Additional Information for International Students

The admission package
Accepting offer of admission
Maintaining conditional offer
Scholarships and bursaries
For International Students
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Deposit

After accepting your offer of admission (see how under the Accepting offer of admission tab), the next step will be to pay the $1,500 CAD tuition deposit.

To pay the deposit follow these steps:

  • Before paying the deposit, be sure to set up your Carleton Email address. Confirmation of deposit payments will be sent only to this address.
  • Login to Carleton360
  • Click on ‘Applications’ in the main left sidebar menu to access ‘My Applications Dashboard’
  • Click on your application in the ‘Submitted Applications‘ section
  • If you received an Offer of Admission, you should be able to see ‘Pay the International Tuition Deposit’ under Applicant Information. Click on the link as shown below and follow the instructions:

Please note: The deposit is a pre-payment of a portion of tuition. It is not refundable unless there is a study permit refusal. In this case, Carleton requires proof of the study permit refusal, in advance of the term indicated in the offer. 

Once you have accepted your offer and paid the deposit, you will be able to receive a provincial attestation letter, an important document that you will need to attach to your study permit application. 

PAL (provincial attestation letter) 

A provincial attestation letter (PAL) is an official document provided by a Canadian province or territory that confirms an international student’s acceptance into a post-secondary institution. You will need to attach a PAL to your study permit application. 

How to receive a PAL from Carleton? 

  • All you need to do is to accept your offer and pay the deposit. Once these conditions are met, Carleton will initiate the PAL process automatically. Within approximately a week after the deposit payment has been received, students will be able to access PALs in Carleton360, along with their offer of admission. Please note that notifications are not sent when the PAL is added to your account, so check Carleton360 a week after the deposit payment has been received by Carleton. 

Attestation letters cannot be reissued, so you must ensure your personal information (legal name, full mailing address, etc.) is correct in Carleton360 before accepting your offer of admission. It is important that this information is consistent on your passport, offer of admission, PAL and study permit application. 

PALs in 2025
Note: we are awaiting information from the province of Ontario prior to issuing 2025 PALs. We hope to begin issuing them early in 2025. All offer holders will be updated by email when we initiate the process.

Study Permit

If you are not a permanent resident or Canadian citizen, you will need a study permit to study in Canada. The official list of documents required for your study permit application can be found on the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website. Please consult the IRCC website or your nearest Canadian consulate for complete regulations and application procedures at least six to eight months before you intend to begin your studies. Even before you receive your offer and PAL, you can start preparing the other documents you’ll need for the study permit application.  

The documents that Carleton University provides in support of your study permit application are:  

  • the offer of admission, specifically the page titled “Student Information for a Study Permit” 
  • the provincial attestation letter (PAL) 

If you have questions about study permits, please contact our licensed in-house immigration advisors for free advice: immigration.advising@carleton.ca. Learn more about study permit changes in 2024-2025 on our FAQ page. 

Verification Process by IRCC 

Once you have all the required documents, and submit a study permit application, IRCC sends the universities the offers to verify. Carleton University is receiving these requests and verifying offers twice per week, well within the 10-day timeframe. Once we verify the offers of admission, IRCC proceeds with the study permit assessment. No action is required from you. You don’t need to request a verification. 

Have questions? Get in touch!