Student Life - Tips for International Students
Student Life
Visa information
Most international students need a study permit to study in Canada for longer than 6 months. Please click here for details on how to obtain a study permit.
If you are studying for a duration of six months or less you will likely need either a visitor’s visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada depending on which country you are from.
Please check the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for current information before making travel plans.
A Temporary Resident Visa is an official document issued by a visa office abroad. It is placed in your passport to show that you have met the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident. For more information, please click here.
To apply for a visa, contact the nearest Canadian visa centre. Many visa offices have specific local instructions concerning the documentation to be submitted with your application.
To take a closer look at the visa process, and various types of visas, please click here.
What to Bring
When you arrive in Canada, you must bring the following:
- Valid passport,
- Valid visa/permit, depending on your country of origin and purpose of stay,
- Proof of sufficient funds,
- Return airline ticket, depending on your visa/permit,
- Letter of acceptance from the school you will be attending, and
- Confirmation of accommodation in Canada (homestay letter, if you have requested one)
Medical Services Plan (MSP)
Plan (MSP)
Health insurance is mandatory for all international students studying on a valid study permit for at least six months of the year in British Columbia, Canada.
International students are required to apply for the MSP (B.C.’s healthcare coverage) as soon as they arrive in British Columbia. The healthcare coverage fee for all international students is $75 per month.
Before healthcare coverage begins, there is a waiting period consisting of the balance of the month that residency is established, plus two months. International students should carry private insurance until this waiting period ends and provincial coverage begins. Detailed information about MSP is available here.
How to Apply
Online
Students can apply online. The online application takes about 15 minuets.
Students can also apply by mail using a paper application form:
Mail the completed application form to:
Health Insurance BC Medical Services Plan PO Box 9678 Stn Prov Govt Victoria BC V8W 9P7
Detailed information about How to Apply is available here.
Other Medical Services
Make appointment(link)：Midtown Medical Clinic
Midtown Medical Clinic (MMC) is a modern health care center providing high-quality primary family medicine Greater Vancouver Area for 11 years. The clinic is also proud to be one of the UBC Medical School teaching sites.
MMC Lab is the newly authorized Point of Care Testing
