Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP). Eligible students can apply for a study permit through the program, which provides a faster route to permanent residence.
Eligibility requirements:
To apply to Saint Paul University under the Francophone Minority Student Pilot (FMCSP) for the fall 2025 term, you’ll need to meet certain requirements:
- Be a citizen of one the following countries: Bénin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Tunisia
- You must have an offer of admission from Saint Paul University to a program offered in French for the fall 2025 term.
- You must be aware of the financial requirements for studies and living expenses for Ottawa, as indicated for Saint Paul University (Group A) on the IRCC website: Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot: Participating designated learning institutions and financial requirements. Note that your study permit will be refused if IRCC is not satisfied that you have the necessary funds to cover the costs of studies and living in Ottawa.
- Eligibility criteria | Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot : Who can apply
Cost of living in Ottawa
Type de dépense | Estimation des coûts |
| Residence fees and groceries | $11,000 to $13,000 |
| Off campus shared apartment and groceries | $10,000 to $14,000 |
| Ancillary fees (includes U-Pass) | $1,363 to $1,631 |
| Textbooks and school supplies | $1,600 to $2,300 |
| Mobile and internet services | $800 to $1,600 |
| University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) – 12 months | $756 |
- Cost of living expenses | Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot : Participating designated learning institutions and financial requirements.
- You must pay your full first-year tuition fees in advance (Tuition and incidental fees | Saint Paul University). If you are awarded a scholarship, you can deduct the scholarship amount from the tuition to be paid. If you do not receive your study permit, or if you decide not to pursue your studies with Saint Paul University, you can receive a refund.
- Information on the different methods of payment can be found at the following webpage Financial Information | Saint Paul University.
- You must send your payment confirmation to admission@ustpaul.ca. In this email, you must inform us of your desire to participate in the FMCSP program and confirm that you have the necessary funds to meet IRCC’s financial requirements for the study permit.
- If you are selected to participate in the pilot program, your offer of admission will be revised to confirm your participation in the program.
- You must use this revised offer of admission to apply for your study permit.
Obtaining an offer of admission from Saint Paul University does not guarantee approval of your study permit application by the IRCC.
Note: Students admitted to Saint Paul University under the FMCSP pilot program, don’t need a provincial attestation letter (PAL) when applying for a study permit. To avoid processing delays, we strongly encourage all applicants interested in the FMCSP to apply for admission as soon as possible.
The number of letters of admission issued under this pilot program is limited. Once all the available letters have been issued, Saint Paul University will provide eligible candidates with a letter of admission under the regular process.
Refund Policy
Saint Paul University will refund the amount paid (less an administrative fee) upon receipt of proof that the study permit was refused by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).