Study visa · from Nigeria
Canada study permit from Nigeria
A Canadian study permit is applied for after a designated learning institution issues a letter of acceptance. Most applicants now also need a Provincial Attestation Letter from the province where they will study, and must show they can cover tuition plus living costs for the first year — commonly evidenced through a Guaranteed Investment Certificate held with a Canadian bank.
Typical processing
8–14 weeks (highly variable)
Government fee, estimated
CAD 100 (single/multiple entry); CAD 85 biometrics
Paid to the mission, not to us
How this differs from a visitor application
Canada assesses a study permit on whether you are a genuine student who will leave at the end of the course, and it weighs your study plan heavily. An application that looks like migration dressed as study is refused even with strong finances. The written explanation of why this course, in this province, at this point in your career, does more work here than in almost any other application.
What this application needs in addition
On top of the standard documents for Canada, which are listed in full on the destination page.
- ✓Letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution
- ✓Provincial Attestation Letter from the province of study, where required
- ✓Guaranteed Investment Certificate, or bank evidence of first-year tuition plus living costs
- ✓A written study plan explaining the course choice and how it fits your career
- ✓Academic transcripts and certificates for everything already completed
- ✓Language test results accepted by the institution
- ✓Medical examination by a panel physician
- ✓Custodianship declaration if you are under the age of majority in your province
Where these applications go wrong
These are the failures our desk sees most often on this route. None of them is about the applicant being unqualified — they are all preparation.
The study plan reads as generic
A letter that could have been written by any applicant for any course is the most common weakness we see. It has to connect your existing qualifications and work to this specific programme.
Funds appear without history
A GIC alone is not always enough. Where the money came from — salary, business income, a documented sale — matters, and an unexplained deposit invites a refusal on funds.
Career progression does not follow
Applying for a course substantially below or unrelated to your existing qualifications raises the question of whether study is the real purpose. It can be explained, but it has to be explained.
Not sure how strong your file is?
The free assessment takes about a minute and tells you what a consulate is likely to take issue with — and what would fix it — before you pay a government fee.
Questions people ask
Do I definitely need a GIC?
It is the most straightforward way to evidence first-year living costs, and for some streams it is expected. Ordinary bank evidence can work where the history is strong. Which route suits you depends on where your funds have come from.
Can my spouse come with me?
Spousal work permit eligibility now depends on your level of study and your programme. It has to be checked against your acceptance letter rather than assumed.
Does a previous refusal ruin my chances?
No, but it must be declared, and the new application has to address whatever the refusal letter raised. Reapplying with the same file that was already refused is the mistake to avoid.
Travelling to Canada for another reason?
This page is first-time guidance, not a legal source. The embassy, consulate or immigration authority for your destination is the only authority on its own requirements, and they can change without notice. Fees shown are what the government charges and are estimates — they are paid by you to the mission, and Rayonner's processing fee is separate and quoted before you commit. No agency, including this one, decides or can guarantee the outcome of a visa application.