Only once you have been accepted to study at an eligible Canadian institution you can begin your application for a student authorization i.e Student Study Visa. Your application will go through Citizenship and Immigration Canada, by way of your nearest Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate. The best place to get all your information on this procedure is directly from Immigration Canada's web site: www.cic.gc.ca. Citizens of many countries require a visitor's visa, as well as the student authorization to study in Canada. A listing of those countries is available at Immigration Canada's web site.

Get An Application for a Student Visa
At Immigration Canada's site you can also get the application that you will need to submit to the Canadian authorities. You must print the form, read it carefully and answer all the questions. It can be returned to a Canadian Embassy, high commission or consulate. Canadian consulates will also supply them. If your internet access is limited, you may want to contact the embassy before you intend to submit your application to ensure you are clear about the requirements.

Give it Three Months
You should begin your application for student authorization at least three months before you intend to begin school. If you do need a visitor's visa, apply for it at the same time as your student authorization and they will be issued together.

To Submit an Application You will Need Three Things:

• a valid passport
• a letter of acceptance from a Canadian institution
• proof that you have enough funds to cover tuition and living costs in Canada (this can either be a letter from your parents/ financial supporters, a letter from your bank, an up-dated bank statement, or a scholarship/fellowship contract)

Apparently, if you support you application with a letter of reference from someone important in you community ( a religious leader, a member of government, a doctor etc.), then your request will be looked upon favourably. When you apply from some countries, the consulate will also ask that you supply them with the results of a medical examination.

To Study in Québec
If you are accepted to an institution in Québec, you will need to receive a Certificate of Acceptance of Québec (certificat d'acception or CAQ), before seeking a student authorization from Canada. To get this, you must contact Québec's ministry of immigration, the ministère des relations avec les citoyens et de l'immigration.The process varies depending on where you are applying from, as the Quebec ministry has international offices in Austria, France, Hong Kong, Mexico, Monaco and Syria. If you reside in any of these countries you will send your application form there or submit it in person. If you live in the U.S., Greenland or St.-Miquelon, you may send your application directly to Montreal, along with a copy of your letter of acceptance, $100CDN, proof of health insurance and evidence of sufficient funds. From any other country you will also submit your application to the Montreal office, but without health insurance documents or evidence of funding.

Student Visa Fees
The current fees for student authorization processing is $125, while a visitor's visa will be either $75 or $150 for single or multiple entry visas respectively. If you plan to study in Canada for a long period then the multiple entry visa will be worth the cost, as you might have opportunity to visit the United States while you are here. These fees must be submitted with your application to begin the process.

To Maintain Your Status Once you enter the country, you must be sure to inform the Canadian authorities if any of the information on your student authorization changes, or if you need an extension. Circumstances where this applies are as follows:

-Your authorized period of study will end soon
-A change in your course of study or institution
-If you seek employment off-campus
-Or if you terminate your studies

It is the student's responsibility to keep Immigration informed about these changes.