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Provincial Attestation Letter

The University of Niagara Falls Canada is now distributing Provincial Attestation Letters (PAL) for qualifying applicants.

Prospective on-campus undergraduate students with an offer letter will receive their PAL along with their LOA, after their deposit is paid. Both documents are required to apply for a study permit.

The PAL system adds just one more step to the admissions process for undergraduate students and UNF is confident that the PAL system will be efficiently integrated into our admissions pipeline. Below are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about PALs that should answer many of your questions. We look forward to continuing to welcome our new undergraduate students to UNF.

About the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)

1. What is a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)?

a. An attestation letter is a declaration that verifies information and also serves as proof that the student has been accounted for under a provincial or territorial allocation within the national cap. As of January 22, 2024, the Government of Canada announced that, other than a few exemptions, most international applicants to undergraduate degree and English language pathway programs will be required to provide a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the province or territory in which they will study. For studies at UNF, the PAL must be provided by the Provincial Government of Ontario, the province in which the University of Niagara Falls Canada is located. A Provincial Attestation Letter may also be referred to simply as an “attestation letter”.

2. Will I need a PAL for my study permit application?

a. Who requires a provincial attestation letter?

  • Most post-secondary study permit applications.
  • Most non-degree granting graduate programs (for example, certificate programs and graduate diplomas).

b. Who does NOT require a provincial attestation letter?

  • Primary and secondary school students
  • Masters or Doctoral degree students
  • In-Canada visiting or exchange students studying at a designated learning institution
  • In-Canada study permit and work permit holders (includes study permit holders applying for an extension)
  • In-Canada family members of study permit or work permit holders
  • Students with applications received by IRCC before 8:30 a.m. EST on January 22, 2024


You need to provide proof that you meet one of the above exceptions if you don’t provide a PAL with your study permit application.

Source: Additional information about International Student Program reforms.

PAL Timelines

1. How quickly will I receive my PAL?
a. Your PAL should be available for download within approximately three business days after we have received your tuition deposit.

2. How will I know if my PAL is available?
a. As soon as we receive your PAL, we will upload it for you to access via your UNF Applicant Portal in the same location as your LOA package.

3. Can I obtain my PAL any faster?
Unfortunately, there is no way of decreasing the time to receive your PAL. On average, your PAL should be available for download within approximately three business days after we have received your tuition deposit.

As soon as we receive your PAL from the issuing office, we will upload it to your UNF Applicant Portal in the same location as your LOA package.

PAL Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where do I submit my PAL once I have it?
a. Your PAL must be submitted along with your study permit application. Failure to do so may result in a study permit rejection.

2. How long a PAL is valid for?
a. Your PAL only needs to be valid when IRCC receives it with your application. Unless it has an expiry date on it, it’s valid until January 21, 2025. You can resubmit a study permit application with the same PAL if it’s still valid.

3. I submitted my study permit application before January 22, 2024. Will I need to submit a PAL?
a. No. The new attestation letter requirement only affects study permit applications submitted on or after January 22, 2024. If you submitted your study permit application before 8:30 a.m. EST on January 22, 2024, you do not need to submit a PAL.

4. When will I get my PAL?
a. Prospective on-campus undergraduate students with an offer letter will receive their PAL along with their LOA, after their deposit is paid.

5.My study permit application has been approved. Do I still need a PAL?
a. No, if your study permit application has been approved, it is because you either submitted your study permit application prior to January 22, 2024, your program of study does not require a PAL, or your fall into one of the exemption categories.