Canada Study Permit 2026: A Document Checklist for Vietnamese Students
A checklist for Vietnamese students preparing a Canadian study permit application, including financial documents, PAL/TAL requirements and arrangements for minors.
Owen & Co. Advisory Team · 6 min read
Published 01/11/2026
Drafted with AI assistance and edited by the Owen & Co. team.
Photo: Timothee Geenens/Unsplash.
Receiving an offer from a Canadian school is exciting. It also marks the start of another task: preparing your study permit application. The clearest applications tell a consistent story about what you will study, why the course fits your plans and how you will pay for it.
This checklist gives you a starting structure. Your final document list still needs to follow the instructions generated for your own application.
First, know which document does what
A study permit, an entry visa and an approval letter serve different purposes:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Study permit | Authorises study in Canada under its conditions |
| Entry visa (TRV) | Normally required for an ordinary Vietnamese passport holder to travel to the border and seek entry |
| Port of Entry Letter of Introduction | Confirms application approval; it is not the study permit itself |
If you apply from outside Canada and receive approval, you normally travel with your Port of Entry Letter of Introduction and supporting documents. A border officer checks your eligibility and issues the study permit when the conditions are met. The letter itself is not your study permit.
Build your checklist around your circumstances
Use the online application's questions and the instructions for your place of application to confirm what you need. The Ho Chi Minh City Visa Office's February 2026 checklist is linked below for reference.
| Document group | Items to check |
|---|---|
| Identity | Valid passport, photographs and required family information |
| Admission | Letter of Acceptance from an eligible institution |
| Provincial requirements | PAL/TAL or exemption evidence; CAQ requirements for Quebec |
| Education | Transcripts, qualifications and requested language evidence |
| Funding | Source and availability of funds and sponsor details |
| Study plan | Reasons for the course and connection to your goals |
| Individual circumstances | Medical examination, police records, custodianship or care arrangements where required |
Check PAL/TAL and Quebec requirements
Many applicants need a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL). Exemptions include preschool, primary and secondary students. From 1 January 2026, the cited guidance also exempts students in master's and doctoral degree programs at public designated learning institutions (DLIs).
If you plan to study in Quebec, check the Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) requirements separately. A PAL/TAL exemption does not automatically create a CAQ exemption.
Arrange translations properly
Follow IRCC's requirements for English or French translations and the accompanying originals or copies. An affidavit may be needed when the translator is not a certified translator recognised under the guidance. Applicants and their relatives should not translate the documents themselves.
Show how the studies will be funded
For applications outside Quebec submitted from 1 September 2026, the cited annual living-funds amounts are:
| People covered, including the student | Annual living funds |
|---|---|
| 1 person | 23,448 CAD |
| 2 people | 29,192 CAD |
| 3 people | 35,888 CAD |
Add tuition and travel. Quebec has its own calculation. For a course longer than one year, explain how the whole program will be funded as well as showing sufficient first-year resources.
Evidence may include six months of bank statements, income records, scholarship letters, education loans or a sponsor's commitment backed by financial documents. Explain recent large deposits with transaction records. If a relative is helping, make the relationship and support arrangement clear. Property values alone do not show what cash is available for tuition and rent.
Write a study plan that sounds like you
Your study plan should answer practical questions. Why this course? How does it connect with your education or work? What is useful about this school's subjects, teaching approach or practical training? What do you hope to do afterwards, and who will pay?
Explain anything that might otherwise be confusing: a change of subject, a second qualification at the same level or a gap in study. Use specific experiences and evidence rather than a copied statement about Canada having a good education system. Answer questions about previous visa refusals accurately and address the relevant issues.
Make care arrangements clear for younger students
Under the cited IRCC guidance, students under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, or have a custodian in Canada. A custodian must be a responsible adult who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
For students aged 17 up to the provincial age of majority, an officer may still request a custodian. The age of majority is 18 or 19, depending on the province. Check form IMM 5646, notarisation and parental consent requirements where applicable. A homestay arrangement does not, by itself, mean the host has agreed to act as custodian.
Give yourself time to finish the process
The usual sequence is to secure the offer, check attestation requirements, prepare documents and translations, submit online and pay the fees. Follow any requests for biometrics, a medical examination or additional information, then prepare the passport and travel documents required by the decision.
The fees cited are CAD 150 for the study permit and CAD 85 for individual biometrics where required. Medical examinations, translations and other services cost extra. The Ho Chi Minh City checklist recommends applying at least three months before intended travel; this is planning guidance, not a processing guarantee.
If your intake is approaching, Owen & Co. Education can help you identify unfinished items and decide whether your timeline is realistic before you rush the application.
Sources and further reading
- IRCC - instructions for submitting from outside Canada
- IRCC - study permit documents
- Additional checklist of Ho Chi Minh City Visa Office, version 02/2026
- IRCC - PAL/TAL and exceptions
- IRCC - financial proof
- IRCC - minor students
- IRCC - how to submit a study permit
- IRCC - study permit
- biometrics
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a study permit if I already have a Canadian visa?
Usually, if your course requires a study permit. A visa allows travel to seek entry; it does not replace permission to study.
Does an admission offer guarantee a study permit?
No. Your Letter of Acceptance supports the application, but IRCC also assesses funding, study purpose and the other requirements.
Can my parents fund my studies?
Yes, with appropriate evidence. Explain the relationship, the support they will provide, where the money comes from and their ability to pay.
Do secondary school students need a PAL/TAL?
The cited guidance exempts school students through Grade 12. For Quebec, check CAQ requirements separately.
Is my approval letter the actual study permit?
No. For an application approved outside Canada, you normally present the Letter of Introduction at entry. A border officer issues the permit after checking the conditions.
