Canada Study Permit Fees for Indians (2026): CAD Costs and Biometrics

Below is every charge in the study permit process, split into what you pay Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), what VFS Global may charge in India, and the money you must prove you have. Figures are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For visitor visas, work permits and the super visa, see our Canada visa guide for Indians.

What does a Canada study permit cost in CAD?

IRCC charges two fees for a first study permit from India, and both are paid online when you submit the application through your IRCC account.

For a single student, the government cost is therefore the CAN$150 permit fee plus the CAN$85 biometrics fee. IRCC publishes these fees in Canadian dollars only. There is no fixed rupee figure to quote, so the INR amount you pay depends on the conversion applied when you pay.

Is anything charged in rupees at the VFS centre?

Giving biometrics itself costs nothing extra. The CAN$85 IRCC fee covers fingerprints and the photo at the VAC, plus one package transmission of your documents or passport between IRCC and that centre. Booking the biometrics appointment is free.

VFS Global, IRCC's exclusive service provider for the ten VACs in India, charges for optional services. These rates took effect on 1 May 2026, include taxes and are paid at the VAC in INR by cash or UPI:

VFS has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026, but had not published the amounts as of 15 October 2026. All VFS charges are non-refundable. If you prefer not to pay for courier, decision envelopes can be collected at the VAC on a walk-in basis, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00.

How much money must you show besides the fees?

The fees are small next to the funds requirement. IRCC asks you to prove you can pay your first year of tuition, your return transportation and your living costs. For applications made on or after 1 September 2026, the living-cost minimum outside Quebec is:

The single-applicant figure was CAN$22,895 for applications from 1 January 2025 to 31 August 2026. Older blog posts and agent checklists may still quote it.

IRCC accepts several forms of proof: a guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) from a Canadian financial institution, a Canadian bank account in your name, bank statements for the past 6 months showing the source of the funds, an education loan, a scholarship, or receipts for paid first-year tuition and housing. A GIC is one accepted option, not the only one. For programmes longer than a year, you must also explain how you will pay for the full duration.

When do you pay, and how long until a decision?

1. Get your letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI) and, in most cases, a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL). Quebec needs a CAQ instead.
2. Apply online and pay CAN$150 plus CAN$85 at submission.
3. Wait for IRCC's Biometric Instruction Letter. Since 24 February 2026, VFS India requires you to upload this letter when booking the appointment.
4. Give biometrics at any of the ten VACs: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi or Pune.
5. If approved and IRCC asks for your passport, submit it at a VAC (passport submission needs a prior appointment), then collect it there or pay for courier.

IRCC's processing-times data for study permit applications from India showed 7 weeks, last updated on 14 October 2026. IRCC told a parliamentary committee in April 2026 that posted times are backward-looking, and applications that need more information take longer.

What does the 59% refusal figure actually measure?

You may see a 59% refusal rate quoted for Canadian study permits. It comes from an IRCC note to a parliamentary committee (April 2026) and measures the refusal rate for new study permit applications from all nationalities in January to December 2025, up from 52% in 2024. IRCC does not publish an India-only figure on that page. It says nothing about any individual file. It does show why the funds and documents matter far more than the fee: after a refusal you also need a new PAL/TAL before you can apply again.

Costly mistakes Indian students make

• Quoting old funds figures. Use CAN$23,448 for one person for applications from 1 September 2026.
• Splitting biometrics and documents across two VACs without need, which triggers the INR 604 package transmission charge.
• Reusing a PAL/TAL. You need a new letter after an approval or refusal, and since 22 January 2025 when changing schools.
• Paying for a PAL you may not need. Since 1 January 2026, master's and doctoral degree programmes at a public DLI no longer require one.
• Showing balances without history. IRCC lists bank statements for the past 6 months showing the source of the funds.

If your parents later apply for visitor visas to see you in Canada, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for the complete set. Reach us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay the Canada study permit fee in rupees?

No. IRCC publishes and charges the CAN$150 study permit fee and CAN$85 biometrics fee in Canadian dollars only, paid online. Only VFS Global's optional VAC services in India are priced in INR.

Do master's students in Canada still need a PAL in 2026?

Not at a public DLI. From 1 January 2026, master's and doctoral degree-granting programmes at a public designated learning institution are exempt from the provincial or territorial attestation letter. Most other study permit applicants still need one.

Is a GIC compulsory for Indian students going to Canada?

No. A GIC from a Canadian financial institution is one accepted proof of funds. IRCC also accepts a Canadian bank account in your name, 6 months of bank statements showing the source of funds, an education loan, a scholarship or paid tuition and housing receipts.

Can my spouse and I pay one biometrics fee?

Yes, if you apply at the same time. IRCC caps biometrics at CAN$170 for a family of 2 or more applying together, instead of CAN$85 each.