Requirements for international study permits

last updated June 5, 2025

High school students

If you're an international student and you receive an offer of admission from Waterloo, a provincial attestation letter (PAL) is required in order to begin the study permit application process.

Feel free to contact us if you have questions after reading the information below.

Did you defer your admission last year?

If you received an offer of admission last year and deferred to this year, you’re required to pay an additional $1,500 if you submitted the original deposit of $1,000. The tuition deposit for your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) has increased to $2,500 for the fall 2025.

The $2,500 will count towards your tuition for the fall term.

Other students

Transfer students

Transfer students admitted to Waterloo will need a PAL and a new student permit.

Master’s and PhD students

Review the requirements on the future graduate students website.

Study permit process

To confirm that you’ll be studying at a college or university, the Government of Canada requires a provincial attestation letter (PAL) from the province in which you’ll be studying. For Waterloo students, the PAL will be provided by the Government of Ontario.

1. Take our quiz to start the study permit / PAL process

If you receive an offer of admission from Waterloo, you’ll need to take a quiz to start the study permit / provincial attestation letter (PAL) process.

  • Other than a few exceptions (IRCC website), most international students applying to undergraduate degrees and English language pathway programs will require a PAL.
  • Exceptions include students in Canada applying for a study permit extension at the same college/university and level of study (i.e., undergraduate) as your current study permit.

Take our quiz(after you receive an offer of admission).

2. Accept your Offer of Admission and pay your deposit

If you're required to request a PAL, you'll need to accept your Waterloo Offer of Admission and submit a $2,500 tuition deposit before you can access your PAL.

  • You'll receive your PAL through Waterloo’s Quest website where you access your Offer Letter/Letter of Acceptance.
  • The deposit is non-refundable except in exceptional circumstances.
  • How to pay your tuition deposit.

3. Apply for your study permit

  • Your PAL will be available in Quest within 3 to 5 business days of us receiving your deposit. Once you receive your PAL, you can then use it to apply for your study permit.
    • Your PAL may be delayed if your tuition deposit takes longer to process.
  • Please do not submit your study permit application without a PAL.
    • The Canadian government will return your study permit application if it doesn’t have a PAL. This will delay the processing of your application and potentially delay your arrival in time for the start of classes. 
  • You can have an estimate of your tuition fees sent to you for your student permit application.
  • Apply for a student permit on the Government of Canada website.

4. Were you admitted to a co-op program?

If you received an offer of admission to a co-op program, apply for a co-op work permit in your study permit application using your Letter of Acceptance from Waterloo. Highlight all components of the Letter of Acceptance that pertain to your co-op program.

You need a co-op work permit for all co-op work terms or degree-required internships. You must have your co-op work permit before starting your first co-op term, which can be as early as January of your first year for some Engineering programs.

Financial requirements

Visit the Government of Canada website for details about the financial requirements for study permit applicants, including updated cost-of-living requirements.

Tip: Apply for a PAL and study permit as soon as possible

You must have a valid study permit before you can start classes. The application process can take several months so you should apply as early as possible.

If you delay applying for a PAL and study permit and don't receive your permit by September, you may have to delay your studies by up to a year.

Frequently asked questions

Study permits

I'm interested in applying to Waterloo. Can I apply for my study permit now?

I received offers of admission from different designated learning institutions. What should I do?

You should apply for your study permit with the offer from your preferred program and institution.

If you've already applied for your study permit with another institution and want to study at Waterloo instead, please update your study permit application via the IRCC webform with your Waterloo offer.

If you've already been approved for a study permit from another institution, you must apply for a new study permit with a PAL from Waterloo.

I'm a current high school student with a valid study permit. Will I need a new one?

Yes, you must apply for and obtain your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) and student permit before starting classes in September. It can take several months for your application to be reviewed so you should apply as soon as you have an offer of admission.

If you don't receive a study permit by September, you may have to delay your studies by up to a year.

What happens if my study permit is denied?

If Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not approve your study permit application, you may be eligible for a refund of the tuition deposit required to access your PAL. You'll need to send us documentation that your study permit was denied.

Provincial attestation letters (PALs)

Take the quiz to see if you need a PAL

If you receive or accept an offer of admission, our quiz will help you understand whether you may need a PAL and what your next steps are.

Here’s how to take the quiz. NOTE: at this time, you must take this quiz on a desktop computer.

  1. Once you receive a Waterloo offer of admission, log in to Quest.
  2. Select the Personal Information tile.
  3. Scroll down to "Provincial Attestation Letter."
  4. Select the term for which you require the PAL.
  5. Once you have selected your term, the quiz will open.
  6. The quiz will tell you "yes" or "no" about needing to request a PAL.

Is the answer yes?

If the answer is “yes", you do not need a provincial attestation letter. You can

  1. Accept your offer of admission and
  2. apply for your study permit.

Is the answer no?

If the answer is “no", you will require a provincial attestation letter. There are several steps to follow.

  1. Accept your offer of admission.
  2. Learn how to pay your tuition deposit.
    • We highly recommend paying the tuition deposit using our approved international payment options via credit card. That is the fastest process and your tuition deposit may appear in your Quest account sooner.
  3. Download your attestation letter from Quest.
    • This will not happen instantly. Depending when your payment appears in Quest, it may take three to five business days for the PAL to appear in your account.
  4. Apply for your study permit.

Is your home address accurate in Quest?

How long will it take to get my PAL?

