Version Française

Student Direct Stream (SDS)

How and if you can get faster processing times for your Study Permit

Home > Study in Canada > Student Direct Stream (SDS)

If you are a legal resident of one the countries that are part of the Student Direct Stream (SDS), you can enjoy faster processing times for your Study Permit application (usually around 20 days).

This article will help you navigate through the paperwork needed for applying, the eligibility requirements, the fees and process associated with getting a Study Permit through the SDS.

1. Eligible countries

2. Eligibility requirements

3. How to apply

4. Supporting documents

5. Application fees

6. Processing times

Which countries are eligible to the Student Direct Stream (SDS)?

To be eligible to the Student Direct Stream (SDS), you must be a legal resident living in one of the following countries:

Antigua and Barbuda
Brazil
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
India
Morocco
Pakistan
Peru
Philippines
Senegal
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
Vietnam

Even if you are a citizen of one of the countries above, and are not currently a legal resident in said country, you cannot apply through the SDS. You can still however apply to a Study Permit through the regular process.

Eligibility requirements of the Student Direct Stream

Two students in a library studying in Quebec, Canada with their CAQ and study permit

To be able to obtain a Study Permit through the Student Direct Stream (SDS), you must:

be accepted to a post-secondary Designated Learning Institution, and have a certificate of acceptance,
pay the tuition fees for the first year of your program of studies,
live outside of Canada when you apply,
hold a "Certificat d’Acceptation du Québec" (CAQ) if your studies are in Quebec,

get an upfront (before applying) medical exam (if applicable),
get a police certificate before applying (if applicable),
have your most recent secondary or post-secondary school transcript(s),
have at least one language test result taken in its in-person format from:
- If the study permit application is submitted before August 10, 2023:
  - IELTS (academic or general training) with a score of 6.0 or higher in each skill (reading, writing, speaking and listening), or
  - TEF Canada scores of at least 207 in reading, 310 in writing, 310 in speaking and 249 in listening.
- If the study permit application is submitted on or after August 10, 2023:
  - IELTS General with a score of 6.0 or higher in each of the four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening),
  - CELPIP General with a score of 7.0 or higher in each language skill,
  - TEF Canada scores of at least 207 in reading, 310 in writing, 310 in speaking and 249 in listening,
  - TCF Canada scores of at least 453 in reading, 10 in writing, 10 in speaking and 458 in listening,
  - IELTS Academic with an overall score of 6.0 or higher, with results in each language skill,
  - CAEL with an overall score of 60 or higher, with results in each language skill,
  - Pearson PTE Academic with an overall score of 60 or higher, with results in each language skill,
  - TOEFL iBT Test with an overall score of 83 or higher, with results in each language skill,
  - TEF - 5 épreuves with an overall score of 400 or higher, with results in each language skill, or
  - TCF - tout public with an overall score of 400 or higher, with results in each language skill.
have a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of 10,000 CAD.

List of institutions that offer Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs)

How to apply for the Student Direct Stream

You can only apply for the Study Permit through the Student Direct Stream online.

You must have a debit/credit card and a camera/scanner. You will have to set up a GCKey account (remember to memorize the 4 questions & answers you pick, as any time you open your account, you will be requested to answer 1 of the 4 questions you previously chose).
You then have to fill out, sign, scan and upload the required forms, and also scan and add in the system all the necessary documents supporting your application.

It is better to pay for the biometrics fee at the same time as your Study Permit application as to not delay the processing of your application. For more information on biometrics (if you have to provide them or no), check this page.

Supporting Documents for the Student Direct Stream

In addition to the regular Study Permit supporting documents, you will need to provide the following:

Proof of full payment of tuition for the applicant’s first year of study can be in the form of the following:
- a receipt from the DLI,
- an official letter from the DLI confirming payment of tuition fees,
- a receipt from a bank showing that tuition fees have been paid to the DLI, or
- proof that the tuition fee amount has been transferred into a repository account at the DLI to be applied to the tuition bill at a later date.
A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) is a Canadian investment with a minimum rate of return for a fixed period of time. The bank that you choose for setting up the GIC:
- has to confirm that you bought a GIC by giving you one of the following:
  - a letter of attestation
  - a GIC certificate
  - an Investment Directions Confirmation
  - an Investment Balance Confirmation
- must hold the GIC in an investment account or a student account that you can’t access until you arrive in Canada,
- needs to make you confirm your identity before they release any funds to you,
- must release the funds in the following manner:
  - an initial lump sum once you identify yourself upon arrival in Canada,
  - the remainder of the funds in monthly or bi-monthly instalments over 10 to 12 months.
Acceptable language test results.
Most recent secondary or post-secondary school transcript(s).
Medical exam report and police certificate(s), if applicable.

It is important to consult the visa office instructions of your country of residence because it is possible that certain specific documents will be required for a particular country.