Trent University and its student associations, the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA), Trent Durham Student Association (TDSA) and Trent Graduate Students’ Association (TGSA), have been reviewing the recent changes to the Government of Canada’s policies regarding the issuing of study permits and subsequent updates from the federal and provincial government related to study permits for international students. 

Together, our goal is to evaluate what these changes may mean for Trent students and applicants, to advocate, and to keep Trent students – as well as international students interested in studying at Trent – informed. 

We are pleased to share that our current international undergraduate and graduate students as well as future graduate students in Masters and Ph.D. programs are not affected by this new requirement. 

For international students interested in studying at Trent in an undergraduate degree or postgraduate certificate program, here are a few things you need to know:

1. If you have been admitted to Trent and submitted your study permit application to IRCC before January 22, 2024, or if you have already been approved for a study permit and intend to travel to Canada for an upcoming program, you can come to Canada and begin your studies as planned.
2. If you have applied for a study permit on or after January 22, 2024, you are required to upload an attestation letter from the Province of Ontario, with your study permit application to IRCC. The Government of Ontario has asked the Ontario Universities Application Centre to implement a process for these letters by March 31, 2024. You do not need to take any action at this time and will receive your letter as soon as they are issued. 
3. Again, if you will be studying at the Master’s or Ph.D. level, there is no change to the study permit application process. Applications to Master’s and Ph.D. programs at Trent are being processed as usual (and there’s still time to apply to many programs) and study permits are being processed and issued without a provincial attestation letter.

Trent University believes in internationalization and we have approached this through responsible, sustainable growth of international enrolment from students the world over. When international students come to Trent, they are taught by Trent University faculty and receive wrap-around supports, from academic advising and mental health services to assistance with off-campus housing. No Trent degree, program or certificate operates through a public-private partnership.

Trent, the TCSA, TDSA and TGSA support the position taken by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) as we advocate for the international students who have expressed an interest in Trent, our high quality programs, vibrant campuses and communities.

For the university sector in Ontario, the international cap comes at a time when postsecondary institutions have faced enormous financial pressures due to declining operating grants and a cut and freeze to tuition. We welcome the $1.3 billion in provincial funding announced February 26 at the same time as we look forward to more discussions of ways in which the government can support Trent’s interest in international enrolment and provide long-term financial sustainability through multi-year funding as recommended by the Blue-Ribbon Panel.

The international students who come to Trent add so much to our campus environment, the academic experience in our classes and labs, and bring highly-skilled, worldly talent to our local economies and our communities as a whole. 

We thank our international applicants for your patience and understanding as we await further details. Please check for updates at trentu.ca/ircc and if you have immediate questions or concerns, you can always reach us at international@trentu.ca.