- For study permit applications submitted on or after 1 September 2026, a single applicant outside Quebec must show 23,448 Canadian dollars in living costs, up from 22,895
- Queen's University set 30 September 2026 as the deadline for its January 2027 winter entry, while York University accepts applications until 18 November 2026
- Master's and doctoral applicants at public designated learning institutions starting on or after 1 January 2026 no longer need a provincial attestation letter
- Eligible study permit holders can work up to 24 hours a week off campus during academic sessions.
Canada remains one of the most popular destinations for Indian students, and not every applicant starts in September. The January entry point, widely called the spring intake, lets you begin a degree a few months later without waiting a full year.
This guide sets out how the Canadian academic year is actually structured, which universities have confirmed a January 2027 start on their own admissions pages, what the deadlines are, and what the 2026 study permit rules require.
What Is the Spring Intake in Canada?
Canadian universities call their January term the winter term, but students widely call it the spring intake. Classes run from January to April and the application window closes between September and November of the previous year. It is the second-largest entry point after the September fall intake.
The label causes real confusion. On a Canadian registrar's calendar, spring is usually bundled with summer and refers to the May start, not January. When an agent or a blog says spring intake, they almost always mean the January or winter term. Check the term name used on the university's own page before you assume a start date.
Programme choice in January is genuinely narrower than in September. Some faculties admit only in the fall, and several January intakes are restricted to particular cohorts, so verify availability programme by programme.
Which Intakes Do Canadian Universities Offer?
Most Canadian institutions run three terms. The fall term runs September to December, the winter term January to April, and the summer term May to August. Carleton University's academic calendar sets out exactly this structure. Fall carries the widest course choice, winter offers a smaller but real selection, and summer is the narrowest.
| Term (2026-27 Academic Year) | Months | What Students Usually Call It |
|---|---|---|
| Fall term | September to December | Fall or September intake |
| Winter term | January to April | Spring or January intake |
| Summer term | May to August | Summer or May intake |
Thompson Rivers University illustrates how the windows differ in practice: its international applications for the January intake close on 1 November, the May intake closes on 1 February, and the September intake stays open until further notice.
Intakes in Canada: full comparison of September, January and MayRead →Why Should You Consider the January Intake?
A January start suits applicants who missed September deadlines, are waiting on test scores, or need longer for study permit processing. Cohorts are smaller, so classes and campus housing are often easier to access. Queen's University, for example, opens its winter entry exclusively to international students, which reduces competition for those places.
- You lose months rather than a full year if a September application does not come together in time.
- Smaller January cohorts usually mean smaller class sections and easier access to advisors.
- A later deadline gives you more time to retake IELTS, TOEFL or PTE and to arrange finances.
- Some universities ring-fence January entry for international applicants, which lowers competition.
- Co-op and internship cycles still run, though placement timing can shift by one term.
The trade-offs are real too. Fewer programmes admit in January, orientation cohorts are smaller, and if your programme is co-op based you should confirm with the faculty how a January start maps onto work terms before you accept an offer.
Which Universities Have a January 2027 Intake?
Queen's University, Thompson Rivers University, Concordia University and York University all confirm January 2027 entry on their own admissions pages. Queen's closes on 30 September 2026, Thompson Rivers and Concordia on 1 November 2026, and York on 18 November 2026. Programme availability is narrower than in the fall intake.
| University | Deadline Set in 2026 for January 2027 Entry | What the Official Page Says |
|---|---|---|
| Queen's University | 30 September 2026 | Winter entry is open to international students only; applications opened 1 June 2026, documents due 15 October 2026, classes begin 6 January 2027 |
| Thompson Rivers University | 1 November 2026 | General international deadline for the January intake; some programmes such as nursing have separate dates |
| Concordia University | 1 November 2026 | International and US applicants are advised to apply by 1 August to allow immigration processing |
| York University | 18 November 2026 | Same published date for domestic and international applicants; York keeps assessing until programmes fill |
Older versions of this article listed January deadlines for the University of Toronto, McGill, UBC, Waterloo and Alberta. Those dates were the fall-entry deadlines for those universities, not January entry dates, and have been removed. Always take the deadline from the university's own admissions page rather than from a comparison table.
