What is (SDS) Student Direct Stream Program to Study in Canada?

by Ragini Sharma Study Abroad Consultant

Now before the question of How to Study in Canada? crops up in your mind, which is the main reason you decided to read this article, we would like to tell you that now, studying in Canada has become easier as the newly launched Study Direct Stream (SDS) has been introduced.

With this new drive, faster visa processing can be expected by the students applying for the Canadian universities and colleges, through this Study Direct Stream (SDS) program launched by the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Read on to know all about the Canada SDS process, its eligibility criteria, documents to be submitted few FAQs, and more through this article.

What is the SDS Program for Canada?

On 8^th June 2018 IRCC, Canada launched this Student Direct Stream (SDS) program in India and other few countries giving an opportunity to the eligible students to get admission at the Canadian post-secondary institution (Universities and Polytechnics). This program offers faster and simpler visa processing to international students.

Under the Canada SDS program, one of the best things about applying for a Canada study permit is that the processing time is significantly less which is a major plus point for any international student.

The Basic Details of SDS Canada Program:

Students from countries like India, Sri Lanka, China, the Philippines, Morocco, Pakistan, Senegal, and Vietnam, under this Student Direct Stream program can avail their Canada study permit within a short span of 20 days. Usually, to process a Canada study permit, the Canadian embassy or consulate takes close to 16 weeks, thus the SDS Program acts as one of the biggest advantages of students coming from the countries mentioned above.

SDS Canada (Student Direct Stream) Program: Eligibility Requirements

Must be citizens of

India
Morocco
Philippines
China
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Senegal
Vietnam

At the time of applying for a Canada study permit under the study direct stream program, they must have been residing within these countries
Admission into an eligible Post-secondary Designated Learning Institute (DLI List)
proof of having paid their tuition fees for the first year of study from their respective universities
English Proficiency Test Requirement: Minimum-required IELTS level of English 6.0 in all the 4 sections (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)
Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) purchase of $10,000
Upfront Medical Examination

Kindly note that, from 30^th April 2019, all the students applying for SDS need to do it online to avail the study permit as no paper applications under SDS is available or accepted.

SDS Canada (Student Direct Stream) Program: Document Requirements

The documents required are more or less similar to Canada Study Visa requirements under the regular study permit program. The essentials ones are stated below

Tuition Fees Payment Proof of the Applicant’s First Year of Study
Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC)

Frequently Asked Questions by the Students:

Is it confirmed that I will get a Canadian study visa if I apply to the SDS visa program?

Well, applying to the SDS visa does not mean that you are guaranteed to get a Canadian study visa. faster processing time and fewer documentation requirements for the study visa are promised through the SDS visa process, however only if the student meets all the eligibility requirements only then the visa is granted.

What if my SDS visa is declined?

You will be given a reason for your SDS visa declination. Once the reason is known the students can address it and apply it through the regular-stream.

To help aspiring students get their study visa processed faster the SDS visa program is a great way as the processing time will go down drastically. If you are a student aspiring to study at a Canadian institution and live in one of the eligible countries, you can look out for free overseas education counselling online and apply through the SDS Program – which is faster, easier, and more convenient.