You need to apply for a CAQ by completing an online form and by paying processing fees with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express). 

Prepare your information in advance, as you won't be able to save the form while you're filling it in and come back to it later.  As you fill in the online form, you can always obtain further details on the questions by selecting the orange “?” icon.

Once you have paid for your application and submitted your online form, you will need to send supporting documents for your application via the Arrima platform, within a 15-day period.  The MIFI provides videos (in French) to assist students in navigating the system. It is essential that you send all documents required by MIFI in a single transmission. In the event that you are unable to do so, you must wait for MIFI to process your application and send you a letter of intention of refusal before you can send any missing documents.

Some forms require a signature. Please note that only handwritten signatures made with a pen, or using a technological tool such as a digital pen or mouse, are accepted; electronic signatures inserted into a document are not accepted.  PDF forms must also be saved in such a way that they cannot be modified (e.g., by selecting the “Print this file” and “Print to PDF” options).

If your application is successfully processed, you will receive a letter confirming the issuance of your CAQ for studies.  The MIFI should inform you of any updates to your file by e-mail.  However, we recommend that you regularly check the status of your application by consulting your online file. 

The CAQ is issued based on your academic cycle and your educational institution. Upon receipt, please ensure that the information it contains is accurate. Please note that the cycle must be the one used in Quebec (mentioned on your letter of admission) and not the one used in your country of origin! If there is an error on your CAQ, or if you lose your CAQ, please refer to the section error on your immigration documents or loss of your immigration documents.

You generally need to wait to receive your CAQ approval letter before applying for a Study Permit. However, some Canadian visa offices (CVO) allow future students to apply before receiving a response about their CAQ certificate. If you believe that you are running out of time to obtain all the necessary documents prior to the beginning of the term, find out if you can contact a Canadian visa office, as mentioned above. For more information, please refer to our page about Study Permits.  

• To the question “Are you eligible for an exemption set out in the application management rules indicated in the Table of exemptions from management of requests ?”, you must answer “no” unless you are in one of the following situations:

“I am a dependent child of a temporary foreign worker or a foreign student...”

“I am an asylum seeker.”

“I hold a certificate issued by the Protocole of the Gouvernement du Québec.”

• If you are a student who must complete a preparatory year before your bachelor's degree (admission to bachelor's degree + 5 years), be sure to indicate the end date of your entire program and not that of the preparatory year. Despite this precaution, you may still be issued a CAQ for studies lasting one year. In this case, you will need to submit applications to renew your immigration documents from Canada a few months before they expire.
• Refer to the figures listed on your admission offer when asked to indicate your annual tuition fees. If you are enrolled in a bachelor’s, professional master’s, or DESS program and tuition is listed by term rather than by year, be sure to multiply the amount by two. For a research master’s or doctoral program, the tuition on a per term basis must be multiplied by three.
• If you have been admitted to a double degree program, you must answer “no” to the question “Will you be participating in an exchange program?”

Only individuals residing in the following countries or territories are required to provide proof of financial capacity during the CAQ for studies stage, demonstrating that they are able to cover their tuition fees, basic living expenses, and the cost of a round-trip airline ticket: France, Canada, the United States, Austria, Greenland, Monaco, Hong Kong, Réunion, Mexico, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon. 

Information on the minimum thresholds that must be demonstrated and the type of proof required is available online. Please note that bank documents submitted as proof must be from personal accounts. Proof of business accounts is not accepted for CAQ applications for study purposes, nor are assets or property titles.

Each person who is funding your studies and providing proof of financial capacity must complete a “Declaration of Financial Support” form. This form is automatically generated when you indicate in the online application that someone will be funding your studies. Since only one person can complete and sign the form, other individuals who are financially supporting you must complete and sign their own form which you can download here. You must attach it to the other supporting documents to be submitted via the Arrima platform.

If you are a graduate research student and your research supervisor is providing you with financial assistance, be sure to include the letter confirming the annual amount of the assistance you will receive. Your supervisor will not need to complete a separate financial support declaration form. If you would like to learn more about the financial aid available during your studies, visit our website.

You do not need to demonstrate that you currently have access to the full amount required for the entire duration of your studies. The MIFI will ask you to prove that you have the funds necessary to cover the costs associated with your first year of study. However, for the purposes of issuing the CAQ, the officer reviewing your application must be able to conclude that it is likely these funds will continue to be available for the duration of your studies.

Refer to the figures listed on your admission offer to calculate your annual tuition fees. If you are enrolled in a bachelor’s, professional master’s, or DESS program and tuition is listed by term rather than by year, be sure to multiply the amount by two. Term-based tuition must be multiplied by three for a research master’s or doctoral program.

If you are a French or French-speaking Belgian citizen or if you receive a scholarship exempting you from the higher tuition fees, your tuition will be calculated upon presentation of proof to that effect (French or Belgian passport, scholarship approval letter, etc.).

Please note that financial proof must also be provided as part of the study permit application, and that the accepted documents may differ from those required for the CAQ for studies.

Only individuals residing in the following countries or territories are required to provide proof of financial means during the CAQ for studies stage, demonstrating that they are able to cover the costs of their basic needs during their stay as well as the cost of a round-trip airline ticket: France, Canada, the United States, Austria, Greenland, Monaco, Hong Kong, Réunion, Mexico, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

Information on the minimum thresholds to be met and the type of proof to be provided is available online. Please note that exchange students do not need to include tuition fees in the calculation, as these will be paid to their home institution. Costs associated with basic living expenses must be calculated on a pro-rata basis according to the number of months the person plans to spend on exchange in Quebec. Please note that bank documents submitted as proof must be from personal accounts. Proof of business accounts is not accepted as part of the CAQ application for studies, nor are assets or property titles.

Each person who is funding your studies and providing proof of financial capacity must complete a “Declaration of Financial Support” form. This form is automatically generated when you indicate in the online application that someone will be funding your studies. Since only one person can complete and sign the form, other individuals supporting you financially must complete and sign their own form which you can download here. You must attach it to the other supporting documents to be submitted via the Arrima platform.

Please note that financial proof must also be provided as part of the study permit application, and that the accepted documents may differ from those required for the CAQ for studies.