For any student wishing to apply abroad for education, Canada would be at the top of your list. With its supreme quality of education, friendly attitude towards foreigners, quality of life, and lower cost of study, it's only natural that students are now flocking to Canada in hopes of a better future. The only problem- Canada is neck-deep in Student Visa applications. Though the country wishes to issue a visa as fast as possible, the sheer number of applications means that there will be a considerable time delay to get your Visa processed.

Though this is the case, there is no need for prospective international students to worry about their losing their dream of studying in Canada; all because of the Student Direct Stream (SDS) which cuts down the processing time to a mere third of what it should have been. To know more about this scheme continue reading the article.

WHAT IS THE STUDENT DIRECT STREAM(SDS)?

The Student Direct Stream (SDS) is an accelerated study permit processing program for those who are applying to study in Canada at a post-secondary designated learning institute.

WHAT IS A DLI?

A school, college, or university approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students is called a Designated Learning Institute (DLI). In Canada, all the major private universities and public colleges are DLIs. An international student must be recruited only by a DLI; a non-DLI establishment is not allowed to invite international students. Getting into a DLI doesn’t mean that you automatically get a post-study work permit.

WHO ALL CAN APPLY FOR SDS?

You have to be a legal resident in any of the following countries:

• India
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Brazil
• China
• Costa Rica
• Morocco
• Pakistan
• Peru
• Philippines
• Senegal
• Vietnam
• Saint Vincent and Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

The eligibility requirements for SDS are as follows:

• Get an acceptance letter from a post-secondary designated learning institute in Canada
• Have to be living outside Canada at the time of application
• Proof for payment of tuition fees for the first year
• A Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of CAN$ 10,000
• Medical exam if you are required to)
• Police certificate (if you are required to)
• Your most recent post-secondary or secondary school transcript(s)
• Language test

Note: If you wish to study in Quebec you will need an additional Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration

HOW TO APPLY TO SDS?

The SDS application process is fully online and doesn’t involve any paperwork. To make sure the application that your application finishes faster, keep the following items ready:

• Valid credit/debit card to make payments
• An instruction guide to fill out the application
• Electronic copies of all necessary documents or a scanner or camera to take electronic copies of your documents.

The processing fee for SDS is CAD$150. You will need to submit your biometrics along with a biometrics fee. Make sure that you pay this fee along with applying so that the process happens faster. It takes around 20 calendar days to finish your SDS application process. You can sure that it happens on time by submitting all necessary documents and submitting your biometrics by paying the fees.