Refugees, protected persons, and asylum seekers

This page is meant for people who are already in Canada, who wish to study at Université Laval, and who are either protected persons or in the process of claiming asylum.

Asylum seekers

If you are claiming asylum, you need a valid Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) and study permit to study at Université Laval. You must have both of these documents when your first semester begins. You cannot study without these documents, even if your studies are for fewer than 6 months. We therefore recommend that you start the process several months before your studies begin, as soon as you receive your offer of admission. You can find information about applying for CAQs and study permits from within Canada on the Extending or changing your student authorization documents page. However, note that your asylum seeker status means that some requirements are different. In particular, you do not need to pay the application fee for your study permit.

You must keep your CAQ and study permit up to date to continue your studies. If you need to extend them, pay attention to the recommended deadlines.

As for tuition fees, you are not exempt from the international student rate. This means you will have to pay the differential tuition fees for international students.

You will need to upload your CAQ and study permit to the Admission section of monPortail.

As an asylum seeker, you are covered by the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), meaning you can have the Desjardins health and hospitalization insurance fees removed from your tuition bill. To do so, send your refugee protection identity document or RAMQ card (if you have one) to assurances@reg.ulaval.ca before the end of the semester.

If you are claiming asylum, you may study part-time. However, if you wish to work under the work authorizations on your study permit, you must be studying full-time. If you have a work permit in addition to your study permit, you can study part-time and use your work permit for employment. When you renew your CAQ, you must explain that you were permitted to study part-time because of your asylum claim.

Protected persons

If you have claimed asylum and your claim was accepted by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), you are considered a protected person or refugee in Canada. You will need to apply for a Québec Selection Certificate (CSQ) and permanent residence.

As a protected person, you must have a study permit to study at Université Laval. You must have it at the start of your semester. You cannot study without it, even if your studies are for fewer than 6 months. Since applications for study permits in Canada can take a long time to process, we recommend that you apply as soon as you receive your offer of admission.

You can find information about applying for study permits from within Canada on the Extending or changing your student authorization documents page. However, note that your status as a protected person means that some requirements are different. In particular, you do not need a CAQ to study, you do not need a provincial attestation letter (PAL), and you do not need to pay the application fee for your study permit.

You will need to keep your study permit valid until you receive your permanent residence. If you need to extend your study permit during your studies, make sure you apply for renewal before your current permit expires.

Under certain conditions, you may be eligible for financial aid for your studies from the Government of Québec. Contact the Student Awards and Financial Aid Office for more information.

To have your protected person status recognized at Université Laval, you will need to fill out the online form (in French only) and submit the required documents. You will also need to upload your study permit to the Admission section of monPortail.

Your tuition fees will be different depending on whether you have a CSQ. Students with a CSQ pay the same tuition fees as Québec students, while those without a CSQ pay the same fees as students from elsewhere in Canada.

You will also need to send a copy of your Québec (RAMQ) health card or proof of coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) to assurances@reg.ulaval.ca before the end of the semester so that your Desjardins health and hospitalization insurance fees can be removed from your tuition bill.

If you have protected person status, you may study part-time. However, if you wish to work under the work authorizations on your study permit, you must be studying full-time. If you have a work permit in addition to your study permit, you can study part-time and use your work permit for employment.

Permanent residence

If you received permanent residence after your claim for asylum was accepted by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), you will need to send proof of your permanent residence to the Registrar’s Office as soon as you receive it. You will also need to send your CSQ, if you have not done so already. Only the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM-5688) and both sides of your permanent resident card are accepted as proof. Please send them to the Registrar’s Office at resqc@reg.ulaval.ca.

Questions?

Registrar's Office
418 656-3080
immigration@reg.ulaval.ca

The Immigration section of this website is intended to provide general information on current procedures, which may change at any time without notice. The laws and regulations in force in Québec and Canada, as well as the websites of Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration [Québec’s ministry of immigration, francisation, and integration] (MIFI) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), take precedence over this page.

Last updated on: 2026-03-13