Acadia University - Arrival

As stated by IRCC, you must have the following when arriving in Canada:

• A valid travel document, such as a passport
• The port of entry letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit
• A copy of a valid letter of acceptance issued from Acadia (your designated learning institution, or DLI)
• A valid eTA, a valid visitor visa (temporary resident visa), a valid green card or another valid travel document
• Enough money for your stay (can be shown via bank statements)
• Valid immigration medical exam results (if you needed one)

You are highly encouraged to arrive when residence opens for new students, as Residence Life cannot guarantee accommodations prior to move-in day. Additionally, activities on campus will be limited as we prepare for orientation, and you may feel isolated/lonely. If you are arriving earlier, please contact Residence Life and the Wong International Centre so that we’re aware of your arrival and can support you.

Please note that students arriving before the move-in dates will be responsible for the cost of their transportation from the airport to Acadia.

The Wong International centre supports the arrival of international students by providing a free airport pick-up service. New students can sign up for the pick-up service when sign-up opens. Upon arrival at the university, new students will be directed to the arrivals centre in the Acadia Student Union where they will receive a welcome bag (filled with goodies!) and their residence card (if living in residence). If you live off-campus, students at the arrivals centre can call a taxi/cab on your behalf to take you to your off-campus housing. If you have any questions about arrival supports, please contact international@acadiau.ca

Students arriving outside the airport pickup times are welcome to wait at the airport for the next pickup bus. However, the wait time may be long.

Instead, you are encouraged to arrange your own transportation from the airport to Acadia: the travel time by car is approximately an hour. We recommend contacting World Class Limousine in advance of your arrival. Please note that you are responsible for the cost of using World Class Limousine and the university will not reimburse the costs associated with it.

If there’s a delay in receiving your study permit, please email international@acadiau.ca so that we are aware of your potential late arrival. Late arrivals may be accommodated until the last date to add/drop courses (please check the academic calendar for specific dates as they change every year). Arrivals after the last day to add/drop courses will not be permitted, and students will need to defer their admission to the next semester.

Please note that while we may be able to accommodate late arrivals, we advise that you do not arrive after classes start. Arriving late may impact your integration to campus and your academic journey as a result of missing classwork, assignments, etc.

The WIC hosts SIN clinics and NS ID trips at the beginning of the Fall and Winter semesters. Sign up for these will be communicated via the international student listserv. If you have any questions, please contact international@acadiau.ca.