Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your questions by browsing below.

FUTURE STUDENTS / Admission to Cambrian

International applicants may apply to any full-time Cambrian program listed here.

Yes. Cambrian College is a fully-accredited and publicly-funded community college functioning under the direction of the provincial Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. For this reason, its full-time postsecondary programs have been approved and are fully recognized by the Province of Ontario and the Canadian Government.

Cambrian College has intakes year-round! We have intakes that begin in September, November, January, March, May, and July.

OCAS stands for Ontario College Application Service. This is the agency through which all students must apply to colleges in Ontario. View the OCAS International website for more information.

Once we have received your application fee and assessed your application, we will send you an official letter of admission to use as part of your application for a Study Permit to study in Canada.

First semester tuition and fees are due prior to your study permit application. Should you be refused a study permit, we will refund your tuition and fees.

International students may apply for awards and bursaries after completing one full semester. Our team will let you know when these awards and bursaries are open for application and how to apply!  Learn more here. International students are not eligible for government assistance through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). 

Yes! Our residence is located just steps away from your classes. First-semester International students qualify for special first semester pricing at only $450/month for Townhouses. For more information on Residence, please visit https://cambriancollege.ca/residence/.

FUTURE STUDENTS / Permits & Visas

All non-Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada must apply for a Study Permit to study in any program with a duration of more than six months at Cambrian college.  You cannot study in Canada without this permit. The initial study permit application must submit to the Canadian visa office outside Canada or the Visa Application Centre that serves in your country of residence. Applications and further information are available from any Canadian Embassy office or from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website.

Congratulations! You are now ready to make your travel plans. You will be given a letter of introduction and a TRV (visa) or an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) depending on your country of citizenship. Please review the documents and our Orientation information as soon as you receive it.

A TRV or an eTA is the travel document from Canada, this document allows you to cross the border to enter Canada. Based on the country of your passport you either receive a TRV or eTA. This document will be attached to your passport. It is recommended that you maintain a valid TRV for the duration of your studies, but it is not mandatory while you are inside Canada.

On your Official Letter of Admission, we will indicate the expiry date of your letter of acceptance. No student will be permitted to enroll beyond the date indicated.

There is no deadline to defer, but we recommend deferring sooner rather than later as some programs tend to fill up more quickly than others. Yourself or your agent can request your deferral on the International OCAS Portal.

Our preference is Canadian funds, but if your bank is unable to draw on Canadian funds, please have them convert the payment amount for you according to the exchange rates at the time of payment. It is your responsibility to ensure that the converted amount covers the full tuition owing in Canadian funds despite the difference in exchange rates that we will encounter by the time we receive and deposit your cheque.

Cambrian College utilizes Flywire for all payments made outside of Canada. Payment can be made by bank wire, debit/credit card and other online methods. Founded by a former international student, Flywire’s mission is to save money for international students and their families that would otherwise be lost on bank fees and unfavourable foreign exchange rates.

You have the right to work if you have off-campus work authorization on your study permit.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the temporary lifting of the 20-hour-per-week cap on the number of hours that eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work off-campus while class is in session. From November 15, 2022, until December 31, 2023, international students who are in Canada and who have off-campus work authorization on their study permit will not be restricted by the 20-hour-per-week rule.

Click here for more information on the announcement.

Cambrian International advises students to utilize this opportunity without compromising their academic success and future immigration opportunities.

If required, you may use the information within the IRCC news release to provide clarification to your employer.

If your current study permit is not issued for the complete duration of your program you are required to extend your stay in Canada as a student in order to complete your academic program. You should apply at least three before your current study permit expires.

A passport is the travel document from your country of citizenship, as an international student, your passport must be valid for the duration of your time in  Canada. Canada immigration won’t issue any document/permit beyond the expiry of your passport. If your passport and immigration documents expiring at the same time, first you apply for a new passport and then apply for an extension of your immigration document with your new passport. you should extend/ renewed your passport at least 6months before it expires.

A “regular scheduled break” is a holiday listed in your academic calendar (summer holidays, reading week, winter holidays). These holidays may vary depending on your intake semester. If you take a semester off or take an unscheduled break, it could affect your study permit, ability to work and post-graduation work permit.

