Change of DLI – Apply for a NEW Study Permit OR Study Permit EXTENSION? || Canada Study Visa
If you want to change your Designated Learning Institution (DLI) inside Canada, whether you’re just arriving in Canada, currently studying, or have completed one year of study, you may need to apply for a new study permit. A DLI refers to the college or university you are attending in Canada.
Changing your DLI can happen under different circumstances:
- If you are switching colleges or universities after landing in Canada.
- If you are already studying in Canada and wish to change your educational institution.
- If you have completed one year of study and are moving on to a second year at a new DLI.
In most cases, whenever you change your DLI, you will need to apply for a new study permit. However, there is an exception. If you are planning to start your studies in January 2025 or May 2025, you may be eligible to submit an extension application instead of applying for a new study permit.
This exception has a lot of rules and regulations that can create confusion, and many students are unsure about whether they need to apply for a new study permit or if an extension application will suffice. In this blog, we will clear up all the confusion surrounding this process.
To fully understand the requirements and determine whether you need to apply for a new study permit or simply submit an extension application, make sure you read this blog until the end.
1.0 Do You Need to Apply for a New Study Permit if You Change Your DLI in Canada?
In today’s blog, we will discuss whether you need to apply for a new study permit or if simply submitting an extension application will be sufficient if you’re already in Canada or planning to go to Canada in the future.
Specifically, we will address whether you need a new study permit when changing your Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in January 2025, May 2025, or later.
1.1 Understanding the Need for a New Study Permit
To be clear, in most cases, if you are not already inside Canada and are planning to go to Canada in the future, you will need to study at the same college or university that is listed in your visa application. However, if you are already in Canada, there might be exceptions.
1.2 The Rule Implemented on November 8, 2024
A new rule was implemented on November 8, 2024, clarifying when you need to apply for a new study permit. This rule applies to situations like transitioning from primary to secondary education, secondary to postsecondary, and several other scenarios. I’m not diving into all of these situations today. For now, let’s focus on the exceptions that allow you to submit an extension application rather than a new study permit.
For example, if you’re changing your DLI in primary, secondary, or postsecondary levels, you generally need a new study permit. However, if you’re switching between postsecondary DLIs, the situation can be more complex, and an exception may apply.
1.3 Changing Your DLI After Postsecondary Education
If you’re an international student and want to change your college or university after reaching the postsecondary level e.g., a UG diploma, PG diploma, bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD program, you will need to apply for a new study permit.
In the past, if you received admission to a new DLI, you only needed to inform the IRCC through your GC Key and submit the new DLI number. This process was sufficient to update your study permit.
For example, in the past, my study permit (issued for my PhD in 2019) did not list a specific institution name or DLI number. It simply mentioned “Designated Learning Institute” and allowed me to study at any institution in Quebec or even transfer to another DLI in Ontario without issues. The field of study e.g., Computing IT was generic, making it more flexible.
1.4 Current Requirements for DLI Changes
However, the process has changed. If you’re applying for a study permit now, your institution’s name and DLI number will be mentioned on the study permit. This means you cannot simply switch schools after arriving in Canada as you could before. For instance, if your visa was approved for Algoma University and you decide to attend Yorkville University instead, you can no longer use the same study permit.
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You will need to apply for a new study permit and provide a detailed justification for your DLI change. If you are switching universities but staying in the same program, you need to explain why you’re making the switch. If both your program and university are changing, you must justify the program change and explain why the new program at the new university is a better fit for you.
This means you will need to submit a complete application again, including a new Statement of Purpose (SOP) explaining your reasons for both the DLI change and the program change, if applicable.
If you’re changing your DLI after arriving in Canada or planning to change your educational institution, you may need to apply for a new study permit. The process is no longer as flexible as it once was, and you will need to justify your decision for both the DLI change and program change in most cases.
1.5 Understanding the Exception for Changing Your DLI Without Applying for a New Study Permit
Moving on to today’s main focus i.e. an important exception regarding changing your Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada. While in most cases you would need to apply for a new study permit when switching your college or university, there is a specific exception you should be aware of. Let’s dive into the details.
1.6 The Exception: Winter or Spring 2025 Admission
If you are changing your college or university and have received admission to a new DLI for the Winter or Spring 2025 semester (from January 1 to May 1, 2025), you do not need to apply for a new study permit. This applies to a variety of scenarios:
- Completing One Year of Study: If you’ve completed one year of study and now wish to extend your education by enrolling in another year or program (for example, a 1+1 program).
- Switching Programs or Institutions: If you’re transferring to a different program (such as from a PG diploma to a master’s degree) or changing institutions entirely. This applies even if you haven’t completed your first program.
- Changing Your College or University Before Starting Your Studies: If you haven’t even started your studies yet but wish to switch your college or university before classes begin in the Winter or Spring semester.
In these cases, as long as your classes start between January 1 to May 1, 2025, you are not required to apply for a new study permit. But there are specific conditions you need to meet.
1.7 Conditions for the Exception
To qualify for this exception, the following conditions must be met:
- Acceptance to a New DLI: You must have been accepted to a new DLI for the Winter or Spring 2025 semester, which starts between January 1 and May 1, 2025.
