If you are applying for a new study permit from outside Canada, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Confirm your personal information with SFU by logging into goSFU. Review your personal and contact information and ensure that it is accurate and up to date.

• Check and confirm that your name in goSFU matches the name in your passport. 
• Review your contact information in goSFU. For example, if you are currently residing outside Canada, update your contact information accordingly. 
• If needed, you can update your personal and contact information directly in goSFU. 
• Have trouble accessing goSFU? Follow the instructions here to seek help.

Step 2: Accept your offer of admission and pay your admission deposit fee via goSFU.

Step 3: Wait for your PAL to be processed.  Your PAL will be emailed to you at the address indicated in your admission application within 3 to 5 business days .

Students in a Master’s or PhD Degree Program

If you will submit your study permit application in 2024, you don’t need to have a PAL to apply for a study permit outside Canada.  As part of your study permit application, you must include evidence on how you meet the PAL exemption. 

If you have not submitted a study permit application, you should apply as soon as you can before the 2025 study permit cap is implemented.

If you apply for a study permit after the 2025 cap is implemented, you are required you are required to include a PAL in your study permit application. 

Note that we are waiting for more details to be announced by IRCC about when the 2025 study permit intake cap and PAL requirement will be implemented for Master's and Doctoral degree-seeking students from outside Canada. We will continue to update this page as information becomes available.

Students in a Graduate Program other than a degree program 

If you will be studying in a graduate program that does not lead to a SFU degree (e.g. a prerequisite/qualifying, certificate or diploma program), you must have a PAL to apply for a study permit from outside Canada.

If you are admitted into a graduate program other than a Master’s or PhD degree program, and you have accepted your offer of admission and paid your admission deposit, please contact your Graduate Program directly to inquire about how to receive your PAL. 

One-term Exchange Students

If you will be studying at SFU as a one-term exchange student, a study permit is not required, and you do not need a PAL. 

Depending on your country of citizenship(s), you may need either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada.  Review the webpage here to check what immigration document you will need. 

Two & Three Term Exchange Students

If you will be studying at SFU for two or three terms, you will be required to have a PAL to apply for your study permit to study in Canada.  You will be contacted by International Services for Students (ISS) directly on how to access your PAL.   Your PAL will be emailed to you along with your SFU Letter of Acceptance /Student Exchange letter. 

For more information about how to apply for a study permit as a two or three term exchange student, please visit our page here. 

If you are a current international student in Canada (e.g. high school student, university/college transfer student, etc.) and need to extend or change conditions of your study permit, you are exempt from the requirement of having a PAL. 

For current SFU undergraduate and graduate students, if your study permit will expire soon, review the online resources for information about how to extend your study permit within Canada. 

If you are a current international student who is outside Canada and your study permit is already expired, you need to apply for a new study permit from outside Canada before you can return to Canada and continue your studies at SFU. 

In most cases, a PAL will be required unless you meet one of the exceptions as outlined by IRCC. Connect with an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist to guide you through the process of applying for a study permit from outside Canada. 

If you are a returning student who is not active within your academic program (e.g. undergraduate students who have been absent from SFU for three or more consecutive terms, students who are required to withdraw, etc.), before you can request a PAL and resume your studies, you must apply for reactivation or readmission first. 

For more information about SFU’s reactivation/readmission policy, visit the following webpages:

• Undergraduate Students: Reactivation and Readmission
• Graduate Students: Returning to Studies