The information on this website is intended to help you make necessary arrangements for your travel to Northeastern. Please read carefully the below information and check back regularly to make informed travel plans. As always, we are available to answer your questions and provide comprehensive advice and information on resources that may be helpful to you.

Before You Arrive

Attend the OGS Canada Pre-Arrival Orientation Webinar

We host our Pre-Arrival Orientation Webinars to introduce students to some very important information before they travel to Canada. In our Pre-Arrival webinars we discuss:

  • Preparing for your studies at Northeastern University
  • What to do after your Visa approval
  • OGS Canada Events and Workshops
  • Contact Information
  • FAQs and Q&A

Pre-Arrival Orientation Webinar #3

December 13th, 2024 | 11AM – 12:30 PM EST | REGISTER HERE

After Visa Approval

Purchase Comprehensive Health Insurance

All international students are required to purchase GuardMe health insurance before coming to Canada to ensure that you have coverage from the day you arrive. Insurance is not included in your fees. Comprehensive health insurance like GuardMe ensures that you get the major routine and emergency health services available, similar to the provincial health plans (OHIP or MSP). 

GuardMe is the mandatory health insurance for international students studying at a NU Canadian campus.

  • For Toronto Campus students: PURCHASE LINKS WILL OPEN ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2024 FOR JANUARY 2025 STUDENTS!
    • All students must purchase the New Students GuardMe insurance to cover you from January 1st, 2025 to August 31, 2025. You must remember to extend your insurance before it expires at the end of August 2025.
    • If you are arriving before January 1st, you can purchase Early Arrival insurance which will cover you prior to January 1st. You can purchase the insurance here. You MUST ensure that the health insurance policy starts the day you arrive in Canada.
  • For Vancouver Campus students:
    • You need to purchase GuardMe insurance for the first 90 days that you are in Canada. Once you arrive in Canada, you can apply for the BC provincial health plan, MSP. All international students are eligible for MSP when they arrive in BC.
    • For your first 90 days in Canada, you need to enrol for GuardMe. You can purchase the insurance here. The health insurance start date should be the day you arrive in Canada.
    • You can find more detailed information about MSP here.

Cost of GuardMe

  • The cost of GuardMe varies by time and by how many people are included in your policy.
  • GuardMe is charged at $1.93 per day for one person under one policy.
  • For New Students on the Toronto campus purchasing insurance, this means that you should plan for a cost of around $700 – $750 for a 1 year (365 days) policy for one person, not including the cost of the Early Arrival insurance. If you need to add dependents to your policy, the cost will change.
  • For New Students on the Vancouver campus purchasing insurance, you should plan for a cost of about $170 – $190 for 90 days.
  • If you extend your policy on time (before the expiry date), then you are able to choose the length of time you would like to extend it for, with a minimum time of 122 days. If you do not extend your policy on time, you will need to purchase the insurance as a new student and pay for an entire year upfront again. To avoid extra upfront costs, always remember to extend your insurance on time.

See here for more detailed information about health insurance in Canada.

Important: If you have any pre-existing medical conditions/pregnancy, please connect with our Wellness Specialists for a Pre-Arrival Consultation to find out your options for health care in Canada: 

For more questions about Health Insurance, please see the FAQ section.

Register Your Travel (Optional)

You can choose to register your travel with Northeastern University via the Northeastern Global Safety and Support Network which provides travellers with referrals for local healthcare service providers, travel warnings, and emergency assistance services 24-hours a day. Use your Northeastern Student Email to register.

Guidelines for International Students Traveling to Canada

When Can I Arrive?

We recommend that you arrive no earlier than 1-2 months prior to the start of your program.

If you are deferring your start or you arrive early, please note that you must start your studies within 150 days of arriving, or your study permit will no longer be valid and you will be considered to be in breach of the conditions of your study permit.

Please see the information on “Breaks in Studies” on our website. Even if you have the correct work authorization on your study permit, you cannot start working on or off campus until you are registered and attending classes full time. 

If you’re wondering about the Late Arrival and Deferral Policies please check the details here.

 

COVID-19 Policies

All travellers, regardless of citizenship, are no longer required to:

  • submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website;
  • provide proof of vaccination;
  • undergo pre- or on-arrival testing;
  • carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation;
  • monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving in Canada.

Please note that in case you have symptoms of COVID-19, you shouldn’t travel to Canada. If you transit through other countries on your way to Canada, please make sure to check their COVID-19 policies and guidelines in advance.

In case you feel sick or experience any symptoms of COVID-19 during your travel to Canada or upon arrival, you should:

  • inform the flight attendant, cruise staff, or a border services officer upon arrival. You may be referred to a Quarantine Officer for a health assessment and further direction.
  • avoid taking public transportation
  • refer to provincial or territorial requirements for what you need to do if you’re symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19

Note: Entry into Canada is determined by a border service officer at the time and place of entry, based on information provided by the traveler. Following the guidelines provided on this page in no way guarantees entry.

The Canadian border services officers (CBSA) will make the final decision about whether you qualify.

Required Documents

When you arrive in Canada, you’ll meet a border services officer who will make sure you meet some basic requirements. To enter Canada, you must have;

  • Valid Study Permit or a letter of introduction, identifying you as a person who has been approved for a Study Permit.
  • Travel document, e.g. A valid passport.
  • A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or electronic travel authorization (e-TA) for non-US citizens.
  • A copy of the admissions letter/decision letter/deferral confirmation letter or email if applicable from Northeastern University.
  • A copy of the Proof of Acceptance (POA) letter that you submitted for your study permit application.
  • Valid and unexpired medical exam records. Please note that medical results are normally valid for 12 months from the moment of administration. This information is also available on the Study Permit approval letter.
  • Proof of financial support.
  • Any other document that you are advised to provide by IRCC.

If you have applied for a study permit (and co-op work permit, if applicable) and have not yet received your visa and/or letter of introduction, do not travel to Canada until you have received these documents. Be sure to review all your documentation and ensure your information is correct before traveling. If not, please contact IRCC.

Please see here for an informative video by CBSA on documents required upon arrival into Canada.

This is not an exhaustive documentation list, and you should always check the government of Canada’s advice IRCC before you travel.

After Arrival

International Student Orientation Webinar

Our Fall 2024 International Student Orientation webinar will cover topics such as:

  • Intro to the OGS Canada Team and services offered to students
  • Study Permit Compliance
  • Work Eligibility
  • Post Graduation Work Permit
  • Common Questions
  • Q&A

Date: January 23rd, 2025

Time: 3PM – 4PM EST

Register Here

 

Complete the Canadian Arrival Questionnaire

After you arrive in Canada, we will be sending you information about uploading your Study Permit and Health Insurance policy card to our Arrival Questionnaire in the myOGS portal. Please DO NOT submit your Visa. You need to submit your STUDY PERMIT, which you will get at the airport from the immigration officers when you arrive in Canada.

For compliance purposes, we are mandated to collect and verify that all our international students have proper documentation. You should look out for an email from OGS Canada about this Arrival form within 1 month after the start of your program.

You are required to submit this Arrival form and failure to do so will result in a hold on your student account.

Complete the OGS Canada Comprehensive Guide for International Students in Canada Non-Credit Course

Once you are in Canada and have started your studies, you can expect an email/course invite from OGS Canada inviting you to complete this mandatory course which will provide you with very important immigration information and considerations as a study permit/co-op work permit holder in Canada.

This course will act as a guide so that you can always go back to check the information at any point during your studies. You will be required to acknowledge that you’ve read and understood the information.

Account holds will be placed on students’ accounts who have not completed the course by the deadline.