SPP and Non-SPP Visa Requirements in Canada for Indian Students

Note: The Student Partners Program (SPP) has been recently replaced by the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program in India.

When you apply to Canadian colleges, you have the option of either applying through SPP or not. SPP's full form is Student Partners Program. Even the colleges participating in the SPP program accept non-SPP applications. The main difference between these two applications is the number of documents required for visa processing. There can be many reasons for not applying through SPP, as it is not the only acceptable way to get admission to Canadian universities. Here are the differences between documents for both SPP and non-SPP application processes.

Student Partnership Program (SPP)

SPP is an arrangement between selected Canadian colleges and Canadian High Commission in India to provide quick and easy study visas for prospective students. The visa processing is easier and quicker under SPP and you have to show fewer documents.

Documents required for SPP visa application

• Letter of Acceptance from participating colleges under SPP
• IELTS score sheet with at least an overall band of 6.0 for undergraduate courses and an overall band of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 for postgraduate programs
• 12th-grade mark sheet with at least above 55% score for undergraduate programs
• A Bachelor's degree or three to four years of Advance Diploma with a minimum of 50% or above, is required for post-graduate courses
• Proof of work experience
• Proof of payment of Tuition Fee
• Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of $10,000 for living expenses
• Medical test results conducted only by approved panel doctors
• Visa fee of CAD 150

General (Non-SPP)

You have the option of applying for a non-SPP visa application, where the required documents and visa process will be different as more detailed documents are required. The reason behind this is to solidly prove financial stability and the source of income. You can apply to colleges participating in the SPP program through the non-SPP application.

The main difference between SPP and non-SPP applications is the requirement for more detailed proof of funds. Under non-SPP applications, Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) is not compulsory. Savings in the bank, other investments, and education loans are all considered part of financial funds. However, documents required under non-SPP are relatively more.

Documents required for non-SPP visa application

• Letter of Acceptance from College
• IELTS score sheet with at least an overall band of 6.0 for undergraduate courses and an overall band of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 for postgraduate programs
• 12^th Grade mark sheet for undergraduate programs
• A Bachelor's degree or three to four years of Advance Diploma with a minimum of 50% or above, is required for post-graduate courses
• Proof of work experience, along with pay slips for the last 3 months
• Proof of payment of Tuition Fee
• Proof of funds to support living expenses - bank savings, investments, education loan etc.
• Form 16 or Income tax return documents of either the student or sponsor are the acceptable proof of income
• Medical test results conducted only by approved panel doctors
• Visa fee of CAD 150

SDS Canada

Thanks to the recently introduced student visa programme (SDS Canada), Indian students who apply to Canadian universities can now anticipate a quicker visa processing period. In order to speed up processing times for students from Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam, Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada has introduced the Student Direct Stream (SDS) programme.

Documents required for SDS Canada

• Copy of your acceptance letter from the DLI
• Most recent secondary or post-secondary education transcript
• Copy of your upfront medical examination confirmation
• Proof of GIC payment of $10,000
• An official letter from DLI confirming payment of the tuition fee
• Proof of English language requirements is an IELTS score of 6.0 in each module or the candidate must have graduated from a Canadian curriculum high school

Students must note that every college and institution having a registered DLI comes under SDS increasing the options for students. Now that the students are aware of SPP Canada and SDS Canada, they must visit our page on SDS Canada for more information. For help with university applications, students seeking to study abroad can contact our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors. The comments section below allows candidates to contact us as well.