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This information is subject to change as the Government of Canada provides additional details on the changes to the International Student Program. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
If you have gained admission to UNB, you are eligible for a provincial attestation letter (PAL). Once admitted, you should complete the “Request for Provincial Attestation Letter” form, found on the application portal.
If you have not done so, you must activate your UNB student account. This will allow you to pay your tuition deposit. It will also give you access to helpful information that is only available to UNB students.
If you have trouble setting up your account, please take a screenshot and contact the IT Service Desk.
Since the number of PALs available for international students studying in New Brunswick is limited, UNB will require a tuition deposit to issue a PAL. The tuition deposit is non-refundable, except in cases where students are unsuccessful in receiving a PAL or a study permit.
Learn more about our financial policies.
This deposit helps UNB ensure that PALs are issued only to students who plan to attend. This is not an additional charge for international students, but a credit that will go toward paying your tuition and fees.
Any previous admission/tuition deposits made to UNB will be credited toward your tuition deposit. Please note: Application and residence fees are not counted toward the tuition deposit.
Once you have completed step 2 and are logged into your UNB student account, visit UNB’s CIBC International Student Payment portal to start the payment process. Payment tutorials are provided in various languages.
Note: Students entering a PhD or research-based masters program, travelling to UNB through the undergraduate partnership agreement with the Bhutan Ministry of Education and students coming to UNB through an exchange program (less than 6 months), are exempt from having to pay the tuition deposit.
Once your tuition deposit has been received, UNB will request a PAL from the province of New Brunswick for you. UNB will notify you via email once your request for a PAL has been submitted. The province has indicated the PAL processing time will be approximately two weeks.
If your PAL application is denied by the province, you will be notified by UNB and provided with the next steps to acquire a refund for your tuition deposit.
If your application is approved, your PAL will be uploaded to your application portal to download, and you will be notified by email. Please be sure to regularly check the email you provided on your original application.
Once your PAL application is approved, you can begin your application for a study permit through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Please note: You need to have a valid PAL to submit your study permit application.
To get set up to submit your study permit application, you can attend virtual pre-arrival information sessions through the UNB International Student Advisor’s Office (ISAO). These sessions will provide you with information about the study permit process and the documents you will need to complete the application.
You do not need to have received your approved PAL to attend these sessions. Students are encouraged to attend and ask questions to ensure they have everything they need to complete the study permit application.
The information session series is called Project HeadStart (UNB credentials needed) and is available to all new international UNB students.
Sessions are offered regularly, and you are invited to join to learn more about how to kickstart your journey to UNB. Each session will provide information and updates followed by a chance for students to ask any questions they may have.
Join the sessions. For greatest functionality (such as the ability to submit a question via the chat function, we recommend that you are logged in to your UNB student account when you join these sessions.
See Project HeadStart to learn more about upcoming sessions and how to join. UNB credentials are needed.
For general inquiries about getting started on your path to UNB, contact chooseunb@unb.ca.
Undergraduate: You can find your UNB student ID and login ID on your letter of acceptance, uploaded to your application portal. After logging into the application portal, click on your application, then “decision history” to find and download your letter of acceptance. Learn how to claim your UNB student account.
Graduate: Your student ID number and login ID will be sent to the email noted on your application in the days following receipt of your official letter of acceptance. If conditions were noted on your letter of acceptance (e.g., must provide official transcripts), you will not receive your login credentials until you have satisfied these conditions.
If you are having trouble setting up your UNB credentials, please reach out to the IT Service Desk at itservicedesk@unb.ca for technical support. You can help our technicians along by providing screenshots, if applicable.
UNB’s application portal and UNB student account are two different portals. The application portal allows you to submit an application to study at UNB. Your student account is a secure portal where accepted and current UNB students access internal resources. You submit your PAL request through your application portal. You complete your tuition payment through your student account.
If you are from a sanctioned country, and therefore unable to pay through the CIBC International Student Pay Portal, please email finserv@unb.ca for options.
Tuition and fees are posted in the spring of the upcoming academic year.
Issued PALS include an expiry date on it. Your study permit application must be submitted before your PAL expires. If your initial study permit application is refused, you can submit a second study permit application, addressing IRCC's grounds of refusal with the same PAL if the PAL is still valid.
We encourage students to apply for their study permit as soon as they receive their PAL. There is a federal cap on the limited number of study permits that will be processed over the next two years. When IRCC reaches that cap, no more study permits will be considered. The best thing you can do is to submit your study permit application as early as possible, upon receiving your PAL.
According to IRCC, if you are applying for an exchange that is 6 months or longer, you will require a Canadian study permit. A PAL is not required. Exchange students are exempt from the tuition deposit.
The number of PALs dedicated to UNB students are limited. The tuition deposit helps UNB ensure that PALs are issued to students who plan to attend UNB. Any previous admission or tuition deposits made to UNB will be credited toward the tuition deposit.
Please note: Application and residence fees are not counted toward the tuition deposit.
The processing time to receive a PAL is approximately 5 business days.
Once your tuition deposit has been received, UNB will request a PAL from the province of New Brunswick for you. UNB will notify you via email once your request for a PAL has been submitted.
If your PAL application is refused, you will be notified by UNB and provided with the next steps to acquire a refund for your tuition deposit.
If your study permit application is refused, you will be notified by IRCC. Please check your IRCC account regularly for updates while your application is being processed by IRCC. You will then need to contact the appropriate admissions office (undergraduate: Admission’s Office; graduate: School of Graduate Studies) to advise UNB of the refusal and to take the next steps to acquire a refund of your tuition deposit. Anyone requesting a refund should be sure to include their name, student ID and a copy of their study permit refusal letter from IRCC.
For more information about requesting a refund, refer to UNB’s fees and regulations.
Yes, you will need your approved PAL to move ahead with the application for your study permit.
We recommend attending virtual pre-arrival information sessions (Project HeadStart - UNB credentials needed) through the International Student Advisor's Office (ISAO) to learn what documents and information you need to complete your study permit application.
You can visit IRCC to check on updates for study permit processing times.
If you have already submitted your study permit application, you can use IRCC’s application status tracker to check the status of your application.
We understand that the uncertainty is stressful. The International Student Advisor’s Office (ISAO) will be holding regular virtual information sessions attended by UNB's Immigration Advisor to go over the steps of applying for your study permit. We will take you through the required documents and IRCC portal, so you can be ready to submit the study permit application as soon as you receive your PAL.
We recommend that you visit our virtual pre-arrival program (Project HeadStart) to get the login information and the weekly topics for these sessions.
Undergraduate admitted students who wish to defer their start date should complete an undergraduate admission deferral request. If your PAL has expired and you have not yet applied for your study permit, you can reach out to the appropriate admission’s office to discuss your options. Any deposits paid toward tuition can be applied to a future term.
Graduate admitted students should request their deferred admission through their Graduate Academic Unit.
Yes, students accepted into research-based graduate programs and students travelling to UNB through the undergraduate partnership agreement with the Bhutan Ministry of Education, still need a PAL and a Canadian study permit. The only difference in the process for these students is they are exempt from having to pay the tuition deposit.
No. Students who do not require a PAL do not need to pay the tuition deposit. Please reach out to chooseunb@unb.ca to have the PAL process waived.
To learn more about PAL exemptions, or who does not require a PAL for their study permit application, please visit: Study permit: Get the right documents Provincial attestation letter or territorial attestation letter - Canada.ca
High school students studying in Canada with a study permit need to apply for a new study permit to attend a post-secondary school. For more information, visit: Changing your school or program - Canada.ca
Please refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for more information.