- Apply for a Study Permit Extension: You must apply for a study permit extension before your studies begin. It’s important to note that you cannot rely on a study permit that’s valid until December 2025. Even if your study permit is still valid, you must submit an extension application before starting your studies at the new DLI.
- No DLI Name on Your Current Study Permit: Your current study permit must not have the DLI name printed on it. If the name of your current institution is mentioned on your study permit, you will not be able to submit a study permit extension. In that case, you will need to apply for a new study permit, as the rules have changed.
- If your study permit has only “Designated Learning Institute” listed, without a specific institution name, you meet the condition.
- If your study permit has only “Designated Learning Institute” listed, without a specific institution name, you meet the condition.
- Meet All Existing Permit Conditions: Your current study permit conditions must be in good standing. If you have violated any of the conditions attached to your study permit, you may be required to apply for a new study permit.
If you meet all of the above conditions, you can begin studying at your new DLI while your study permit extension application is being processed. This allows you to continue your education seamlessly without the need to wait for a new permit, as long as you have submitted the extension request on time.
To sum up, if you are changing your DLI and have received admission for the Winter or Spring 2025 semester (from January 1 to May 1, 2025), and you meet the necessary conditions, you do not need to apply for a new study permit. Instead, you must apply for a study permit extension before starting your studies, and your study permit must not have the name of your previous DLI printed on it.
If you meet these criteria, you can attend the new Designated Learning Institution (DLI) you wish to transfer to while your study permit extension is being processed. By simply submitting your study permit extension application, you can begin your studies at the new DLI.
1.8 Let’s Clarify This with an Example
Let’s say you’re planning to attend IBU (International Business University),and opted for Master’s program and your classes are starting on January 16, 2025. If you’re switching your DLI and your classes fall between January 1 and May 1, 2025, you meet the first condition for applying for a study permit extension.
- Confirm the Start Date of Your Classes
The first condition is that your classes must start between January 1 and May 1, 2025. In this case, your classes start on January 16, 2025, which meets this condition. So, that’s one requirement checked off.
- Get the Final Letter of Acceptance
The second condition is that you need to receive the final letter of acceptance from your new DLI (IBU). Once you receive this, you can submit your study permit extension application. This is the second requirement completed.
- Check Your Study Permit
Before submitting your application, you must check if the name of your current DLI (college or university) is printed on your study permit. If the DLI name is not listed on your study permit, you are good to go and can proceed with the extension application.
Here’s an example of a study permit with no DLI name printed on it. If this is the case for you, then you can submit the study permit extension application as soon as you have your final letter of acceptance.
If all these conditions are met, you can submit your study permit extension application and begin your studies at the new DLI.
1.9 What Happens if Your Classes Start After May 1, 2025?
If you are considering the May intake, your classes may start after May 1, 2025, which means you will not meet the first condition. If your classes start after May 1, you will need to apply for a new study permit because you’re no longer eligible for the exception.
Switching your DLI in Canada can be a straightforward process if you meet the necessary conditions. If your classes are starting between January 1 and May 1, 2025, and your study permit doesn’t list the DLI name, you can submit a study permit extension application and begin studying at your new institution. If your classes start after May 1, 2025, you will need to apply for a new study permit.
1.10 What to Do If You Haven’t Received Your Study Permit Extension Yet and Are Changing Your DLI
Many students have already applied for their study permit extension in October, November, or even earlier, but have not received a decision yet. Now, as they plan to switch to a new program or DLI (Designated Learning Institution) in January 2025 or later, they may be wondering what steps to take. If you are in this situation, there’s good news, you don’t necessarily need to apply for a new study permit.
1.11 How to Handle a Delayed Extension Application
If you’ve already applied for a study permit extension but are waiting for the results, and now you are changing your DLI or program, you can still proceed with your new study plans. Here’s what you can do:
- Submit the Final Offer Letter of the New DLI: If you’ve been accepted to a new program or institution (DLI) and your classes are set to start in January, February, March, or April 2025, you can submit your final offer letter to IRCC via their webform.
- Request the Extension with the New DLI: In your webform submission, clearly state that you are extending your study permit for this particular DLI and request that the updated study permit reflects your new institution. This is a common practice and has a high probability of success.
- No Need to Apply for a New Study Permit: By submitting this updated offer letter and extension application, you won’t need to apply for an entirely new study permit. Your extension application can be processed with the new DLI details included on your study permit.
If you receive an offer letter for a Winter, Spring, or Summer 2025 intake (January, February, March, or April), you can submit that letter to IRCC along with your extension request. This ensures that your study permit reflects your new program and DLI without the need for a new study permit application.
If you applied for a study permit extension earlier in the year and are now switching to a new DLI, you don’t have to start the process over with a new study permit application. By submitting your updated offer letter to IRCC and requesting an extension, you can get your study permit updated to reflect your new DLI. This will allow you to continue your studies seamlessly without additional delays.
1.12 Conclusion
I hope this blog has helped clear up the confusion regarding study permit extensions and changing your DLI. If anything is still unclear, feel free to leave your questions in the comments below, or contact me directly. Whether you’re inside or outside Canada and looking to apply for PR through the TEF test (French proficiency test), I’ve created a detailed blog on that topic PR through the TEF test (French proficiency test), you can read that blog for a better understanding; the link is attached.
Thank you so much for reading this blog until the end. See you in the next blog!
