Singapore Student's Pass Process for Canadians
By Muntasir • Published Feb 13, 2025 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Canadians Studying Abroad
Apply for your Singapore Student's Pass online through the SOLAR system 2 to 3 months before your course starts, using the Registration Acknowledgement Letter your school sends after you accept your offer. Budget S$45 for the application and S$60 to collect the pass once you land.
📩 Apply through SOLAR (Student's Pass Online Application and Registration) after your school registers you.
💵 Processing fee S$45. Issuance fee on arrival S$60.
⏱️ Submit your application 2 to 3 months before your course start date.
🎓 ICA approves an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter first, then grants a Visit Pass at the checkpoint when you land.
🏠 Book an appointment at the ICA Services Centre to complete biometrics and collect your digital pass.
Canadians do not need an entry visa for Singapore, so the S$30 Multiple Journey Visa fee does not apply to you.
What the Student's Pass covers
A Student's Pass lets you stay in Singapore for the length of a full-time course at an approved institution, from a diploma at a polytechnic to a degree at one of Singapore's public universities. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) issues the pass. You cannot study full-time in Singapore without one unless you already hold a Dependant's Pass, Long-Term Visit Pass, or Immigration Exemption Order that covers non-religious study.
Part-time, evening, and weekend courses do not qualify. If your program runs under 30 days you might not need a Student's Pass at all. Check with your school's international office before you start the application.
Your pass is tied to the specific school and course named in your application. Per ICA's Student's Pass rules , if you switch schools after ICA approves your application but before you collect the pass, you have to reapply from the start. Confirm your enrollment and course details before you submit anything to SOLAR.
Step 1: Accept your offer and wait for your Registration Acknowledgement Letter
Once you accept your offer, your Singapore institution registers you with ICA and issues a Registration Acknowledgement Letter. You need this letter to open a Student's Pass application. Ask your school's international office when to expect it, timing varies by institution and intake.
Step 2: Apply through SOLAR
Submit the application yourself through SOLAR (Student's Pass Online Application and Registration), ICA's e-service portal. For students entering an Institute of Higher Learning such as a university, ICA's IHL application page lists what to upload:
Registration Acknowledgement Letter from your school
Passport biodata page, and birth certificate if you have one
Your residential, education, and employment history
Family details: parents, spouse, and siblings if applicable
Your email address and a Singapore contact address once you have one
A passport-style color photo taken within the last 3 months
Any document not in English needs an official translation from an embassy, notary public, or certified translator. Fill in every field carefully. ICA can reject or delay an application over a mismatched name, date, or passport number, and SOLAR does not let you skip fields to finish faster.
Step 3: Pay and time your application
Pay the non-refundable S$45 processing fee by Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Singapore internet banking, or PayNow when you submit. ICA accepts applications no earlier than 3 months and no later than 2 months before your course start date, per ICA's IHL guidance . Apply before you fly to Singapore, not after you land.
Once ICA approves your application, you get an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter by email. Print it and pack it. You show it at the checkpoint when you land, and you carry it again to your formalities appointment.
Step 4: Enter Singapore, no visa needed
Canada does not appear on ICA's list of nationalities that need a Singapore entry visa , so you do not apply for one before you travel. At the checkpoint, immigration officers check your IPA letter and passport, then grant you a Visit Pass tied to your course dates. This Visit Pass is not your Student's Pass. You still need to complete formalities to get the real pass.
Step 5: Book your formalities appointment and collect your pass
Completing formalities is by appointment only, booked through ICA's e-service. Bring every document your IPA letter lists to the ICA Services Centre at 2 Crawford Street, Level 3, Singapore 207218. Some schools arrange biometric enrollment offsite. Others send you to the Services Centre directly to give your photo and fingerprints. Ask your international office which applies to you.
Since 27 February 2023, ICA issues the Student's Pass digitally only, with no physical card. You get an email to retrieve it through FileSG or MyICA, and you show the digital pass when asked instead of a card.
Fees to plan for
| Fee | Amount | When you pay |
|---|---|---|
| SOLAR processing fee | S$45 | When you submit your application, non-refundable |
| Student's Pass issuance fee | S$60 | At your formalities appointment in Singapore |
| Multiple Journey Visa | S$30 | Only for nationals on ICA's visa-required list, not Canadians |
Budget roughly S$105 total for a Canadian applicant across both stages, on top of your tuition deposit, travel costs, and ongoing cost of housing and living in Singapore.
After you have your pass
Keep your IPA letter and confirmation emails until your pass shows as active. ICA or your school might ask for them again. Register a Singpass account once you have your Foreign Identification Number (FIN) to access FileSG, renew your pass, or update your address without a trip to the Services Centre.
Report any change of passport or Singapore address to ICA through the same STP e-service you used to apply. Talk to your school's international student office well before your pass expires. They handle renewal timing and can tell you what changes if you extend your program or switch schools.