A CAQ for studies is Quebec’s acceptance document for many international students planning to study in the province for more than six months. You normally obtain it before applying for your federal study permit.
The process involves more than receiving an offer from a school. You need to check Quebec’s requirements, prepare your evidence and complete the provincial application before moving to the federal stage.
CAQ stands for Certificat d’acceptation du Québec, or Quebec Acceptance Certificate. For most international students taking a program lasting more than six months in Quebec, the route is:
Exemptions exist, so check your circumstances before applying.
School admission, Quebec acceptance and federal immigration approval are separate decisions.
A missing provincial document can hold up the next stage. Equally, receiving a CAQ does not guarantee that IRCC will approve your permit.
Plan around both applications. Leave room to correct documents or respond to requests before your intended start date.
Most foreign students entering a Quebec program lasting more than six months need a CAQ and a study permit.
Some applicants qualify for an exemption, including certain protected persons and children in specified circumstances. Short programs of six months or less can also qualify, but taking only part of a longer program does not automatically create an exemption.
Check Quebec’s exemption rules against the whole program and your immigration circumstances. Do not rely only on the length of your planned first visit.
No. Quebec’s rules and federal attestation exemptions are separate.
For example, applicants to master’s or doctoral degree programs at public institutions are exempt from the federal PAL/TAL requirement under the rules effective January 1, 2026. They must still check whether Quebec requires a CAQ.
The CAQ issuance attestation also fulfils the provincial attestation letter role where applicable. Follow IRCC’s requirements for its validity, wording and upload locations.
You generally need to:
During your stay, relevant obligations include studying at the authorised level and institution, maintaining health and hospital insurance, and making studies your main activity unless an exception applies.
Before accepting an offer, confirm that the institution and program match your plans. Keep its admission and tuition information together so you can use consistent details throughout the application.
Quebec uses an online temporary selection application together with Arrima for payment and document submission.
Quebec applies institution-specific application limits to vocational, college and university studies. Check availability or whether you qualify for an exemption from those limits.
An exemption from an application limit does not itself exempt you from obtaining a CAQ.
Create your Arrima account and complete the online temporary selection form. Use the same passport names in both systems.
Have your admission letter, passport and tuition details ready. The current form must be completed in one sitting.
Pay through Arrima within one hour of submitting the form. Obtain your personalised checklist and file number, then upload your evidence through Arrima.
Quebec currently allows 15 days to submit the required documents. Follow your account instructions and retain the submission confirmation.
Your personalised checklist determines what to submit. Common items include:
Documents must be in French or English. Documents in another language need the required professional translation.
Prepare your application documents carefully, but follow Quebec’s checklist over a general document guide.
Check signatures too. Quebec accepts specified handwritten signatures, including scanned handwritten signatures, rather than simply typed names.
If you need to explain your circumstances, connect your explanation to supporting evidence. For instance, an explanation of a study interruption should identify the relevant dates and refer to records that support the reason.
For applications submitted from January 1, 2026, Quebec’s annual basic-needs amounts include:
These amounts are additional to tuition fees and return transportation costs. Use the amount for your accompanying household, rather than assuming the single-person figure covers everyone.
The basic-needs calculation includes expenses such as housing, food, local transport and health and hospital insurance. Check the current Quebec figures before submitting.
Financial evidence may include bank statements, scholarship confirmation, a qualifying student loan or another person’s documented financial support. Where you submit that evidence depends partly on your country or territory of residence, so follow the instructions for your situation.
For planning, calculate tuition, basic needs and return travel separately. Then identify which documents demonstrate that each cost is covered.
As checked in October 2026:
The combined Quebec and federal application fees are CAD 285 before biometrics or other expenses. Translation, tuition deposits and insurance may add to your budget.
Quebec’s published target is a decision within 25 business days for 80% of complete applications. The clock starts when MIFI has the application, payment and all required documents.
That is the provincial stage only. Add time for obtaining documents and for IRCC’s separate assessment. Check current official fees and processing guidance before applying.
You receive a letter confirming issuance of the CAQ in your online file. Check the details and download a copy.
You can then use it when applying for your Canadian study permit. Follow IRCC’s checklist, including instructions for submitting the CAQ as the Quebec acceptance document and, where applicable, the attestation document.
A CAQ is not a study permit or travel document. Keep each approval and its conditions separate in your records.
Check the expiry date on your issued document. You need a new temporary selection application if your studies continue beyond its validity or if a relevant change requires one.
Changing your study level normally requires a new CAQ. Changing schools generally does too, with limited exceptions, including certain valid CAQs issued before December 6, 2024.
If you are changing institutions, check both the Quebec and federal requirements before transferring.
Quebec recommends starting renewal at least three months before your CAQ and study permit expire. Allow time for the provincial decision and the subsequent federal application.
Keep a simple checklist showing the document, deadline and confirmation needed at each stage.
These guides explain the connected requirements and help you prepare your evidence:
No. Quebec issues the CAQ, while the federal government issues the study permit. Many international students need both.
Usually, yes, unless a Quebec exemption applies. The federal PAL/TAL exemption for qualifying public-institution master’s programs does not automatically remove the provincial requirement.
Yes, financial support from another person can form part of your evidence. Submit the required support declaration and documents showing that person can cover the promised costs.
No. Quebec’s published target covers 80% of complete applications. Your application can take longer, and the federal study permit stage has its own processing time.
Not always. Quebec generally requires a new application when you change institutions, subject to limited exceptions. Check your CAQ’s issue date, study level and institution conditions before relying on it.
A CAQ for studies is a key provincial document for many international students planning to study in Quebec. Admission, financial evidence and compliance with Quebec’s requirements are central to the application, followed by a separate federal study permit process.
Before applying, check your institution’s application availability, prepare the documents on your personalised checklist and allow time for both stages. Since immigration requirements and procedures can change, always check the latest guidance on the official Government of Canada website.
If you need support checking your CAQ requirements or preparing your Canadian study permit application, book a consultation with Canada GMC.
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