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Submitting Legal Documents

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Submitting Legal Documents

McGill requires legal documents to confirm your status. The following sections describe the documents needed for your specific situation and how you should proceed.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2014-2015 (last updated Jul. 22, 2014) (disclaimer)

Why Does McGill Collect Legal Documents from You?

Legal Documents: Why Does McGill Collect Legal Documents from You?

Your tuition status at McGill will vary depending on your legal status in Canada. In order for us to determine your appropriate rate of tuition (Quebec, Canadian out-of-province, or international), we require documentation confirming your current status. We also require these documents to confirm your valid citizenship/immigration status. To find out which documents you must provide—and when they are required—refer to: What Documents Does McGill Need from You?

Some of the documents McGill requests of you help us obtain your Permanent Code from the Government of Quebec. This unique 12-character code is created by the Quebec Ministry of Education, and is obligatory for all students registered in a Quebec institution. If you have previously attended school in Quebec, you should already possess a Permanent Code; it can be found on your school report card or your CEGEP and/or university transcripts. If you do not already have a Permanent Code, we will request to have it created for you. Once it has been created, it will reflect on your unofficial transcript.

You can consult your tuition and legal status (including your Permanent Code) on Minerva (www.mcgill.ca/minerva). Select Student Menu > Student Accounts Menu > View your Tuition and Legal Status.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2014-2015 (last updated Jan. 22, 2015) (disclaimer)

What Documents Does McGill Need from You?

Legal Documents: What Documents Does McGill Need from You?

Follow the instructions in the first row of this table that apply to you. Send clear, legible copies of documents (not originals).

Quebec and Canadian Out-of-Province Students
You have applied to McGill directly from CEGEP or you already have a student record at McGill
  • Usually no documents are required to prove your Canadian and/or Quebec status. In most cases, your status is confirmed to us by the Government of Quebec or is already in your McGill record. Check your Minerva account to verify that your status is updated correctly (Select Student Menu > Student Accounts Menu > View your Tuition and Legal Status)
You have applied to McGill from another Quebec university
  • Proof of Canadian status is required: Canadian birth certificate; or Canadian citizenship card or certificate (both sides); or Certificate of Indian status card; or Makivik Society card; or valid Canadian Confirmation of Permanent Residence document (Note 2); or valid Canadian Permanent Resident card (both sides of the card)
  • Additionally, for Quebec residency status, usually no documents are required, unless McGill cannot confirm this from the Government of Quebec. Check your Minerva account to verify that your status is correct
You were born in Quebec
  • Quebec birth certificate (Note 4)
  • Permanent Code Data Form (Notes 1 and 5)
You were born in (or are a Landed Immigrant from) a Canadian province other than Quebec
  • Canadian birth certificate; or Canadian citizenship card or certificate (both sides); or Certificate of Indian status card; or Makivik Society card; or valid Canadian Confirmation of Permanent Residence document (Note 2); or valid Canadian Permanent Resident card (both sides of the card)
  • Permanent Code Data Form (Notes 1 and 5)
You are a Quebec resident as defined by one of the other situations outlined by the Government of Quebec
  • Canadian birth certificate; or Canadian citizenship card or certificate (both sides); or Certificate of Indian status card; or Makivik Society card; or valid Canadian Confirmation of Permanent Residence document (Note 2); or valid Canadian Permanent Resident card (both sides of the card)
  • Permanent Code Data Form (Notes 1 and 5)
  • Attestation of Residency in Quebec Form (Note 5)
  • Other supporting documents, depending on which situation you checked on the above Attestation of Residency Form
International Students
You will be studying at McGill for less than six months (i.e., for only one academic semester) as a non-degree student (e.g., Exchange, Special, Visiting)
  • Visitors Permit issued at your port of entry into Canada by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
  • Photo page of your passport and the page date-stamped by Citizenship and Immigration Canada at your port of entry
  • Permanent Code Data Form (Notes 1 and 5)
You will be in Canada for more than six months (i.e., you are enrolled in a degree, certificate, or diploma program, usually for two or more consecutive academic semesters)
  • Certificate of Acceptance of Quebec (CAQ)
  • Study Permit issued by Immigration Canada (Note 3)
  • Permanent Code Data Form (Notes 1 and 5)

