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The short answer
From 1 September 2026, IRCC asks a single study permit applicant outside Quebec to show CAN$23,448 a year for living costs, on top of tuition and travel. Applicants through the Lagos visa office should provide certified bank statements with six months' history, and must show a reliable source of funds for the whole programme.
The amount you need to show
IRCC publishes a living-cost table. For applications on or after 1 September 2026, outside Quebec, the amounts per year are:
| People (including you) | CAN$ per year |
|---|---|
| 1 | 23,448 |
| 2 | 29,192 |
| 3 | 35,888 |
| 4 | 43,572 |
| Each extra person beyond 7 | 6,318 |
These figures do not include tuition or transport. You need first-year tuition, travel and the living-cost amount together. Applications made between 1 January 2025 and 31 August 2026 used a lower figure of CAN$22,895 for one person.
If a spouse or children are coming with you, use the line for the total number of people, including yourself. Quebec sets its own amounts, so check the Quebec government's figures if you will study there. Because the table is reviewed, note the date you apply and work from the figure published for that date, converting naira at a realistic rate with a margin for movement.
What the Lagos visa office adds
Each visa office can set local requirements. The Lagos study permit checklist (IMM 5832) asks for:
- Certified bank statements or financial investments with six months' history, covering the month you submit or ending one month earlier.
- Alternatively, a MyBankStatement ticket issued by your bank, containing a ticket ID and passcode (explained in our MyBankStatement guide).
- Evidence of a reliable source of funds for the duration of your programme, not just year one.
- Sponsor documents such as confirmation of employment and payslips, and proof of relationship if the sponsor is not you or immediate family.
- If funds come from a business, official business registration documents and evidence of ownership.
Other proof IRCC accepts
IRCC's general page gives examples, not a complete list:
- A receipt from your designated learning institution showing first-year tuition and housing paid.
- A GIC (an investment certificate) from a Canadian financial institution.
- Proof of a Canadian bank account in your name if you have transferred money.
- A student or education loan from a bank.
- A letter from the person giving you money, stating their employment, relationship to you, dependants and the amount, with their ID or business registration.
- Bank statements for the past six months, showing the source of income.
Why funds evidence gets questioned
Officers are trying to answer four questions: is the money enough, is it yours or your sponsor's, where did it come from, and will it last for the whole programme. Evidence that fails one of those tests weakens an otherwise good file. The most common problems are:
- A balance that appears suddenly with no history, especially in the last month before applying.
- A sponsor whose income on paper could not plausibly have produced the savings shown.
- Statements that are not certified, or that do not cover the full six months the Lagos checklist asks for.
- Business money presented without registration documents and proof of ownership.
- A support letter that does not state the amount or the relationship.
IRCC also notes that applicants from countries with foreign exchange controls must show they can move the money out for all their expenses. If that applies to your route, ask your bank for written confirmation of how you will remit funds, and keep evidence of any transfers already made to your institution.
Worked example: building a funds file
Example only, using illustrative exchange rates. Chioma's first-year tuition is CAN$18,000 and she estimates CAN$2,000 for travel. With living costs of CAN$23,448, she needs to show about CAN$43,448.
- She pays a deposit of tuition to her college and keeps the receipt.
- Her father, a civil servant, sponsors the rest. He provides six months of certified statements showing salary credits and a rental income stream, plus his employment letter and payslips.
- Her father writes a support letter stating the amount, his relationship to her and his dependants, with a copy of his ID.
- A ₦15m credit from a land sale in month four is backed by the sale agreement and receipt.
Each document answers a question an officer will ask: how much, whose, from where, and will it last. Chioma also lists the documents in a one-page cover note, with amounts converted at the rate on the statement date, so the officer does not have to do the arithmetic.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme customers can generate a regular or a verifiable statement or receipt in the app. Pryme partners with VerifyDoc.ai so anyone who receives a verifiable one can confirm it is genuine and unaltered. IRCC and the Lagos office set their own document rules, including certified statements and the MyBankStatement ticket from your bank, and they do not name Pryme or VerifyDoc.ai; follow the checklist exactly. A verifiable receipt can still help with private parties, such as an agent or landlord in Canada. For moving money for fees, see school fees across borders and Swap.
Questions people ask
How much proof of funds for Canada student visa from Nigeria in 2026?
For applications from 1 September 2026, CAN$23,448 for one person outside Quebec, plus first-year tuition and travel.
How many months bank statement for Canada study permit Lagos?
The Lagos checklist asks for certified statements or investments with six months' history, or a MyBankStatement ticket from your bank.
Can my parents sponsor my Canada study permit?
Yes. Provide their statements, employment proof and a support letter stating the amount and relationship.
Is a GIC compulsory for Nigerians?
IRCC lists a GIC from a Canadian financial institution as one example of proof, not the only one. Check the current checklist for your application route.
Sources
- Study permit: proof of financial support (IRCC, Canada.ca) · accessed Oct 2026
- Lagos Visa Office additional document checklist: study permit, IMM 5832 (IRCC) · accessed Oct 2026
- Study permit: get the right documents (IRCC, Canada.ca) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.