What Replaced the Student Direct Stream?

IRCC ended the Student Direct Stream (SDS) and the Nigeria Student Express at 2:00 p.m. ET on November 8, 2024, and named no successor. Applications received after that go through the regular study permit stream, the same one every country uses. A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) is still accepted as proof of funds, and it is optional.

Read the regular study permit requirements on canada.ca

Last verified: November 2026

$23,448
Living costs for one person outside Quebec, on top of tuition and travel
November 8, 2024
SDS and the Nigeria Student Express closed, at 2:00 p.m. ET
An officer
Decides every study permit application

The living-costs figure applies to applications made on or after September 1, 2026. Quebec sets its own requirements.

What did the Student Direct Stream offer?

SDS launched in 2018 as a faster study permit route for legal residents of a set list of countries. Prospective students from Nigeria had a separate but similar route called the Nigeria Student Express (NSE). Both promised quicker processing than the standard stream for applicants who qualified.

IRCC’s SDS page, as archived on 1 November 2024, listed the extra conditions:

A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) in the amount required for your province of study
Proof that you had paid your first year of tuition
A language test result: an IELTS score of 6 or higher in each skill, or a TEF score equal to CLB 7 in each skill

Outside Quebec the GIC had to be CAN$10,000 for applications received before January 1, 2024 and CAN$20,635 on or after that date. In exchange for clearing these conditions, IRCC offered eligible applicants faster processing.

What changed on November 8, 2024?

IRCC closed both the SDS and the NSE on November 8, 2024, effective immediately. Eligible SDS and NSE applications that IRCC received before 2:00 p.m. ET on that day were still processed under those streams. Anything received after that cutoff is handled under the regular study permit process, and IRCC announced no successor program.

The change applied to all of the previously eligible countries at once. IRCC said the goal was to strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access.

The Student Direct Stream ended on November 8, 2024. IRCC has removed the program pages, and the old SDS address now redirects to the general study in Canada page. Study permit applicants use the regular stream.

The closure changed how you apply. Eligibility for a study permit still rests on the same core requirements: a genuine acceptance, enough money, and the intent to leave at the end of your authorized stay.

The rule

There is no fast-track study permit stream anymore: everyone applies through the regular process.

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How does the regular study permit stream work?

Former SDS and NSE applicants join everyone else in the regular study permit stream, which has always existed alongside SDS. You apply with the same forms and supporting documents that applicants from non-SDS countries have always used. IRCC assesses your application on its individual merits, and an officer makes the final decision in every case.

The regular stream carries no faster-processing promise. IRCC publishes its current study permit processing time for each country.

Under SDS, a GIC of the set amount was effectively mandatory to enter the fast-track stream. In the regular stream, a GIC is accepted as proof of financial support but is optional.

Other accepted ways to prove your funds include:

Bank statements for the past 6 months
A Canadian bank account in your name
Proof of a student or education loan
A letter from a person or institution providing money
Proof of paid tuition and housing

What does a study permit application need in 2026?

All study permit applicants now generally need the same core documents:

A letter of acceptance (LOA) from a designated learning institution (DLI)
In most provinces and territories, a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL or TAL) confirming you are counted within that region’s allocation
Proof of identity (a valid passport)
Proof that you can pay for tuition, living costs, and return travel

The cost-of-living amount IRCC expects you to show (separate from tuition and travel) is $23,448 CAD for a single applicant outside Quebec for applications made on or after September 1, 2026. It was $22,895 for applications from January 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026. The amount rises with each accompanying family member, and Quebec sets its own separate financial requirements.

Depending on your situation you may also need to give biometrics, complete an immigration medical exam, and provide other documents an officer requests. The exact requirements depend on your country of residence, your program, and the province where you will study.

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What do people ask?

Is the Student Direct Stream still available in 2026?

No. IRCC ended the Student Direct Stream (SDS) and the Nigeria Student Express (NSE) at 2:00 p.m. ET on November 8, 2024. Eligible applications received before that time were processed under those streams. Applications submitted after it go through the regular study permit stream, and IRCC named no fast-track stream to take their place. The Study Permit guide explains how the regular stream works.

What replaced the SDS?

IRCC announced no successor. Former SDS and NSE applicants now use the regular study permit stream that applicants from every other country have always used. IRCC assesses each application on its own merits, against the standard study permit requirements. The Study in Canada (2026) guide walks through the regular application, from the acceptance letter to arrival.

Do I still need a GIC now that SDS is gone?

A GIC is optional now. IRCC says the regular study permit stream accepts a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) as proof of financial support, and you can also show funds in other accepted ways, such as bank statements, a student loan, or proof of paid tuition and housing. Whatever you send must cover the cost-of-living amount. The Study Permit guide lists the accepted documents.

Which countries were affected by the SDS closure?

Every SDS country was affected at once: Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam. Nigeria was affected through the separate Nigeria Student Express closure. The Student Visa from India guide shows how the regular stream applies to former SDS applicants from India.

Why did IRCC end the Student Direct Stream?

IRCC said the goal was to strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process and a positive academic experience. The closure removed a separate fast-track channel, so all study permit applicants now go through one common stream. The Provincial Attestation Letter guide covers another integrity measure that now applies to most new students.

How much money do I need for a study permit now?

For applications made on or after September 1, 2026, a single applicant outside Quebec must show $23,448 CAD for living costs, on top of tuition and travel. It was $22,895 for applications from January 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026. The amount rises with each family member who comes with you, and Quebec sets its own. The Student Budget and Cost of Living guide shows what that money covers.

Will my application be slower now that SDS is gone?

It can be. SDS existed to give faster processing, and that fast lane is gone. Regular-stream processing times vary by country and change over time, and IRCC publishes its current estimates. Check them before you apply and leave extra lead time before your program starts. The IRCC processing times page on this site shows the current study permit estimates.

Did the SDS closure change who is allowed to study in Canada?

No. The closure changed the application route only. A study permit still rests on the same core requirements: an acceptance from a designated learning institution, enough money, and the intent to leave at the end of your authorized stay. An officer makes the final decision in every case. The How to Choose a DLI guide explains the first of those requirements.

Part of:Studying in Canada Study permits

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.