The study permit grants the legal authorization for a person to study at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada. When applying for a study permit, a foreign national should be aware that there are eligibility requirements which must be met when submitting the study permit application. As well, there are certain conditions which must be met throughout the student’s time in Canada. There are many steps involved with applying for a study permit and the processing times vary greatly from country-to-country, so it is best to plan ahead to ensure your permit will be processed before your study period begins. The majority of Canadian post-secondary educational programs commence study in September, January, or May, though a number of programs do offer intakes outside of those dates. Since a foreign national cannot apply for a study permit without an acceptance letter, they should check the start date and application process for their schools and programs of interest far in advance to ensure they have sufficient time to obtain the acceptance letter and complete the study permit application.