Student Direct Stream (SDS) Program:- Requirements, Eligibility Criteria & Application Process

Akhilesh Kumar December 19, 2020 137 0

There is good news for Indian students who are planning to apply to Canadian universities. On June 8, 2018, the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched a new program called Student Direct Stream (SDS) to make the entire process of visa application easier and faster. The SDS program is considered a replacement of the previous student visa program, Student Partners Program (SPP). Depending on where an applicant lives, he/she may be able to get their study permit faster as most SDS applications are processed within 20 calendar days.

In this article, we will be discussing the major aspects of the Student Direct Stream program such as its application process, eligibility criteria, Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), designated learning institutions (DLIs) etc.

What is the eligibility criteria for the Student Direct Stream?

To be eligible for faster and easier processing through the Student Direct Stream, applicants must:-

Be a legal resident of one of the following countries:-
- China
- India
- Morocco
- Pakistan
- The Philippines
- Vietnam
- Senegal

Applicants who are citizens of the above-mentioned countries but are not staying in their country are not eligible to apply for SDS processing.

Transcripts:- Candidates must submit the most recent secondary as well as post-secondary educational transcripts.
Acceptance:- A Letter of Acceptance must be presented from a post-secondary Designated Learning Institute (DLI).
Proof of Language Proficiency:- Students must complete either of the following tests within two years of submitting the SDS application:-
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum score of 6.0 in each language section: reading, writing, speaking and listening.
- Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF) equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of minimum 7 for each skill: 207 (Reading), 310 (Writing), 310 (Speaking) and 249 (Listening).
Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC):- Applicants must submit proof of a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of a minimum amount CAN$10,000 from banks insured by the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) or listed on the IRCC SDS website.
Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ):- Students who are planning to study in Quebec must submit a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, Diversité et Inclusion (MIDI).
Payment of Tuition Fees:- It is compulsory to submit the proof of full payment of tuition for the applicant’s first year of study. Students can submit any of the following documents:-
- Tuition fee receipt from the DLI
- An official letter from the DLI confirming the payment
- Bank receipt showing that tuition fees have been paid
Proof of Medical Examination:- Students are required to undergo a thorough medical examination to stay for more than six months.
Police Certificate:- In most cases, applicants are required to provide a valid police certificate to prove that they are law-abiding citizens with no criminal history.

NOTE:- Students must know that SDS applications that are incomplete are rejected right away. With the exception of the biometric fee, if the application processing fee has not been paid, the application is not accepted. However, if the biometric fee is not included, the concerned authority requests the applicant for the same.

How to apply for a Study Permit through Student Direct Stream Canada?

Applicants must know that there is no provision for offline mode of application for the Student Direct Stream Canada. Students need to apply online along with all the necessary documents for faster processing of Study Permit

Apply Online

Application Fee: $150 CAD

Important Points

Make sure to apply online
Applicants can use their official account at CIC to submit their applications
Use a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of all the necessary documents
A valid credit or debit card is required to make payments
Using the same account, applicants can also check the status of their applications

Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC)

As per IRCC guidelines, applicants will require a minimum amount of 10,000 CAD per year to cover the living expenses in Canada. International students can meet this requirement through the purchase of GIC and submitting proof of payment.

A Guaranteed Investment Certificate is a Canadian investment that offers a guaranteed rate of return over a fixed period of time. Most commonly, GIC is issued by trusted companies and banks which meet the following criteria:-

Banks must confirm that an applicant has bought a GIC by providing any one of the following documents:-
- A letter of attestation
- A GIC certificate
- An Investment Directions Confirmation
- An Investment Balance Confirmation
A valid financial institution must hold GIC in an investment account or a student account that can not be accessed until the applicant arrives in Canada.
Banks or companies must release funds to an applicant by providing:-
- An initial lump-sum amount once the student has arrived in Canada
- The remainder of the funds in monthly or bi-monthly instalments over 10-12 months.

Financial Institutions offering GICs

Applicants can get a Guaranteed Investment Certificate from financial institutions listed on the Canadian Deposit Insurance Company website. Applicants must make sure that the financial institution they choose meets the criteria for the SDS.

Few of the eligible financial organizations offering GICs are:-

Bank of Beijing
Bank of China
Bank of Xian Co.Ltd
Bank of Montreal
Desjardins
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
Habib Canadian Bank
ICICI Bank
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
RBC Royal Bank
SBI Canada Bank
HSBC Bank of Canada
Scotiabank

Prerequisite Courses and Bridging Programs of Study

Also, candidates who are interested in pursuing a prerequisite course or bridging program of study at a Designated Learning Institute before the commencement of their main program may be eligible to apply under the SDS Canada, given they meet the program eligibility requirements.

While submitting an online application from overseas, the prerequisite course or bridging program of study must be clearly stated in the applicant’s letter of acceptance as the applicant’s main program of study will lead to a degree, certificate or diploma.

Family Members of Study Permit Candidates under the SDS

Family members of the students who applied for the SDS program are eligible for concurrent processing if they apply at the same time as the primary candidates. Temporary residence applications such as work permit, study permit or temporary visa applications of the accompanying family members should be submitted through the online portal as part of a family grouping.

What is a Designated Learning Institute (DLI)?

A designated learning institution is a school, college or university authorized by a provincial or territorial government to host international students. Overseas students who are planning to pursue their education at the undergraduate or postgraduate level must secure the Study Permit. Indian students applying under the SDS program need to obtain an acceptance letter from a DLI in order to get Study Permit. Some of the popular DLI’s for provinces of Canada are listed below:

British Columbia	Alberta	Quebec	Ontario
Alexandra College	University of Alberta	McGill University	University of Toronto
University of the Fraser Valley	St. Mary’s University	University of Montreal	University of Waterloo
Northern Lights College	Bow Valley College	CDE College	York Uiversity
College of New Caledonia	University of Calgary	Royal Military College Saint-Jean	Centennial College
Columbia International College	Mount Royal University	Vanier College	St. Lawrence College

International students must note that a study permit is not a visa and can not, by itself, permit a student to travel to or enter Canada. Students applying to Canadian universities may also need a Canadian Student Visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA).