Applying for temporary selection for studies

To obtain a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for studies, you must submit an Online application for temporary selection for studies.

Important notice

As of February 26, 2025, application management rules will be in force for the International Student Program.

For the period December 17, 2025 to December 16, 2027, the Gouvernement du Québec has established, by order, a maximum number of applications for temporary selection for studies for each educational institution, school service centre or school board for each one-year period. It applies only to vocational, college and university studies.

Admissibility of applications

The ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) examines the eligibility of each application for a temporary selection for studies to ensure that it complies with the application management rules.

Any application that does not comply with these rules or does not include the documents required for verification will be rejected. The MIFI will send a letter of ineligibility to the applicant and refund the fees paid. The freed place will be available for a new Online application for temporary selection for studies.

The vacant places will be reallocated on selected Thursdays of the month at 2 p.m., according to the quarterly schedule (PDF 122 Kb).

Exemptions from program limits and supporting documents:

• If the maximum number of applications for your educational institution, school service centre or school board is reached, you cannot apply, unless you are eligible for an exemption.
• If you are eligible for an exemption (see table below), you can apply at any time, even if the maximum number of applications for your institution has been reached. However, you must submit a valid supporting document.

Table of exemptions from management of requests

If you fall under one or more of the exemptions listed in the table below, you may submit your application without regard to the limits for your educational institution, school service centre or school board.

Note that if you apply for the general elementary or secondary level or for the École du Barreau, you do not have to declare an exemption in your online application for temporary selection for studies. Your application is automatically exempt from the application management rules when you choose the general elementary or secondary level or the École du Barreau. 

Here are the steps to follow to submit your application for temporary selection for studies.  

1. Prepare your application 

You must have access to a computer and an email address.  

Ensure you have on hand:  

• Your passport;
• The letter of admission from your educational institution in Québec that meets the Ministère’s requirements;
• Tuition fee information;
• A valid credit card (bank card) such as Visa, Mastercard or American Express.

If applicable:

• Your most recent Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for studies;
• Complete contact information of the person that will be responsible for the expenses related to your period of study in Québec;
• Full contact information for your authorized representative;
• If you are eligible for an exemption under the application management rules, you must have a supporting document (see the exemption table above).

2. Create your account in Arrima 

Before you start filling in your online application form for the temporary selection for studies, you must create an account on the Arrima platform. Make sure that the first and last names you enter in your Arrima profile are the same as those you will enter in the Online application for temporary selection for studies (as the first and last names in your passport)

Your Arrima account will enable you to pay for your application and submit the required documents.

Access Arrima

3. Complete an online temporary selection application for studies  

Once you begin filling out your application, you must complete it in its entirety, as you cannot save it to finish later.

When you submit your application:

• Make sure that the first and last names you enter in your application are the same as those you entered when creating your Arrima account (as the first and last names in your passport);
• You must create your consultation profile in order to receive an email each time new information is added to your file.

Access the online application for temporary selection for studies

4. Pay the application for temporary selection for online studies 

You must log in to your account on the Arrima platform in order to pay the application fee. You have one hour after submitting your request to make the payment. Your application will not be considered submitted until payment has been received. 

5. Prepare your documents for transmission 

Once payment has been made, you will need to return to your Online application for temporary selection for studies to obtain the list of documents you need to submit to complete your application. Required documents vary, in particular, depending on your country of residence or origin.

You can also consult the page Required documents for your application page.

Within 48 hours of payment of your application, you will receive a file number in your Oline temporary study selection application file. You need this number to send the required documents.

If a required document has several pages, scan them all into a single PDF file. 

Make sure all documents are: 

• Legible;
• Complete;
• Non-editable;
• Accurate.  

6. Submit the required documents on the Arrima platform 

Log in to your Arrima account.

Follow the instructions on the platform to submit your documents.You have 15 days to submit the required documents. If you are eligible for an exemption under the application management rules, you must file a supporting document in your Arrima account.   

You must also use the Arrima platform to send your proof of financial capacity if you live in one of the following territories:

• Austria
• Canada
• United States
• France
• Greenland
• Hong Kong
• Reunion Island
• Monaco
• Mexico
• Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon

If you live in any other territory, you must present your proof of financial capacity to the Canadian visa office, which will process your study permit application.  

The federal authorities will assess your financial capacity according to the criteria of the Gouvernement du Québec before issuing you the study permit. 

After sending your documents, you will receive a confirmation message in your Arrima message centre.  

If necessary, consult the tutorial designed to facilitate your experience in Arrima and help you submit your documents.

Keep the original or certified true copy of the documents you submit. They may be required when reviewing your application.

Access Arrima

The following fees, in Canadian dollars, are required to review an application for temporary selection for studies starting January 1, 2026: 

International student: $135 

These fees are adjusted on January 1 of each year.

The fees must be paid in full by credit card. 

These fees are non-refundable, even if your application for temporary selection for studies is refused. Only applications deemed non-receivable will be refunded.

A decision is rendered within 25 business days following receipt of a complete application, in 80% of cases. The deadline starts when the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) receives all the required documents. Make sure your application is complete and contains: 

• Your applications for temporary selection for studies;
• The payment of the fees required to process your application;
• Required documents.

If your application is incomplete or non-compliant, the processing time could be longer.

Consult the Ministère’s Déclaration de services à la clientèle for more information.

You should not contact us to: 

• Confirm that your documents have been received;
• Get priority treatment.

After completing and paying your online application, you can Access your file to:  

• Find out the status of your request. You cannot contact our Customer Contact Centre to obtain confirmation that your documents have been received or to obtain priority processing;
• Consult communications sent by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI);
• Update certain personal data;
• Modify your password.  

During your studies in Québec, the MIFI can send you important information via your online file. You must therefore keep your file and email address up to date.

If your application is accepted, you will receive a letter in your online file confirming that you have been issued a Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) for studies.

You must use this letter:

• To apply for a study permit with the Canadian government;
• As your Provincial Letter of Attestation (PLA) to submit your study permit application;
• As proof to your learning institution;
• To access services that require you to hold a CAQ for studies.

If your application is denied and you have good reason to believe that it should not have been, you have the option of submitting a request for administrative review, under certain conditions.

To complete your online application for temporary selection for studies, it is not necessary to retain the paid services of an individual to take steps on your behalf. No priority or special treatment will be granted to you if you use the services of an immigration professional.

If you still decide to have someone represent you, you must declare that person. See the page Get represented in your immigration procedures for details.

You cannot be represented when submitting documents relating to your application for temporary selection to study with Arrima. Only you can do this.