How Should You Apply for the January 2027 Intake?
Shortlist programmes that actually run in January, then check each university's own admissions page for its deadline. Gather transcripts, an English test score, a statement of purpose and references. Apply early, because you still need an offer, tuition deposit, provincial attestation letter where required, and study permit approval before classes begin.
- Confirm on the programme page that a January start exists for your specific degree, not just for the university.
- Note the deadline and the separate document deadline, which at Queen's falls two weeks after the application deadline.
- Book your IELTS, TOEFL or PTE test early enough for the score to reach the university before the document deadline.
- Prepare transcripts, a statement of purpose, letters of recommendation and a passport copy.
- Submit the application and pay the fee, which is 150 Canadian dollars at Queen's for up to three programme choices.
- Accept the offer, pay any tuition deposit and request your provincial or territorial attestation letter from the institution.
- Apply for the study permit with proof of funds, and give biometrics as soon as you are asked.
What Are the 2026 Study Permit Requirements?
For applications submitted on or after 1 September 2026, a single applicant outside Quebec must show 23,448 Canadian dollars in living costs, plus first-year tuition and travel. The study permit fee is 150 dollars and biometrics cost 85 dollars. Most applicants also need a provincial or territorial attestation letter.
| Cost or Requirement (2026) | Amount in Canadian Dollars |
|---|---|
| Proof of funds, single applicant outside Quebec, applications from 1 September 2026 | 23,448 per year, plus tuition and travel |
| Proof of funds for applications made between 1 January 2025 and 31 August 2026 | 22,895 per year, plus tuition and travel |
| Study permit application fee, per person | 150 |
| Biometrics, per person | 85 |
| Biometrics, family of two or more applying together | 170 |
- A provincial attestation letter or territorial attestation letter must be submitted with the application, not sent afterwards.
- Applicants starting a degree-granting master's or doctoral programme at a public designated learning institution on or after 1 January 2026 are exempt from the attestation letter.
- Quebec has its own financial thresholds and requires a CAQ rather than a provincial attestation letter.
- Immigration officers expect four months of bank history rather than a single large deposit.
Which Scholarships Can International Students Apply For?
EduCanada, the Government of Canada's official study portal, lists funding for non-Canadians including the Study in Canada Scholarships, the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program, SEED-2, the Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program and Canadian International Development Scholarships 2030. Individual universities also run entrance awards that international students can hold from January.
- Study in Canada Scholarships, for students from selected countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program, for students from Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development Phase 2, for ASEAN member states, Pacific Island countries and Mongolia.
- Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program, an official bilateral exchange.
- Canadian International Development Scholarships 2030, for professionals and scholars in selected countries.
- Organization of American States Academic Scholarships Program, for graduate study or research in Canada.
Eligibility for the federal programmes is country-specific and several of them are short-term exchange awards rather than full degree funding, so read the country list before applying. For a full degree in January, university entrance awards and faculty bursaries are usually the more realistic route, and those are published on each institution's own financial aid pages.
Can You Work While Studying and Stay After Graduation?
Eligible study permit holders may work up to 24 hours a week off campus during academic sessions and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. After finishing a programme of at least eight months at a designated learning institution, you can apply for a post-graduation work permit within 180 days of completion.
- The off-campus limit is 24 hours a week during study terms, and permits still printed with 20 hours are read as 24.
- Hours are unlimited during scheduled breaks such as the winter holiday and summer, provided you were full time before and after the break.
- A post-graduation work permit requires Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for bachelor's, master's and doctoral graduates, and CLB 5 for college and polytechnic graduates.
- Field of study requirements apply to non-degree college and university programmes where the study permit was applied for on or after 1 November 2024.
- You must hold a valid study permit at some point during the 180-day application window.
Is the Spring Intake Right for You?
Choose January if you want to start sooner than next September, face a smaller applicant pool, or need extra months to finish testing and funding. Choose fall if your programme only runs then or you want the widest course choice. Always confirm intake availability on the university's own programme page.
The practical test is simple. If your target programme lists a January start and you can meet a deadline that falls between late September and mid-November 2026, the spring intake is a genuine option. If it does not, applying for the following September with a stronger profile beats forcing a January application into a programme that does not admit then.