Note 1: Your signed Permanent Code Data Form is usually required. If the names of your parents appear on your birth certificate, or if you have already provided McGill with your Permanent Code, you do not need to supply this form.
Note 2: Your valid Canadian Permanent Resident status can be proved by a copy of your Canadian Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5292 or IMM 5688) document or with your Canadian Permanent Resident card (both sides). Alternatively, you may provide your Immigration Record of Landing (IMM 1000) document. Note that McGill reserves the right to ask you for copies of both your PR card and your IMM document.
Note 3: If you are a refugee, your Convention Refugee status document is required instead of a Study Permit.
Note 4: Usually McGill needs your birth certificate to prove your place of birth in Quebec. If you already have a valid Quebec Permanent Code, McGill will accept a copy of your valid Canadian passport that indicates your birth place as being within the province of Quebec, as proof that you are eligible for Quebec residency.
Note 5: You can find links to download and print the Permanent Code Data and Attestation of Quebec Residency forms at www.mcgill.ca/legaldocuments/forms.

Fee Exemptions

Fee Exemptions

Exemption from the out-of-province or international supplement tuition fees is possible for students in any of the following three categories, as authorized by the Government of Quebec:

  1. French Course Fee Exemptions – Non-Quebec Canadian and international students are automatically assessed fees for certain eligible French courses at the Quebec tuition rate (note exclusions as listed at www.mcgill.ca/student-accounts/tuition-fees/general-information/tuition-fee-exemptions).
  2. Out-of-province Tuition Supplement Exemptions – Non-Quebec Canadian students in the following categories are exempted from out-of-province tuition supplements (details at www.mcgill.ca/student-accounts/tuition-fees/general-information/tuition-fee-exemptions):
    • Students in a Ph.D. program
    • Students in a Post-Graduate Medical Education program: Medical Residents, Clinical Fellows, Clinical Research Fellows, Research Fellows
    • Students registered full-time in the Masters in French (Maîtrise en français). The exemption begins at the moment the student registers in the program, without retroactive effect.
  3. International Students Eligible for Fee Exemptions Based on Legal Status in Canada – Students with one of the following statuses may be exempt from International Supplements (certain categories may be assessed at the Canadian tuition rate; full details regarding eligibility criteria are listed at www.mcgill.ca/legaldocuments/exemption):
    • Citizens of France
    • Citizens of certain countries with an agreement with the Government of Quebec
    • Diplomatic, consular or other representatives of international organizations
    • Convention refugees
    • Students awaiting permanent residency in Canada and holding an eligible CSQ
    • Students whose spouse or unmarried students whose parent holds a Temporary Work Permit in Canada
    • Students funded by the FRSQ (Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec)

These exemptions lower your fees to the Quebec rate of tuition. More detailed information for the categories listed above are available at www.mcgill.ca/student-accounts/tuition-fees/general-information/tuition-fee-exemptions as well as at www.mcgill.ca/legaldocuments/exemption.

Note that this information may be subject to change.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2014-2015 (last updated Jan. 22, 2015) (disclaimer)

Has McGill Received Your Documents?

Legal Documents: Has McGill Received Your Documents?

Quebec/Canadian/International Fees and Immigration Status

Quebec/Canadian/International Fees and Immigration Status

Once McGill has received your documents, it usually takes 5 to 10 business days to process them and update your status accordingly.