If the work (internship, co-op, placement or capstone) is an integral part of your program of study, you are required to have a co-op work permit before you start your work. Your co-op work permit will list the employer as Cambrian College and will allow you to work for any authorized co-op work term authorized by your program of study. This work permit only allows you to do the job approved by your co-op program within your co-op work term.

You are not allowed to use the co-op work permit to work outside these approved terms even if the permit is still valid. If you didn’t receive your co-op work permit along with your study permit please start your application for a co-op work permit as soon as possible.

Full-time students with a valid study permit can help their spouse or common-law partner to apply for an open work permit. An open work permit will enable the spouse or common-law partner of the international student to work, and is usually valid for the entire length of the student’s study permit.

CURRENT STUDENTS / Beginning Your Studies

For students in programs with online (flex/hyflex) learning:

IRCC has changed its regulations governing study permit requirements: students who have applied online for a study permit and are waiting for a decision from IRCC are authorized to start their remote delivery program from outside Canada without having received a study permit approval.

For students in programs with on-campus learning:

In order to register for your program. you must have a Study Permit or Letter of Introduction (LOI).

Please refer to the Academic Schedule for key dates including your registration, first day of classes, and more!

For students in programs with online (flex/hyflex) learning:

You will be prompted in myCambrian prior to registration to read and acknowledge the Temporary Remote Learning Conditions on the Terms of Registration and the College website. You will then be able to register for your classes and continue your studies from your home country.

For students in programs with on-campus learning:

In order to register, please download the iCent App to submit your documents to our team:

  • Select “Upload Mandatory Documents” found in the main iCent home screen;
  • Select “Submit Study Permit” or “Submit LOI/Approval of Visa”;
  • Upload a copy of the Study Permit or LOI and place a checkmark on terms and conditions and then tap “Submit”.

To complete your registration:

  1. Login to your myCambrian portal
  2. Click on the “Student” tab
  3. Click on the “Online Registration” link as shown in the “Important Links” section of myCambrian
  4. The registration module will open and you can follow the steps to select your timetables.

You can also watch this video for detailed instructions.

If your courses were moved online due to the pandemic, the time you spend studying online from within Canada still counts toward the length of your PGWP. However, it’s highly recommended that you attend in-class options when offered. Click here for more information.

If you have both online and in person option, it is advised to attend classes in person if it is offering in person to avoid any issues in your future application with IRCC. In the future, IRCC may ask for an explanation /clarification on your next application and the approval will be based on your satisfactory explanation based on your situation.

You’ll be accessing your virtual Orientation through your myCambian account. Please review each module, as each module will contain important information. After completing all the modules, you will have the opportunity to receive a digital Certificate of Completion. Please visit here for updates and more information.

Medical insurance is provided to full-time international students who hold an international student visa and are registered in and attending classes. Please make sure that you have logged into www.wespeakstudent.com to access your benefit card. Here are the steps:

  1. Log in and register with We Speak student
  2. Click on “Student Medical Card”
  3. Enter your date of birth and student ID #
  4. Print your card and keep it with you at all times

Through We Speak Student you can access information regarding what is included in your plan (under Plan Overview) as well as forms to submit a claim. To receive reimbursement for medical expenses covered under your plan, claim forms can be completed and submitted online through We Speak Student. If you have any questions, they offer a Live Chat feature to assist you.

You can add family members by visiting www.wespeakstudent.com and pay with a credit card for the change from single to family plan.

International Scholarships are available in the Spring, Fall and Winter semesters.  Students must have completed at least one full semester of studies in order to qualify, currently enrolled in a program and meet the requirements.  All information regarding scholarships and how to apply can be found on mycambrian under Financing My Education or by visiting www.cambriancollege.ca/studentawards or watch a presentation from one of our Advisors!

The Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a 9-digit number that you need to work in Canada. A SIN is issued to one person only and it cannot legally be used by anyone else. You can now apply online. For detailed instructions on the application process, click here.

For up-to-date information about Sudbury and COVID-19, click here.

The COVID-19 vaccine is available to anyone over 12 years of age in Ontario. The vaccine is free of cost to international students. If you are in Greater Sudbury, you are able to visit one of the walk-in clinics that are available. For more information, please click here. For vaccination clinics outside the Sudbury District, please click here.

International students with questions are encouraged to contact International Student Services at internationaladvising@cambriancollege.ca

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