Glossary for students and families

Co-op is a program format that alternates study with paid or supervised work terms; each school defines how its co-op works and what it requires.

Certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, degree and post-graduate certificate describe different kinds of credentials, and each school defines its own.

A DLI is a school that a provincial or territorial government has approved to enrol international students and that appears on the federal list.

DLI is an approval status, not a school type: a college or a university can be a DLI, so the two words are not alternatives.

A GIC is a deposit product from a bank; some students buy one as part of showing they can cover living costs when applying for a study permit.

An intake is a start term when a school begins a new group of students in a program; schools publish their own intakes and application windows.

IRCC is the federal department that handles study permits, work permits and other immigration applications, and publishes the official rules.

An LOR is a letter from a teacher or employer who knows your work; some programs ask for one, and the school sets the format.

Manitoba Student Aid is the province's student aid program for Manitoba residents; the province assesses applications and publishes the process.

An MSFAA is the agreement a student signs with the government to receive Canada student loans; it is signed through the provincial aid portal.

OSAP is Ontario's student aid program for residents attending approved schools; the province and federal government decide who receives what.

A PAL is a letter issued through a province or territory that some study permit applications need; whether yours does is set by IRCC.

A PGWP is an open work permit some graduates can apply for after finishing a program; IRCC decides who qualifies and on what terms.

Proof of funds means documents showing you can pay for studies and living costs; IRCC and each school state what they accept.

An RCIC is a licensed immigration consultant regulated by a Canadian college; only licensed professionals may give paid immigration advice in Canada.

A SIN is a nine-digit number that Canada uses for work and tax records; you apply for it yourself and should never pay anyone to get it.

An SOP is a personal essay that explains why you want to study a program; schools and visa officers may ask for one, and it should be your own.

StudentAid BC is British Columbia's student aid service; it assesses applications from B.C. residents and explains the process on its own site.

A study permit is the document from IRCC that allows a foreign national to study at a Canadian school; it is not the same as a visa or admission letter.

Transcripts are your official academic records; an ECA is a report comparing your foreign credential with Canadian ones, if a school or authority asks for it.