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IMM 1294, Application for a Study Permit Made Outside of Canada: what it asks and where applications go wrong

IMM 1294 is the form for a study permit applied for outside Canada, completed by each person who needs one. The IRCC fee list shows $150 per person for a study permit, plus $85 for biometrics where required, and IRCC's guide says fees are not refunded. Every Background Information question must be answered or the application is treated as incomplete and returned.

IMM 1294, "Application for a Study Permit Made Outside of Canada", is the form behind most student applications. Students abroad usually meet it through an online account, where the system builds the forms from their answers. It still matters to understand what the form asks, because the same questions drive what an officer sees: your identity, your history, your health, your background and your finances.

This guide describes IRCC's form page (form last updated June 2026, page date 6 October 2026), IRCC's instruction guide 5269, "Applying for a study permit outside Canada" (page date 6 October 2026), and the IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026). It explains what the form asks and the mistakes that make applications stall. It does not tell you how to answer, whether to apply, or which school or program to choose.

Who completes IMM 1294, and how you apply

IRCC's form page says each person requiring a study permit to come to Canada must complete the form. It applies to people applying through their IRCC secure account or on paper.

Guide 5269 sets the main rule on method: you must apply online from outside Canada. Paper is allowed only if a disability prevents you from applying online, or if you hold an identity or travel document for non-national residents, refugees or stateless persons. IRCC's study permit page (page date 2 September 2026) adds that you generally must apply before coming to Canada, that some people can apply from inside Canada, and that you should check which option applies to you. This guide covers the outside-Canada form only.

IRCC recommends completing the form on a computer. The page says the form may not open on tablets or phones, that you should download the PDF and open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher, and that you can save and finish later. It also says that filling out the form on a computer is easier and reduces mistakes that can slow down the application process.

Guide 5269 lists the forms for a study permit application from outside Canada. Besides IMM 1294 they include the Family Information form IMM 5707 and, if applicable, the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union, IMM 5409. The guide also lists a Document Checklist, IMM 5483, which helps you gather your supporting documents. Our guides to IMM 5645 and IMM 5707 and to IMM 5409 cover those forms.

What it costs

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows these amounts in Canadian dollars: - Study permit, including extensions, per person: $150.00. - Biometrics, per individual: $85.00. - Biometrics, per family of 2 or more eligible people: $170.00.

Guide 5269 gives the rules around those amounts. You pay the biometric fee together with the processing fee, and then give biometrics after you receive a biometric instruction letter. The guide says you generally give biometrics once every 10 years. It also says fees will not be refunded, whatever the final decision. If you overpay, the overpayment is refunded automatically. An incomplete application is returned, and missing fees must be paid before processing starts.

IRCC's study permit page says that if an eTA or a visa is needed, it is issued with the study permit at no additional cost. The page also says that third-party costs, such as medical exams, police certificates, language testing and visa application centre services, are paid directly to those providers. Those costs are on top of the government fees and are not on the IRCC fee list.

Because fees are indexed and the fee list is revised, read the list on the day you pay. Our overview of Canadian immigration fees explains the layout. For proof-of-funds amounts, see our separate guide, because they are not set by this form.

The opening sections: identity and personal details

IRCC's form page sets out how to answer the identity questions, and the instructions are specific.

Names must match your passport or travel document exactly, without initials. If you have no given name, leave that field blank and do not enter "NA" or "*". Where part of your date of birth is unknown, the page says an asterisk can stand for the unknown part.

If your gender identifier differs from the one on your current Canadian temporary resident document, or from your foreign passport if you have no Canadian document, you submit form IRM 0002, the Request for a Change of Sex or Gender Identifier.

If you are not a citizen of the country where you are applying, the page says non-citizens living in a country must provide proof of legal status there.

For marital status, common-law applicants must also submit IMM 5409 and married applicants must send a photocopy of their marriage certificate or licence.

If you appoint a representative, the form's contact section is where you give their details, and you must submit form IMM 5476, Use of a Representative. Our guide to IMM 5476 explains who can be a paid representative.

Employment history covers the past 10 years, or the 10 years before retirement. People often forget this is a history section. Gaps in work, study and travel across those years are visible to an officer reading the form.

If a temporary resident visa is needed as well and the study permit is approved, IRCC's page says you must provide your original passport.

The Background Information questions

This is the part of the form that matters most. IRCC's page says the Background Information questions must all be answered. It lists the subjects as tuberculosis, prior refusals, criminality, military service, political or group affiliations, and treatment of prisoners or civilians. If they are not all answered, the application is considered incomplete and returned.

