Study in Canada from Ghana: A Parent's Step-by-Step Guide

If your son or daughter has decided to study in Canada from Ghana, you will probably be the one checking the paperwork, planning the money and asking the difficult questions. This guide is written for you. It explains, step by step, how the Canadian study permit process works for a student applying from Ghana, what each document is for, and how much money Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) expects a student to show. Every figure below comes from official Government of Canada pages that we checked in October 2026. Rules change, so please confirm the latest position on canada.ca before you pay for or submit anything.

Key terms to know before you study in Canada from Ghana

Canadian immigration uses a lot of short forms. Here are the ones you will meet most often:

• DLI (designated learning institution): a school on the Government of Canada's list of designated learning institutions. Your child needs a letter of acceptance from a DLI.
• LOA (letter of acceptance): the offer letter from the school. The school must validate it.
• PAL or TAL (provincial or territorial attestation letter): a letter from the province or territory confirming your child has been given one of its available study places.
• Study permit: the document that allows your child to study in Canada. It is issued by a border officer when your child arrives, not before.
• Biometrics: fingerprints and a photograph, given in person at a visa application centre.

Step 1: Choose a programme and a designated learning institution

Start with the course, not the brochure. Look carefully at the entry requirements, the length of the programme, the tuition fees and the city. The province also matters: it decides whether a PAL is needed, and it sets the age at which your child is treated as an adult.

Before your child accepts any offer, check that the school appears on the official DLI list, which is linked from IRCC's study permit application page. For an overview of options, see our Study in Canada page.

Step 2: Accept the offer and ask the school about the PAL

Most students need a PAL or TAL. According to IRCC's PAL guidance, the province or territory issues it, and your child should contact the school to find out how to apply. In most cases, a student must accept the offer and pay part or all of the tuition before a PAL is issued.

There are some exemptions. The one most families will notice is this: from 1 January 2026, students applying to a degree-granting master's or doctoral programme at a public DLI do not need a PAL. Students going to Quebec need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) instead, unless an exemption applies.

A few practical points:

• The PAL is linked to one school, and each applicant needs their own.
• It must be valid on the day your child applies, not the day classes start.
• Unless it shows an earlier expiry date, a PAL for the 2026 cap year is valid until 31 December 2026. A PAL from an earlier year cannot be reused.

Because a payment is often needed at this stage, ask the school in writing about its refund policy before you send money.

Step 3: Plan the money that IRCC asks to see

How much proof of funds is needed

IRCC's proof of financial support page sets the amounts. For applications received on or after 1 September 2026, a single student studying outside Quebec must show CAD 23,448 for one year of living costs. Before that date, the figure was CAD 22,895.

This amount does not include tuition or travel. Those come on top. If family members are travelling too, the amount rises; for example, the living-cost total for three people is CAD 35,888. These figures apply to study outside Quebec.

What counts as proof

IRCC accepts several kinds of evidence. Examples include:

• a receipt from the school showing first-year tuition and housing fees have been paid
• a student or education loan from a bank
• proof of a scholarship
• bank statements for the past six months that show the source of income
• a letter from the person giving the money, explaining their job, their relationship to the student, their dependants and the amount
• proof of that person's relationship to the student and their identification

As a parent sponsor, keep your paperwork consistent. The figures in your letter, your statements and your income records should all tell the same story.

Other costs to budget for

EduCanada, a Global Affairs Canada website, publishes average study costs. Citing Statistics Canada for 2026, it gives average international tuition of about CAD 41,746 a year for undergraduates and CAD 24,028 a year for graduate students. Individual fees vary widely, so always use the figure on your child's offer letter.

Official fees, from IRCC's fee list, are:

• study permit: CAD 150 per person
• biometrics: CAD 85 per person, or a maximum of CAD 170 for a family applying together

Medical exams, police certificates, language tests and visa application centre services are paid directly to those providers. IRCC fees are not refunded, whatever the decision.

Step 4: Gather the documents

IRCC's document page lists what is needed. In summary:

1. Letter of acceptance (always required)
2. PAL or TAL (in most cases)
3. Proof of identity: a valid passport and two recent passport-size photos
4. Proof of funds (always required)
5. A letter of explanation (recommended) setting out why your child wants to study in Canada and showing they understand their responsibilities as a student
6. A medical exam, if needed
7. A police certificate, if needed
8. Any extra documents listed in the visa office instructions for your country

Step 5: Apply online through an IRCC secure account

Applicants outside Canada must normally apply online. The process on IRCC's application page is:

1. Select the country you are applying from to read the local visa office instructions.
2. Read the instruction guide (Guide 5269).
3. Answer the online questions. This produces a personal document checklist.
4. Create or sign in to an IRCC secure account, pay the fees and submit.

Upload as many required documents as possible at the start. Incomplete applications can be returned, and missing documents cause delays. If your child needs a visitor visa or an eTA (electronic travel authorisation) to travel, it is issued with the study permit approval at no extra cost, so there is no separate application.

Step 6: Give biometrics in Accra

Applicants aged 14 to 79 will probably need to give biometrics. Pay the biometrics fee when you submit, then wait for IRCC's biometric instruction letter. Your child has 30 days from the date on that letter to give their fingerprints and photo.

IRCC's list of visa application centres shows one centre in Ghana, in Accra. Visa application centres are private companies that handle biometrics appointments for IRCC, so check the Accra centre's website for its services before you book. Biometrics generally only need to be given once every 10 years, and IRCC starts processing only once it has received them.

Step 7: Medical exam and police certificate

A medical exam is usually not needed for stays of six months or less. For longer stays, it may be required, depending on where your child has lived in the past year and the kind of work they plan to do. IRCC's guide allows applicants to have an upfront exam with an approved panel physician, at their own cost. Use the personal checklist and the visa office instructions to confirm whether a medical exam or police certificate applies.

Step 8: After the decision

Processing times vary by visa office, so check IRCC's processing times page. If the application is approved, your child receives a letter of introduction. This is not the study permit. Your child must carry it when travelling, and the border officer decides on arrival whether to issue the study permit. If the application is refused, IRCC sends a letter explaining why.

If your child is under 18

Each province sets its own age of majority: 18 in provinces such as Ontario, Alberta and Quebec, and 19 in others, including British Columbia and Nova Scotia. IRCC's guidance on minors explains the rules.

• Children under 17 must travel with a parent or legal guardian, or have a custodian in Canada.
• A custodian must be a responsible adult who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• For students aged 17 or over, a custodian is optional, but an officer may ask for one.

The Custodianship Declaration (form IMM 5646) is sent with the application. The custodian signs page 1 and has it notarised in Canada. Parents sign page 2 and have it notarised in their home country.

Can my child work while studying in Canada?

Eligible full-time students may work off campus for up to 24 hours a week during term, and without an hourly limit during scheduled breaks such as the summer holiday. Conditions apply, including holding a valid study permit and a social insurance number. EduCanada notes that students must show they can support themselves without working, so do not plan the budget around part-time wages.

Getting help and staying safe

You do not have to pay anyone to apply. If you do pay someone for immigration help, IRCC says they must be authorised: a lawyer or paralegal in good standing with a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, a Quebec notary, or a consultant in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. Using a representative does not mean an application will be approved. Read IRCC's page on immigration representatives before you sign anything.

EduQuantica helps families choose courses and prepare university applications. We do not give immigration advice. Our guide to choosing an education agent explains what to ask any adviser.

Next steps for your family

Start early, keep every document consistent and check each figure on canada.ca before you rely on it. Explore our Study abroad from Ghana page, search for funding with our scholarship search, or Book a free 30-minute consultation to talk through your child's options with our team.