Canada Study Permit Application from Nepal: 2026 Steps

For a Canada study permit application from Nepal in 2026, you get a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, get a provincial attestation letter unless you are exempt, gather proof of funds, then apply online through your IRCC account and pay CAD 150 plus CAD 85 for biometrics (CAD 235, about Rs 25,274). After that you give biometrics in Kathmandu, do a medical exam if asked, and wait for a decision.

Last checked: 17 October 2026. Rupee amounts use the NRB selling rate, 17 Oct 2026 (CAD 1 = Rs 107.55).

Canada study permit application from Nepal: key facts for 2026

Step 1: Get a letter of acceptance from a DLI

You need a letter of acceptance (LOA) from a designated learning institution (DLI), a school approved by a province or territory to host international students. Check your school on IRCC’s DLI list before you pay any deposit.

IRCC’s study permit documents page says post-secondary schools must validate your LOA with IRCC. If the school does not respond by the deadline, your application is returned and your fee refunded. Upload the LOA only in the LOA space of the online form.

Step 2: Get a PAL or TAL, or check if you are exempt

A provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) confirms there is space for you under the province’s share of Canada’s study permit cap. You usually get it through your school after you accept the offer and pay some tuition. You must include it with your application, not send it later.

IRCC’s PAL/TAL page lists exemptions. The one that matters most for Nepali students is new for 2026: you do not need a PAL if you are applying to a degree-granting master’s or doctoral program at a public DLI starting 1 January 2026. Students going to primary or secondary school are also exempt. If you are exempt, you must show proof that you meet the exemption.

Bachelor’s, diploma and certificate students, and master’s students at private institutions, still need a PAL. A 2026 PAL is valid until 31 December 2026 unless it shows an earlier date, and it must be valid on the day you apply. For how the cap works, read our Canada study permit cap 2026 explainer.

Step 3: Prepare your proof of funds

For applications made on or after 1 September 2026, IRCC requires CAD 23,448 a year for one person’s living costs outside Quebec (about Rs 25.22 lakh), on top of tuition and travel. Two people need CAD 29,192.

Acceptable proof includes a Canadian GIC, 6 months of bank statements with the source of income, an education loan, a tuition receipt, a scholarship letter, or a sponsor’s letter with proof of their income and your relationship. The Bangkok visa office instructions, which IRCC lists for Nepal, also ask for a written explanation of the source of funds, supporting documents such as employment letters or tax records, the sponsor’s declaration, and proof of relationship. They warn that large deposits without a documented origin are not considered reliable.

Work out your rupee budget with our student visa money calculator.

Step 4: Gather the rest of your documents

• Passport (valid), plus photos meeting IRCC’s specifications.
• Study plan. The Bangkok instructions ask for one written by you, no more than one page, explaining why you chose this school and program, your education goal, and how the Canadian credential will improve your job prospects.
• Letter of explanation. IRCC recommends one. See our Canada study permit letter of explanation guide.
• Education documents: your latest diploma or certificate and transcript. If you are still studying, your latest transcript and a letter confirming your completion date.
• Family Information Form (IMM 5707) and other forms your checklist asks for.
• Translations. Documents not in English or French need a certified translation.
• Police certificate if requested. The Bangkok instructions ask for one if you have a criminal conviction. In Nepal it is the Police Clearance Certificate from Nepal Police, applied for online.

Step 5: Apply online and pay the fees

Follow IRCC’s study permit: how to apply page:

1. Select Nepal on the page to see your country’s instructions. IRCC links Nepal to the visa office instructions form IMM 5819.
2. Read the instruction guide (Guide 5269).
3. Create or sign in to your IRCC secure account and answer the questions. The tool builds your personal document checklist.
4. Upload your LOA, PAL/TAL (or exemption proof) and as many documents as you can. IRCC says incomplete applications are not finalised.
5. Pay CAD 150 for the study permit and CAD 85 for biometrics by card. Third-party costs, such as the medical exam or police certificate, are paid to those providers.
6. Submit. IRCC does not refund the processing fee if your application is refused.

Step 6: Biometrics and medical exam

After you pay, IRCC sends a biometric instruction letter. Give your biometrics within 30 days of the letter’s date at the Canada Visa Application Centre in Thapathali, Kathmandu. Booking is free. Biometrics are valid for 10 years, so if you gave them for a recent Canada application you may not need to repeat them. IRCC starts processing once it has your biometrics.

