Acadia University - FAQ

Students who do not have a final decision on their study permit application in time for their program start date should seek alternate options. Please be aware of registration and tuition payment deadlines as you consider your options.

NOTE: Students are not permitted to arrive in-person after the last day to add/drop courses or withdraw from courses. This date is noted in the academic calendar above.

Graduate Students: contact your department/program coordinator to understand the process and deadline to request a deferral of the start of your program.

Undergraduate Students: Contact the admissions office for available options regarding deferring your start date.

We also advise students whose study permit application has exceeded the posted processing time, to submit an IRCC web form to inquire about the status of their application.

If you have any questions about refund for tuition fee payments, please contact Student Accounts.

Please contact the Residence Life Office at residencelife@acadiau.ca if you need to cancel your housing offer or to update your application for your new planned arrival.

You will need to ensure you have all your documents prior to travelling e.g. valid passport, letter of introduction, letter of acceptance etc and it is important that you always carry these documents with you when travelling. Do not place these documents in your checked bag but rather in a folder in your backpack so you can easily access it when the CBA officer requests it.  It is also advised that you purchase clothing suitable for the Fall and Winter weather in Canada e.g. winter jackets, warm socks etc. You can find a more precise list on the pre-arrival guide in acorn.

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 your designated learning institution (DLI)
Have a valid eTA, a valid visitor visa (temporary resident visa), a valid green card or another valid travel document
Have enough money for your stay (can be shown via bank statements)
Have valid immigration medical exam results (if you needed one).

Acadia University is unable to contact IRCC on behalf of individual students to expedite the processing of their application; however, we continue to actively advocate on behalf of all students who are affected by these delays to IRCC.

We also advise students whose study permit application has exceeded the posted processing time to submit an IRCC web form to inquire about the status of their application.

Graduate Students: if you deferred to a later start date and your study permit application is still under process, you are advised to upload a copy of your updated admission letter to IRCC via an IRCC web form to update your Study Permit application. If your deferral is processed after your study permit application has been approved, you do not need to inform IRCC; however, you will be expected to have your updated offer of admission at the time of entry to Canada.

Undergraduate students who receive an admission to start in the Fall semester and defer their start until Winter term: if you receive a request from IRCC to provide an updated Offer of Admission (Letter of Acceptance), you can submit your new letter of acceptance provided once your deferral has been processed by the admissions office.

There is no set time frame for you to arrive in Canada before you begin your studies. However, you should arrive on the arrival date provided by Acadia to ensure you have a smooth transition to university life.

You are not allowed to work on or off campus until you begin your studies in Canada. Students will still need to provide evidence to demonstrate that they have the means to support themselves as a temporary resident in Canada.

To better prepare for your entry to Canada, we recommend you read our ‘Coming to Canada’ section on ACORN and read IRCC's Study permit: Prepare for arrival.

To extend your study permit, a new passport will be required. It is important for students to apply for a new passport well in advance before their study permit expires. Please be mindful of your country’s passport processing times. If your study permit expiry date is soon approaching and you have yet to receive your new passport, please contact immigration@acadiau.ca for next steps. Please note that it is the student's responsibility to apply for a new passport and the WIC does not offer support in this regard.

If you are a temporary resident in Canada and wish to extend your legal stay beyond the expiry date of your current status, you are advised to apply for the extension online prior to the expiry date of your status (i.e., before the expiry date listed on your current study permit).

For information on extending your student status, you can visit our Study Permit Extension page.

You can apply to restore your status.

When you complete the application form, make sure you do all of the following:

• Select Restore my status under section 3 at the top of page one of the applicable form.
• Include a note explaining the reason you need to extend your stay and the reason your status expired.
• You must also pay the restoration fee in addition to the study permit processing fee.

If your temporary resident status is restored, you'll receive the appropriate permit by mail, which will outline the conditions of your stay in Canada. Your temporary resident status in Canada will be extended until a specified date.

Note: Students in Canada with expired student status must stop studying and/or working until their student status is restored.

Learn more on how to restore your status.

If it has been more than 90 days since your status expired, we ask that you connect with an International Immigration Advisor as soon as possible to discuss your options. Staying in Canada without legal status is non-compliance with immigration rules and regulations, and it is very important that you take the necessary steps in time to rectify the issue.

Please note that students who find themselves in this situation will likely have to leave Canada and apply for a new study permit outside of Canada.