Once you've completed the PAL quiz, paid the tuition deposit, and confirmed your Offer of Admission, your PAL is normally available in Quest within 3-5 business days. You may experience a delay if your tuition deposit takes longer to process.

We strongly recommend paying the tuition deposit by credit card to speed up the process.

Where can I find my PAL?

The PAL will be uploaded to your Quest account.

  • Log in to Quest.
  • Select the Personal Information tile.
    • Scroll down to Provincial Attestation Letter.

Am I exempt from the provincial attestation letter (PAL) requirement?

Other than a few exemptions, most international students applying to undergraduate degree and English language pathway programs will be required to provide a PAL. You can take our quiz to see if you need a PAL.

How do I know if Waterloo has received my PAL application?

If Quest won't let you submit your application again, then your PAL application has been recorded in Quest.

Can I apply for admission to Waterloo without an attestation letter?

Yes, you can apply for admission and submit your transcripts, etc. However, if you receive an offer of admission, then you'll need an attestation letter.

My study permit was denied. Do I need a new PAL?

Tuition deposit

How do I pay the $2,500 tuition deposit to get my PAL?

Learn how to pay your tuition deposit from outside Canada.

We highly recommend paying the tuition deposit using the approved international payment options via credit card. That is the fastest way to pay the deposit and have it appear in your Quest account sooner.

You will see two options when you click on the link above: Convera or CIBC payment portal. There are various ways to pay the tuition deposit, depending on which option you choose and which country you’re paying from.

If I find out I don’t need a PAL, but I’ve already paid my tuition deposit, what happens?

The deposit will be applied to your tuition for the fall term.

How can I make sure Waterloo receives my tuition deposit?

Processing times for international payments vary. You can track your payment using the reference number provided on the payment instructions. If the payment doesn’t go through, you’ll need to resubmit it.

How do I see if my tuition deposit was processed?

Once your payment arrives, you can log in to Quest and select the Admissions tile → Finances → Account inquiry to select the term in which the payment was received. Your payment will always be listed under the current academic term in Quest (i.e., spring term = May-August, fall term = September-December, winter term = January-April). This will not impact processing your PAL. The payment will be held on your account as a credit balance and will be applied to your fees for incoming term once your fees are posted.

If you email yourself a copy of your statement from Quest, there is a section in the "Note" that indicates: “For payment received prior to your first term, the Statement Term may not necessarily reflect your Term of Admission”.

I applied to multiple programs at Waterloo and have received one offer. Should I wait for an offer from my preferred program before paying the tuition deposit?

You should apply with the offer of admission letter for the program you want to study, even if that means waiting a bit. The tuition deposit is non-refundable so we recommend you accept the offer of admission to your preferred program.

All undergraduate offers of admission will be sent out by May 16 so you'll know by then which Waterloo programs you've been admitted to.

I've paid for one full year of my tuition already. Is the tuition deposit still necessary?

No, if you've paid your tuition for the fall term, no additional deposit is needed.

Can I have my tuition deposit refunded?

The tuition deposit is non-refundable. The only exceptions are

  1. the University of Waterloo revokes your offer of admission, or
  2. the IRCC does not approve your study permit application (documentation must be provided).

Tuition fees

Can an international student pay domestic fees if their parents hold a Canadian work permit?

Yes, an international student can pay domestic fees at Waterloo if their parents have a valid Closed Work Permit with an employer located in Ontario and supporting documents.

How do I request an update to my immigration status for tuition fee purposes?

If you need to update your immigration status, you can request a change by submitting a Request to Update Residency or Immigration Status with the required documentation prior to the term’s deadline. If your request is approved, your status will be revised and, if applicable, your tuition amounts will be updated.

Transfer students and current Waterloo students

I'm a student at a different university or college in Canada and I'd like to transfer to Waterloo. Do I need a PAL and study permit?

If you're transferring from college or another university and have accepted an offer of admission to Waterloo, you'll need to take our quiz as the first step in requesting a PAL.

Once you have accepted your offer of admission and paid your $2,500 tuition deposit, you'll receive your PAL and you can then apply for your study permit.

You must have your student permit before you start your studies at Waterloo so you should apply for your PAL and student permit as soon as possible.

I'm a current Waterloo student. Do I need a PAL?

Are you in Canada?

If you're a current international student within Canada applying for a study permit extension for University of Waterloo at the same level of study (i.e., undergraduate) as your current study permit, you do not need a PAL. 

Are you outside Canada? 

If you're a current international student applying for a study permit from outside of Canada, you will require a PAL.

Changing from undergraduate to a graduate program?

If you're a current international student applying for a study permit extension for the University of Waterloo and are changing your level of study (i.e., undergraduate to master's/PhD), you may require a PAL. 

Changing from a Master's program to a PhD?

If you're a current international student applying for a study permit extension for the University of Waterloo and are changing your level of study from a Master's program to PhD, you will not require a PAL. Please visit the International Experience Centre's website on how to apply for your study permit.

Other

Is the University of Waterloo a public or private university?

The University of Waterloo is a public institution that was founded in 1957.

Am I eligible to get my post-graduation work permit (PGWP) after I complete my education at Waterloo?

Yes, you're eligible to get your post-graduation work permit after completing your education at Waterloo if you meet the eligibility criteria.

We're here to help

If you're a high school or transfer student and have questions, please email our immigration consulting team at immigration.sso@uwaterloo.ca.