Late Arrival and Deferral Policies - Office of Global Services

NU Canadian Campuses

Northeastern University is committed to sharing with our students the most up-to-date information possible regarding study permits and ongoing travel restrictions. Please know that we will work diligently to provide comprehensive advice, process all requests, and advocate for the needs of our students.

UPDATE:

Northeastern University is rolling out a new Late Arrival Request process to accommodate eligible international students who have been approved a study permit but might need additional time to travel and arrive on campus.

Eligibility Requirements

Late arrival letters are only issued to students who are unable to arrive on or before the program start date but who have received official approval for their study permit and/or travel document to travel and attend classes on-ground by October 1, 2025.

For students who are outside of Canada, they are not eligible for late arrival unless they can show proof of

Study permit application approval letter (Letter of Introduction), and

Valid travel document (TRV or eTA), and

A confirmed arrival date no later than October 1, 2025 (Flight booking confirmation)

Students who are physically inside Canada are not eligible for late arrival unless they have received:

Study permit extension application approval letter, or

Study permit application approval letter (Letter of Introduction)

To be considered for a late arrival, the request must have been submitted to Northeastern University by September 15th, 2025 through the application portal.

You may complete a late arrival request through your portal under ‘Submit Request’:

Then choose “I have a late arrival request” from the dropdown:

Please note that receiving approval for a late arrival does not guarantee you will be allowed to enter Canada or start your program as the final determination to be permitted to enter Canada and to be issued a study permit is done by IRCC and CBSA on arrival to Canada.

International students will need to complete the immigration clearance process with OGS Canada and show they have the proper authorization and the required health insurance to study in Canada.

Late Arrival Approval

If your late arrival request is approved, you will be able to download the late arrival letter support letter directly from your application portal. Please note that the latest day you may be approved to arrive late for the Fall 2025 term is October 1, 2025. Arrival after this date cannot be approved or accommodated.

Deferring Admission

If you are not able to arrive before October 1, 2025, you are not eligible for late arrival and you are advised to defer your admission to the next available term. Please select [I want to defer my admission] above and submit this form to request a deferral of admission to your college.

Please note that students who do not obtain approval for a late arrival, and those who are not able to be on campus by October 1, 2025, will not be allowed to start their program and may need to return to their home country in order to maintain the conditions of their study permit.

Students will be responsible for any course material they miss due to late arrival.