End of the Student Direct Stream and Nigeria Student Express.

Canada has ended the Student Direct Stream (SDS) which was launched in 2018 to provide expedited processing for eligible post-secondary students selected from countries including Antigua and Barbuda, India, China, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam. Nigerian legal residents have a similar process with Nigeria Student Express (NSE).

Canada is willing to reinforce program probity, address student vulnerability, and give all prospective students equal and unbiased access to the application process as well as academic experience.

Moving forward, all students applying after 2:00 p.m. ET today will apply through the Regular Study Permit Stream.

Notably, the regular study permit stream does not require a language test score. It merely requires a letter of acceptance and a provincial attestation letter from an institution. Institutions set their own English proficiency test requirements and issue the LOA once applicants have fulfilled them.

It’s a great advantage to prospective students as they will be able to pursue any of the English proficiency tests like the IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, and Duolingo as per their competence.

All students, regardless of whether they were eligible for the SDS or NSE, are required to meet Canada’s study permit application requirements.

Documents Required to Apply Through Regular Study Permit Stream

• Proof of Acceptance to the institution (LOA)
• Provincial Attestation Letter
• Proof of Identity
• Proof of Financial Support

You can prove your funds with at least one of the following:

1. Proof of a Canadian bank account in your name, if you’ve transferred money to Canada.
2. A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) from a participating Canadian financial institution.
3. Proof of a student or education loan from a bank.
4. Your bank statements for the past 4 months.
5. A bank draft that can be converted to Canadian dollars.
6. Proof you paid tuition and housing fees.
7. A letter from the person or school giving you money.
8. Proof of funding paid from within Canada, if you have a scholarship or are in a Canadian-funded educational program.

You may also need:

• Statement of Purpose (SOP).
• A Medical Examination Report.
• A Custodian Declaration (minors only).

Steps for Prospective Students to Apply

Step 1: Gather Documents.

Step 2: Complete the Application.

Step 3: Pay the Fees.

Step 4: Submit the Application Fee.

To get precise information on the recent changes, please visit the links below:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/end-student- direct-stream-nigeria-student-express.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application- forms-guides/guide-5269-applying-study-permit-outside-canada.html