A study permit applicant must show enough money to pay tuition, cover living expenses for themselves and any accompanying family members, and pay for transportation to and from Canada, without relying on work in Canada. For applications made on or after September 1, 2025 outside Quebec, the living-expense figure for a single applicant is $22,895 for one year, and it rises with each accompanying family member. That figure sits on top of tuition and transportation. Quebec sets its own financial requirements.
What the requirement actually covers
The financial test for a study permit is not a single number. An applicant must satisfy an officer that they can pay tuition, cover living expenses for themselves and any family members coming with them, and pay for transportation to and from Canada. All of that must be possible without relying on work in Canada. This is why the published living-expense figures are a floor and not a budget.
Living-expense amounts for applications on or after September 1, 2025
These amounts apply to applications for study outside Quebec and cover one year of living expenses. They exclude tuition and exclude the cost of travel to and from Canada.
Each figure covers living expenses for one year only. Tuition and transportation are additional.
| Consideration | Funds required for one year of living expenses |
|---|---|
| 1 person (the applicant) | $22,895 |
| 2 people | $28,502 |
| 3 people | $35,040 |
| 4 people | $42,543 |
| 5 people | $48,252 |
| 6 people | $54,420 |
| 7 people | $60,589 |
| Each additional person beyond 7 | $6,170 |
This table is a general orientation. The correct route depends on the facts of your matter, the timing of each step and the evidence you can actually produce.
Quebec sets separate financial requirements. If the designated learning institution is in Quebec, the figures above are not the ones to plan against.
First year, and then the rest of the program
The formal requirement is anchored to the first year, but an officer is assessing a plan, not a snapshot. A student enrolling in a four-year degree with exactly one year of funds and no explanation for years two through four is telling an incomplete story. Where a family intends to fund the balance over time, that intention should be documented rather than assumed.
Source and accessibility of funds
Two applications can show the same balance and receive different decisions. What separates them is usually credibility. Officers look at whether the money has a traceable origin, whether it has been in place long enough to look real, whether the person who holds it has been properly documented as a supporter, and whether the applicant can actually access it. Funds locked in an instrument the student cannot draw on, or sitting in an unrelated third party's account, are weak evidence even at the right number.
- Show history, not just a balance. Statements over several months read better than a single letter.
- Explain any large or recent deposit at the time of filing, rather than waiting to be asked.
- Document the relationship and capacity of anyone funding the studies.
- Prefer funds the student can genuinely reach on arrival, such as a student account or GIC where one applies.
How this fits with the rest of the application
Finances are read alongside the study plan, the attestation letter requirement and the applicant's ties. A file that is financially sound but thin on academic rationale can still be refused, and the reverse is equally true. If a term such as DLI, PAL or TAL is unfamiliar, our glossary explains the vocabulary officers use. For the attestation letter rules that sit beside the financial test, see PAL and TAL requirements.
The current amounts and the evidence expectations are published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on its proof of financial support page. Requirements can change, so confirm the figures on the official page on the day you file. If you would rather start with a short written question than a booked session, you can send us an enquiry.
Common mistakes
- Treating the living-expense figure as the total requirement and leaving tuition or travel unfunded.
- Showing a large balance that appeared days before filing with no explanation of where it came from.
- Relying on funds held in an account the applicant cannot actually draw on.
- Counting expected earnings from a job in Canada toward the requirement.
- Using the outside-Quebec table for a Quebec institution, which has separate requirements.
When professional help may be useful
If funds come from several contributors, sit in a business account, arrive shortly before filing, or follow an earlier refusal that questioned finances, the presentation matters as much as the balance. That is worth reviewing before you file.
Official sources
Program rules change. Check the official source for current requirements.
Where this fits
For how we work on this, Study permits. Terms used above are defined in the glossary, and related questions are answered in the FAQ.
About the reviewer
Karan Pratap Singh, CEO, RCIC at Immigrate Now. RCIC (R532175), regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.