International Students
For international students, you can study in Canada, extend your study permit and find out about working while you study or after you graduate. Moreover, you can work in Canada with post Graduate Work Permit once you finished your study in Canada and apply for PR under Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trade Worker, or PNP through the Express Entry System.
In Canada, each province and territory is in charge of their own education system.
Get more information about schools and the education system:
- EduCanada – information for international students about education in Canada, with study program search, costs, and more
- Ministries and departments responsible for education – information about the education system in each province and territory
Schools that teach students up to the grade 12 level are known as primary and secondary schools. Primary usually means grades 1-8 and secondary usually means grades 9-12.
All primary and secondary schools in Canada can enrol international students.
There are special rules for minor children studying in Canada.
Post-secondary schools are:
- colleges
- universities
- private career colleges and
- vocational and technical schools.
Each post-secondary school has its own set of rules on how to apply, including the level of English or French you need to be accepted.
Get more information on post-secondary schools:
- Universities Canada – profiles of Canadian universities, a large study programs database and help to plan your university education
- Colleges and Institutes Canada – profiles of colleges and institutes
- Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials – information on getting your past education assessed against Canadian standards
- National Association of Career Colleges – find out about schools that teach trades and vocations.
Many schools in Canada teach English or French as a second language. For more information about private language programs, contact Languages Canada.
There are many ways to study in French across Canada.
- French-language education in Canada has information on schools and institutions that offer courses in French.
- The Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne has information on university programs in French, English, or both.
Provinces and territories approve (or “designate”) schools that can enrol international students. These schools are known as designated learning institutions (DLI). If you need a study permit, your acceptance letter must be from a DLI.
Student Direct Stream: Faster Procedure
Depending on where you live (China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines or Vietnam) you may be able to get your study permit faster through the Student Direct Stream.
We try to process most Student Direct Stream applications within 20 calendar days. However, some applications may take longer than this.
To get this faster processing, you must give your biometrics as soon as possible, and meet all the eligibility requirements
International scholarship opportunities for non-Canadians
Choose Canada as your study or research destination and explore the scholarship opportunities available to support the best and brightest to come to Canada. Explore our database by country of origin to find scholarships, fellowships or funding opportunities made available by Global Affairs Canada and other Canadian federal government departments.
- Students and Postdoctoral Researchers: Awards available to international students for study and research in Canada
- Faculty and Researchers: Awards for faculty to conduct research in Canada or abroad
- Academic Institutions: Awards for your students to study in Canada.
Available scholarship programs for the Iranian students are:
[1] Scholarships for non-Canadian students and postdoctoral researchers to study in Canada
| Program | Managed / Funded by |
|---|---|
| Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships | Government of Canada |
| CIFAR Global Scholars | Canadian Institute for Advanced Research |
| CIHR Fellowship | Canadian Institutes of Health Research |
| Mitacs Elevate | Mitacs |
| Research Associate Program | National Research Council Canada |
| Sauvé Scholars Program | Jeanne Sauvé Youth Fondation |
| Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships | Trudeau Foundation |
| Trudeau Research Fellowships | Trudeau Foundation |
| Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships | Government of Canada |
| Visiting Fellowships in Canadian Government Laboratories Program | Participating government departments and agencies |
[2] Scholarships for non-Canadian faculty members and researchers to study in Canada.
| Program | Managed / Funded by |
|---|---|
| Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) | Canada Excellence Research Chairs |
| Canada Gairdner Global Health Award | The Gairdner Foundation |
| Canada Gairdner International Awards | The Gairdner Foundation |
| Canada Research Chairs | Canada Research Chairs |
| CIHR Fellowship | Canadian Institutes of Health Research |
| Research Associate Program | National Research Council Canada |
There is nothing available for the Iranian students under Scholarships for non-Canadian academic institutions to facilitate collaboration with Canadian post-secondary institutions.
[3] Provincial and territorial awards for non-Canadians
Some provinces and territories offer scholarships for international students to study or conduct research in Canada.
For information about scholarships and bursaries offered by provinces and territories, contact their respective Ministry responsible for Education.
Learn about scholarships and bursaries offered by the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario:
British Columbia
Ontario
- Ontario Trillium Scholarships Program: The Government of Ontario funds Trillium Awards for international PhD students to study at a university in Ontario. This program is described on the individual Ontario university websites.
Read more on International scholarship opportunities for non-Canadians
Post-graduation work permit (PGWP)
You may be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) if you graduated from a designated learning institution (DLI) and want to stay in Canada temporarily to work.
Not all DLIs make you eligible for a post-graduation work permit. Check the DLI list to find out which schools offer programs that make you eligible.
How long is a post-graduation work permit valid?
How long your PGWP is valid for depends on the length of your study program. If your program was:
- less than 8 months
- you aren’t eligible for a PGWP
- more than 8 months but less than 2 years
- your PGWP may be valid for up to the same length as your study program (for example, if you completed a 9-month program, a work permit may be issued for up to 9 months)
- 2 years or more
- a PGWP may be issued for 3 years
If you completed more than one program, you may be able to get a PGWP that combines the length of each program. For this, each of the programs you completed must be:
- PGWP-eligible and
- at least 8 months in length.
You can’t get a PGWP if you already had one after completing an earlier program of study.
The ideal gateway to apply for your Canada migration application at YLG: