Pre-arrival checklist
Important reminder for incoming students
New students must arrive at the campus location stated in your official Letter of Acceptance. Changing campus locations after program acceptance or upon arrival is NOT permitted. Reasons include the predetermined capacity of each campus, distance and limited public transportation between campus locations, and hazardous road conditions, especially during the winter season.
1. Apply for a Canadian study permit.
You must apply for a study permit before coming to Canada. You are highly encouraged to apply for one as soon as you receive your Official Letter of Acceptance from the College. Comprehensive information can be found on our Study Permits page.
For more information on Canadian immigration, please refer to the IRCC website.
2. Submit your POE Letter of Introduction.
Email a scanned copy of your study permit or Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction, also known as your Study Permit Approval Letter, as well as your CMTN student number to international@coastmountaincollege.ca as soon as you receive them. Failure to send this means that our International Advising Team will not be able to assist you in course registration (as stated in #3 of this checklist).
We do not accept submissions of Passport Request (PPR) Letters or Temporary Resident Visas as replacements for study permits or POE Letters of Introduction.
Do not book your flight tickets even after your study permit has been approved. You will first need to be successfully registered for your courses to ensure your class seats, as they are on a first-come, first-served basis.
What if your study permit is denied or delayed:
Please visit our Steps to Apply page and review Step 7 ("What's next after your study permit decision") for information.
3. Wait to be registered for your first-term classes.
As a new international student, your first-term registration is done through the International Student Advisor and the Registrar’s Office. You must review the Course Planning Sheet which the International Student Advisor will send you and authorize this via email. The Registrar’s Office will complete your registration for you and send you a confirmation. It is important that your email address is up to date on file with the College.
It is important that you confirm your registration first before making any travel plans to Canada. You may book your travel and flight tickets once you have successfully registered for your first-term courses.
4. Prepare for the entry process to Canada.
Make sure you plan ahead:
| Know your international and domestic points of entry | You will be entering Canada through Vancouver (YVR) or another international Canadian airport. You will then make a connecting flight to another domestic airport depending on your campus location at either Terrace (YXT), Prince Rupert (YPR), or Smithers (YYD). Make sure to your flight details match your campus location. You will not be allowed to change campuses upon arrival. |
| Allocate sufficient time for border checkpoint | All newcomers entering Canada for study or work are mandated to go through the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) Checkpoints upon arrival at the airport. Note that this may take 1-2 hours depending on the number of new arrivals being accommodated at a time. |
| Allocate sufficient time for domestic connections | Due to changing or unexpected circumstances, such as delayed flights and longer checkpoint processing times, we encourage you to give yourself a minimum of three hours before transferring to your domestic flight. |
5. Submit your travel plans through our website.
After your course registration is confirmed, you can now make preparations for your international entry to Canada.
Let our International Student Advisors know your travel intentions by filling out the Acknowledgment of Travel Plan Form. It will ask for your travel information, including your date of arrival and accommodations at your campus location. Please expect 3-5 business days for an acknowledgement via email.
6. Know your next steps upon arrival to Canada.
Click below to know more about:
Arriving in Canada
Border Entry
Getting here
Checking in
Medical insurance
Be sure to download and read CMTN's International Student Handbook [PDF], attend the New Student Orientation in your residing campus, and have your Student ID Card prepared.