Nepal is on IRCC’s designated country list for medical exams. If you have lived in Nepal for 6 months in a row in the past year and will stay in Canada more than 6 months, you need an exam from an IRCC panel physician. You can do it upfront or wait for IRCC’s instructions. The result is valid for 12 months.

Step 7: Check processing times and wait

IRCC’s check processing times tool has a separate estimate for study permits from Nepal. It is a forward-looking estimate based on IRCC’s current backlog, and it includes biometrics time. It changes often, so check it on the day you plan, not on a social media screenshot. We have not quoted a number here because it moves.

IRCC’s graduate student page says doctoral students and their family members get faster processing, in about 2 weeks. That does not apply to master’s students.

While you wait, IRCC may ask for more documents, an interview or a police certificate. Keep your contact details updated in your account. If you need to start later, get the deferral approved by your school and upload the updated LOA.

Step 8: After approval, the POE letter and travel

If approved, you get a port of entry (POE) letter of introduction. It is not your study permit. You show it to the border officer when you arrive, and its reference number is used to issue your permit. You will also get a visitor visa in your passport. IRCC will ask you to send your passport, which you can do through the Kathmandu VAC. Travel with the passport you used to apply.

At the airport in Canada, IRCC says to carry:

• your valid passport with the visa;
• the POE letter of introduction;
• a copy of your valid letter of acceptance;
• proof of funds for your stay;
• any letters the visa office asked you to bring;
• valid medical exam results, if you needed an exam.

Check whether your program leads to a post-graduation work permit before you commit. See our PGWP field of study 2026 guide.

Common mistakes Nepali applicants make

• Showing the old funds amount (CAD 22,895) on an application made after 1 September 2026.
• Applying without a PAL when your program is not exempt, or assuming every master’s program is exempt (only public DLIs are).
• Large, recent bank deposits with no explanation of where the money came from.
• A copied, generic study plan that does not link the program to your past studies and career in Nepal.
• Fake or edited documents. The Bangkok instructions warn this leads to immediate refusal and a possible 5-year ban.
• Missing the 30-day biometrics window.

What to do next

Confirm your school is a DLI, find out whether you need a PAL, and build your funds file first. Those three decide most outcomes. For the bigger picture, read our Study in Canada from Nepal guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Canada study permit fee from Nepal in 2026?
CAD 150 for the study permit plus CAD 85 for biometrics, CAD 235 in total. That is about Rs 25,274 at the NRB selling rate on 17 Oct 2026. Medical and police certificate costs are extra.

Do master’s students need a PAL for Canada in 2026?
Not if the program is a degree-granting master’s or doctoral program at a public DLI, from 1 January 2026. Master’s students at private institutions still need one.

How much bank balance is required for a Canada student visa from Nepal?
For one person outside Quebec, CAD 23,448 a year for living costs (about Rs 25.22 lakh) for applications on or after 1 September 2026, plus your first-year tuition and travel costs.

Which visa office handles Canada study permits from Nepal?
IRCC’s visa office list shows Bangkok for temporary resident applications from Nepal, and IRCC links Nepal to the IMM 5819 visa office instructions.

Is the POE letter my study permit?
No. The port of entry letter of introduction is what you show at the Canadian border. The officer then issues your study permit.

Related guides

• Canada GIC for Study Permit from Nepal: 2026 Guide
• Canada Biometrics and Medical Exam in Nepal (2026 Guide)
• GCMS Notes After Canada Study Permit Refusal (Nepal)
• WES Evaluation for Nepali Transcripts: ECA Cost, Documents, Time

Sources

• Study permit: how to apply – IRCC
• Study permit: get the right documents – IRCC
• Provincial or territorial attestation letter – IRCC
• Apply for a study permit as a graduate student – IRCC
• Proof of financial support – IRCC
• Application fee list – IRCC
• Application to study in Canada: Nepal – IRCC
• Visa office instructions: Bangkok (IMM 5819) – IRCC
• Visa offices outside Canada – IRCC
• Check processing times – IRCC
• Study permit: after you apply – IRCC
• Study permit: prepare for arrival – IRCC
• Police certificates: Nepal – IRCC
• Refund if a study permit is refused – IRCC Help Centre

Last checked: 17 October 2026. This is general information, not immigration advice. Check IRCC before you apply or pay.