the permit that lets you study at a designated learning institution in Canada. You apply online before you travel; if IRCC approves, you get a letter of introduction, and the border officer issues the study permit itself when you arrive.
From outside Canada you must apply online. Paper applications are only for people who cannot apply online because of a disability, or who hold certain refugee or stateless travel documents.
After you pay, IRCC sends a biometric instruction letter. Give your fingerprints and photo promptly at the VFS Global Canada centre in Bangladesh; they usually last 10 years.
The approval letter of introduction is not the permit. Show it at the port of entry; the officer decides how long you may stay and issues your study permit.
Source: IRCC Guide 5269: applying for a study permit outside Canada. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Step by step
Six steps, from your letter of acceptance to the permit at the airport. Start your proof of funds as soon as you have the offer, because IRCC asks for 6 months of bank statements.
From a designated learning institution; for a college or university, the school must validate the letter.
8–12 months before the startFor a bachelor's, the university requests your PAL after you accept and pay tuition in part or in full. Quebec needs a CAQ; master's and PhD students at public universities are exempt.
After you accept the offerCAD 23,448 for living costs plus first-year tuition and travel, with 6 months of statements that show where the money came from.
Before you applyUpload your documents and pay CAD 150 for the study permit and CAD 85 for biometrics.
As soon as your letters are readyGo to the VFS Global Canada centre in Bangladesh with your biometric instruction letter, and do the medical exam with an IRCC panel physician if asked.
Promptly after the letterIf approved, send your passport when asked; it comes back with the letter of introduction. Show it at the airport to get your permit.
Before classes startSources: IRCC: study permit documents · IRCC Guide 5269. Timing: Sunrise advice. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Documents
IRCC always asks for a letter of acceptance, proof of identity and proof of funds. Most applicants also need a PAL or a CAQ, IRCC recommends a letter of explanation, and from Bangladesh you will usually need a medical exam.
Sources: IRCC: study permit documents · IRCC: proof of financial support (IRCC says its list is not complete) · IRCC: medical exam country list. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Money and fees
For applications from 1 September 2026, a single student outside Quebec shows CAD 23,448 for a year's living costs (about BDT 20.7 lakh), plus first-year tuition and travel, without counting on work in Canada. At the University of Lethbridge that adds up to about CAD 48,110, or about BDT 42.5 lakh.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Living costs to show | CAD 23,448 a yearAbout BDT 20.7 lakh | One student, outside Quebec, applications from 1 September 2026 (CAD 22,895 before that). Quebec uses MIFI's amounts. |
| First-year tuition | By universityFrom CAD 17,877 | See each university's fee on our Canadian universities page. |
| Study permit fee | CAD 150About BDT 13,300 | Paid online to IRCC. |
| Biometrics fee | CAD 85About BDT 7,500 | Paid online with the application. |
| VFS optional services | Only if you choose them | For example one-way courier CAD 62.15 (BDT 5,096) or premium lounge CAD 102.55 (BDT 8,409). |
| Medical exam | Confirmed in counselling | Paid to the IRCC panel physician. |
| Air ticket | Confirmed in counselling | Part of the travel money you must show. |
BDT amounts are approximate, at about BDT 88.42 per Canadian dollar (Wise mid-market rate, 11 Nov 2026), and change with the exchange rate. Sources: IRCC: proof of financial support · IRCC fee list · VFS Global Canada, Bangladesh. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
Timeline
IRCC does not set one fixed time: processing differs by visa office and changes during the year, and IRCC publishes the current figure on its processing-times page. Plan backwards from your September start and apply as soon as your letters and funds are ready.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| September–January | Apply to universities; scholarship deadlines can be as early as 1 December. |
| January–April | Receive offers, accept, pay the deposit and get your PAL (or CAQ for Quebec). |
| As soon as the PAL arrives | Apply online, pay the fees, give biometrics at VFS and do the medical if asked. |
| After approval | Send your passport, collect it with the letter of introduction, book your flight. |
| August–September | Fly to Canada; the study permit is issued at the port of entry. |
Check the current processing time for Bangladesh on IRCC's processing-times page before you plan your flight.
Source: IRCC Guide 5269. Month-by-month plan: Sunrise advice. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
After you arrive
At the port of entry the officer checks your documents, decides how long you may stay and issues your study permit. Check the conditions printed on it, because they decide whether you can work off campus.
Show your passport and the letter of introduction. Keep your letter of acceptance and proof of funds in your hand luggage in case the officer asks.
Stay enrolled and make progress in your programme. If eligible, work up to 24 hours a week off campus during classes and unlimited hours in scheduled breaks.
A degree of at least 8 months can lead to a Post-Graduation Work Permit of up to 3 years, with English at CLB 7.
If you are refused, read the reasons in the refusal letter and talk to a counsellor before you apply again, so the new application answers them. Book a free consultation or message WhatsApp 01611878274.
Sources: IRCC Guide 5269 · IRCC: work off campus · IRCC: PGWP eligibility. Last verified 11 Nov 2026.
FAQ
Ask a Canada counsellor directly if your question is not here.
WhatsApp 01611878274For applications from 1 September 2026, IRCC asks a single student outside Quebec to show CAD 23,448 for a year's living costs, plus first-year tuition and travel. IRCC accepts bank statements for the past 6 months that show where the money came from, among other proofs.
Yes. IRCC accepts a letter from the person giving you money that states their job, their relationship to you, their number of dependants and the amount, with a copy of their photo ID and proof of your relationship.
Not for a degree-granting master's or PhD at a public designated learning institution starting from 1 January 2026. Bachelor's students need a PAL, and students going to Quebec need a CAQ.
Usually yes. Bangladesh is on IRCC's medical exam list, so if you have lived there for 6 months or more in the past year and will stay in Canada for more than 6 months, you need an exam with an IRCC panel physician.
At the VFS Global Canada visa application centre in Bangladesh, after you apply online, pay the CAD 85 biometrics fee and receive your biometric instruction letter. Biometrics usually stay valid for 10 years.
It varies by visa office and through the year. IRCC publishes the current processing time on its website, so check it before you plan your flight and apply as soon as your PAL and funds are ready.
IRCC recommends one. It explains why you want to study in Canada and shows that you understand your responsibilities as an international student.
At the port of entry when you land. The approval letter of introduction is not the permit; the border officer issues the study permit after checking your documents.
or WhatsApp 01611878274 · call Sylhet 01710303097