The questions are yes or no questions with space for details where the answer is yes. Three points follow from IRCC's wording and from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

First, a blank is not a no. A skipped question leads to a returned application, which costs time.

Second, truthfulness is a legal duty. Section 16(1) of the Act says a person who makes an application must answer truthfully all questions put to them for the purpose of the examination. Section 40(1)(a) makes it a ground of inadmissibility to directly or indirectly misrepresent or withhold material facts relating to a relevant matter that induces or could induce an error in the administration of the Act, and s.40(2)(a) sets a five-year period. Our guide on the misrepresentation bar explains the rule.

Third, prior refusals count. A previous refusal of a visa, permit or entry to Canada or another country is a subject the form asks about. If you have one, your explanation will be read next to the refusal letter or the notes IRCC holds. Our guides on study permit refusals and on officer notes explain what refusals look like and how to read them.

How to explain a particular history is a matter for a regulated adviser or lawyer. This guide cannot do that for you.

The documents the guide expects

The form is only part of the application. Guide 5269 (page date 6 October 2026) describes the supporting documents.

  • Letter of acceptance. It must come from a designated learning institution, on official letterhead, and show the exact tuition, the start and finish dates and the registration deadline.
  • Provincial or territorial attestation letter. The guide says it must be signed by the province or territory and must include your name, date of birth and current address, and confirm space in the province's allocation. For Quebec, the guide says the Quebec acceptance certificate (CAQ) serves as the attestation letter and must be valid when you apply. IRCC's study permit page lists the attestation letter among the documents to get ready. Rules around attestation letters have changed repeatedly, so read the guide on the day you apply. Our guide to attestation letters has more.
  • Proof of funds. The guide says you must show sufficient funds. For studies of under one year you must cover the full duration, and for studies of more than one year you must cover the first year. The guide does not set a number on the page we read, so check IRCC's current figures and our proof-of-funds guide.
  • Medical exam. The guide says a medical exam is usually not needed for stays of six months or less. For longer stays, you may need one depending on where you lived for six or more months, or if you plan to work in a designated occupation. You may get an upfront exam or wait for instructions from the visa office.
  • Identity and travel documents. The guide covers certified copies and translations. It notes that a passport, if submitted, is returned with the approval or refusal letter unless fraud is suspected.

Complete the Document Checklist, IMM 5483, and include it. It is the one place that lists what the visa office expects to see, and it is the quickest way to find a missing item before submission.

Common mistakes

  • Using initials, "NA" or "*" in the name fields. The form page gives a specific instruction for each case.
  • Leaving a Background Information question unanswered. The application is returned.
  • Answering no on a question where the true answer is yes, or giving a yes without details.
  • Forgetting IMM 5409 for a common-law partner, or the marriage certificate for a married applicant.
  • Naming a representative in the contact section but not submitting IMM 5476. The form page requires both.
  • Applying without the documents the guide lists. IRCC's study permit page says it cannot finalize a study permit until a complete application has been submitted.
  • Treating the attestation letter as optional. The study permit page lists it with the letter of acceptance among the documents to get ready, and the guide describes what it must contain.
  • Assuming fees come back after a refusal. The guide says fees are not refunded.
  • Letting the employment history stop short of ten years, or leaving unexplained gaps.
  • Relying on an old copy of a form or guide. The form page shows a June 2026 version. Download the current one for your application.
  • Not giving biometrics within the time limit. IRCC's study permit page says you have 30 days from the date on the biometrics request letter.

Getting help

You can apply without a representative. If someone will prepare or advise on your application for a fee, Canadian law restricts who may do that: under IRPA s.91, paid representation and advice is limited to authorized people, meaning licensed immigration consultants, lawyers and Quebec notaries in good standing. The rule is about what a person does for consideration, not what they call themselves, so it applies to anyone who charges for application advice. Our guides explain how to check a licence and what the warning signs of an unlicensed consultant look like. To find a regulated adviser, use the adviser directory on this site, which lists advisers and links to the official register so you can verify them yourself.

Questions people ask

How much does a study permit application cost?

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows $150 per person for a study permit, including extensions, plus biometrics of $85 per person or $170 per family of two or more eligible people. Fees are indexed, so check the list on the day you pay.

Can I apply for a study permit on paper from outside Canada?

IRCC's guide 5269 says to apply online, with paper allowed only if a disability prevents you applying online or if you hold an identity or travel document for non-national residents, refugees or stateless persons.

What happens if I skip a Background Information question?

