Hi guys,

Anybody applied or applying for a study permit from the London office?

Please share your timelines and other experiences.

I applied for a study permit on March 2nd. After waiting six weeks with no response I emailed the CHC to be told that I would not need my study permit as my PR was close to being finalised (though they did not offer to return my fees!). That was some weeks ago and though I have now had my meds I am still waiting for passport requests.

A word of warning, when I asked the CHC to go ahead and process my study permit anyway, they replied that I would need medicals regardless, either for PR application OR for a study permit. This is the case even though I come from the UK, have always lived in the UK and will not be studying where there is a medical or teaching based placement with kids. This does add considerable time to your application so beware of this. As for my study permit? I am still waiting!!!!

Lorraine G.

I think you needed medical cause you had PR application. It says on their website that UK residents don't need medical for study permit. At least that's the impression I got!
I'm a UK permanent resident but not a citizen yet, do you reckon that makes a big difference in the application process?

I applied for a study permit on 21st April from the London office and we heard on wednesday (27th May) that I had been successful, my partner has also been issued with an open work visa. We did not have to have medicals. We were advised that the timescale was six weeks.

I applied for a study permit in 2006. No medical was needed.
Our PR aplication was in progress at the time and I had a medical for that in 2007.
I also applied for a student TWP as I was going to work part time in a hospital and had to have a medical for that. They insisted that two medicals were carried out.

Yes, I have consulted over this with several experts and the general consensus is that I should not have needed a medical for my study permit to be issued. However, the gentleman who is processing my application (who I will not name on a public forum) begs to differ and as he is the one employed by the CHC I am kind of stuck with what he says unless I wish to mount a legal challenge. Hopefully others are more lucky than me as by the regs my studly permit should be processed separately from the PR application. Therefore the medical requirement should only apply to the PR. Unfortunately for me a case officer has 'used his discretion' and decided otherwise!
Lorraine.

awww, that sounds unlucky! I hope it gets sorted sooner than later. Where are you planning to study and what course? I'd be premed at UBC if the visa comes through. Stressed!

Hiya, congrats! What did you use as proof that you will be coming back to the UK as that seems to be the difficult part!
Also may I ask which uni and what course?

I have a place at Queen's, Kingston, Ontario to do an M.Ed.
Beginning to wonder if I will get there though...
Good luck with your course...
Lorraine G.

I sent off my application which was recieved by London on the 27th April.
Haven't heard anything yet, but should be close to hearing something in the next week.

My application was received on 15th April. I received my study permit approval and a work permit for my wife yesterday (4th June).

Congratulations!

I envy you, my application went in on 2nd March and 13 weeks later I am still waiting...

Where and what will you study?

Lorraine G.

An update...
I have had an email from the CHC this afternoon stating that they have closed my study permit application as I am very near to having PR. (They have kept the study permit application fees though )
Anyway, they have told me that I will be getting a letter next week so I will just have to wait and see!
Speedy processing to the rest of you!

Lorraine G.

My daughter (UK citizen living in the US) didn't have a medical. She couldn't apply for her study permit until she entered Canada to start her uni course...it was obtained at the border.

Hi Annaroberts,

We (my family and I, husband and two children aged 5 and 7) came to Canada on Study permits in October. We applied via London in April/May time 2008 and it took exactly 6 weeks. I got an open work permit on the back of my husband's study permit which was applied for at the same time. We also got study permits for the kids so they could attend school as soon as we got here. We came out for a recee in May of 2008 and I managed to line up a job in and around July time so already had a job to come to when we arrived in October. On the back of that, we applied for residency in December of 2008 (we had already filed a simplified application in January of 2008) and requested they fasttrack our application since we are now living and working in Canada and I have arranged employment which obviously gaves us more points. I didn't need to undergo any medicals as it is my understanding that you only need to undergo medicals if you are working in the health care or with children (I could be wrong). We have been over here surviving on one salary since October and to be honest it is hard and the study fees are high (again we have been lucky with our university thougth). We couldn't sell our UK house and didn't want to as it was proof that we would leave Canada at the end of the study permit which was granted for 2 years.

I think the study route is probably the fastest route to get over here but is by no means the easiest given the financial difficulties you encounter living off one salary bearing in mind the salaries are less over here than in the UK so cost of living is irrelevant really.

Its a good route to come if you want to get over here quickly but seriously think about the financial side before you make your decision.

We are now at the medical stage of our PR which are on the way back to London as we speak.

Its been an experience, hard at times believe me but is totally worth it.

Any questions then feel free to ask.

Tracy