  • Check your tuition status on the Minerva (www.mcgill.ca/minerva) Student Accounts menu: Student Menu > Student Accounts Menu > View Tuition Fee and Legal Status.
    Note: Ensure that you select the correct term when viewing your status.
  • Check the phrase: Fees currently calculated according to rules for... This will tell you if your tuition status is currently being billed at the international rate, the Canadian rate, or at the Quebec rate. For information on fees, see www.mcgill.ca/student-accounts.

If you do not agree with your tuition status, notify McGill right away. Documentation provided to modify your legal and tuition status must be received within the given semester for changes to be applied for that semester. Retroactive tuition status updates are not permitted; requests and documents submitted after the semester has ended will be processed, with changes applied to the following semester.

Permanent Code

Permanent Code

The Government of Quebec usually takes one to four weeks to verify or issue your Permanent Code.

  • Check your Permanent Code on Minerva: Personal Menu > Name Change or alternately via Student Menu > Student Accounts Menu > View Tuition Fee and Legal Status. If your 12-character Permanent Code appears there, your documents are in order. If not, you have not yet provided McGill with your documents listed in What Documents Does McGill Need from You? or the Government of Quebec has not yet confirmed that your documents are sufficient to create a Permanent Code.
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2014-2015 (last updated Jan. 22, 2015) (disclaimer)

What Are the Consequences of Not Providing Your Documents?

Legal Documents: What Are the Consequences of Not Providing Your Documents?

The deadline to submit documents in support of a change to your tuition status effective for that semester is the last day of classes for that semester (e.g., December 1 for changes to be made to your tuition status for the Fall term, or April 1 for changes to be made for the Winter term).

If documents are still missing from your file subsequent to the start of the semester, a hold will be added to your record preventing you from registering or dropping any courses, and from obtaining your official transcript.

International students who have not provided their valid immigration documents to McGill may be de-registered from their courses.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2014-2015 (last updated Jan. 22, 2015) (disclaimer)

Where Do I Send My Documents?

Legal Documents: Where and How Do I Send My Documents?

You must send in all your documents after you have accepted your offer of admission but before the start of classes. Do not send originals. Email clear and legible copies of your documents. Write your McGill student ID on each document so that McGill can match them to your record. The sooner you submit your documents, the sooner the University can update your status and ensure that your record is in order. Refer to www.mcgill.ca/legaldocuments/how for further details.

  • By Email:
  • Follow these steps to submit your legal documents electronically.
  1. Save the attached file in an accepted format.
    • Standard PDF (.pdf) – encrypted PDFs will not be accepted.
    • Tagged image format (.tif, .tiff for scanned images).

    Ensure that you save your documents properly in one of the above formats—do not just rename the file extension. Due to the possibility of computer viruses, McGill does not accept Microsoft Word documents (.doc), hypertext files (.htm, .html), JPG, GIF, or any other format.

  2. Ensure that the resolution used is at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) for an electronic replica (scan) of documentation (e.g., a scan of your birth certificate). The preferred file size is 100KB per image.
  3. Address your email to legaldocumentation [at] mcgill.ca and attach your relevant scanned document(s). Attach the file(s) to your email; do not include the documents in the body of your email.
  4. Put your First Name, Last Name, and McGill ID number in the subject line of your email.

    Note: Individual email size (including your attachments) should not exceed 5 MB (5120 KB).

  • If there is a problem with your documents, contact:
  • Telephone: 514-398-7878
  • Email:

For the School of Continuing Studies

For the School of Continuing Studies

By Email:

  • legaldocuments.conted [at] mcgill.ca

In Person (appointment required) or By Mail/Courier:

  • McGill University
  • School of Continuing Studies
  • 688 Sherbrooke Street West, Suite 1199
  • Montreal QC H3A 3R1

If there is a problem with your documents, contact Client Services at:

Telephone: 514-398-6200

Email: info.conted [at] mcgill.ca; legaldocuments.conted [at] mcgill.ca

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2014-2015 (last updated Jan. 22, 2015) (disclaimer)
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2014-2015 (last updated Jul. 22, 2014) (disclaimer)
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