IRCC's form page says all of those questions must be answered or the application is considered incomplete and returned.

Do I get my fee back if my study permit is refused?

IRCC's guide 5269 says fees will not be refunded, whatever the final decision. Overpayments are refunded automatically.

Which other forms go with IMM 1294?

Guide 5269 lists the Family Information form IMM 5707 and, if applicable, IMM 5409 for a common-law partner. The form page also refers to IMM 5476 if you use a representative and IRM 0002 for a changed gender identifier.

Do I need a medical exam for a study permit?

Guide 5269 says an exam is usually not needed for stays of six months or less. For longer stays, it may be needed depending on where you lived for six or more months, or if you plan to work in a designated occupation.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • IMM 5645 and IMM 5707, Family Information Form: which one to use, who completes it and what it asks — IMM 5645 and IMM 5707 carry the same title, "Family Information Form – Visitors, Students and Workers". Each person aged 18 or older applying from outside Canada for a visitor visa, study permit or work permit completes one. IRCC's guides for study and work permits from outside Canada name IMM 5707, and IRCC's forms index does not say IMM 5645 has been replaced, so confirm which one your own application package lists.
  • IMM 5409, Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union: who signs, what it asks and common mistakes — IMM 5409 is a sworn declaration by two people that they are in a common-law relationship. It must be signed by hand, it will not produce a barcode when validated, and it asks for places, dates, years together and the kinds of shared life you can document. The regulations define a common-law partner as someone who has cohabited with you in a conjugal relationship for at least one year.
  • IMM 5476, Use of a Representative: what the form asks and how it is submitted — IMM 5476 tells IRCC that someone may act for you on an application, paid or unpaid. You complete the applicant sections, your representative signs their own declaration, and a paid representative must give their membership ID from the College, a law society or the Chambre des notaires. The same form is used to cancel or change a representative.
  • IMM 5709: extending a study permit from inside Canada, what the form asks and common mistakes — IMM 5709 is the form for extending a study permit, changing its conditions or restoring student status from inside Canada. The IRCC fee list shows $150 per person for a study permit including an extension, and IRCC says to apply at least 30 days before the permit expires. An application missing a required letter or answer is typically returned.
  • Study Permit Refused: Reapply, Seek Review or Rethink — There's no appeal from a study permit refusal. The options are a new application (which needs a new provincial or territorial attestation letter in most cases) or judicial review in the Federal Court within 60 days from outside Canada or 15 days from inside. Students in Canada also need to check their status.
  • Study Permit Proof of Funds: $23,448 From September 2026 — For study permit applications made outside Quebec on or after 1 September 2026, IRCC's living-expense amount is $23,448 for one person, $29,192 for two and $35,888 for three, excluding tuition and travel. IRCC's page (dated 28 August 2026) also shows the earlier amounts for applications from 1 January 2025 to 31 August 2026. Quebec has its own requirements.
  • Provincial attestation letter (PAL/TAL): what it is, who needs one and how it is issued — A provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) is a letter from the province or territory where you plan to study. IRCC says it is usually required with a study permit application, must be valid on the day you apply, and cannot be sent in afterwards. Some groups are exempt, and Quebec uses a different document. Each province runs its own process through its schools.
  • Misrepresentation in Canada: The Five-Year Inadmissibility Rule — Under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, misrepresenting or withholding a material fact that induces or could induce an error makes a person inadmissible for five years, and during that time a foreign national cannot apply for permanent residence. The five years run from the final determination if it was made outside Canada, or from the day a removal order is enforced if it was made in Canada.
  • Getting Your GCMS and Officer Notes After a Refusal — Since 29 July 2025 IRCC sends an officer's decision note with refusal letters for most temporary resident applications, and since 26 May 2026 for most permanent resident applications. Other notes in your file can be requested through access to information or privacy requests, which have a 30-day response period and a $5 application fee for access-to-information requests.
  • Unlicensed Immigration Consultants: How to Check Before You Pay — Only RCICs and RISIAs licensed by the College, lawyers and paralegals in good standing with a law society, and Quebec notaries may charge for Canadian immigration advice. IRCC says it won't deal with unauthorized paid representatives and may return or refuse an application that uses one.
  • Canadian Immigration Fees 2026: The IRCC List, Explained — The IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026) sets the government fees for most applications: for example $100 for a visitor visa, $150 for a study permit, $155 for a work permit, $1,590 for an economic permanent residence application including the $600 right of permanent residence fee, and $653 for an adult citizenship application. Medical exams, language tests, police certificates and representative fees are not on it.