Three students walk in front of the MICA building.

Accepted International Students

Congratulations on being accepted to Assiniboine!

Before you start at Assiniboine College, complete the checklist to be sure you are prepared.

  1. I have satisfied all the college admission requirements by the deadline date.
  2. I have an updated passport to cover the length of the college program.
  3. I have received my study permit and sent a copy to international@assiniboine.net.
  4. If I want to request credit for previous education, I am doing the necessary paperwork as early as possible.
  5. I have booked a flight or other transportation to Brandon and will arrive for orientation.
  6. I have found a place to live. I can pay or have paid the damage deposit and first month’s rent.
  7. I can submit original transcripts (both my home country and Canadian) and English test documents.
  8. I have paid my first term tuition.
  9. I have my books/supplies or can pay for them as soon as I arrive.
  10. I have transportation to college each day.
  11. I am ready to purchase health insurance.

Download our International Handbook. This document will help you prepare for travelling and living in Manitoba.

For a step-by-step guide on what to expect as an international applicant (prior to being accepted to a program of study), please see this International Applications webpage which covers the application and acceptance process for international students.

If your Letter of Acceptance says something different than you read below, follow the instructions in your Letter of Acceptance. Please be sure you can read emails on the personal email address you gave on your application. This should not be an agent or family member's email address. If you do not read emails on the address on your application, email us at international@assiniboine.net with the correct email address for you.

After you've received a Letter of Acceptance (LOA)
  1. Apply for your study permit as soon as possible. This is typically required within 30 days of receiving your LOA. Application forms and details are in the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website. The processing time can vary depending on the country and individual circumstances.
  2. If your study permit is approved, please send us a copy of the letter authorizing your study permit, as soon as you receive it. If your study permit is denied, please send us a copy of that letter to request a refund of your tuition deposit. Note that there are deadlines in place for us to receive a copy of your study permit denial in order for you to be eligible for a refund, less the required processing fee (Policy A20).
  3. If you would like to request credit for previous education (to reduce coursework and possibly fees at Assiniboine), please refer to Policy A07. Do this as early as possible, as the process can take a number of months and must be completed before the relevant classes start.
  4. About six weeks before your program start date, we will register students who have confirmed study permit approval. We will send you information about this at that time. In most programs, you do not "choose" courses in the first year of your program, so we register all students in the same courses that are required to complete your program. We will contact you if you can choose any of your courses.
  5. Make travel arrangements to arrive before New Student Orientation and the first day of your program (see your Letter of Acceptance). If you do not arrive on the first day and have not contacted us before to discuss, you risk losing your seat in the program.
  6. Arrange for a place to live. See more about housing options here.
  7. Plan for additional costs.
    1. International students in Manitoba are required to have mandatory health insurance. The college arranges this on your behalf. The cost of the insurance premiums will be approximately $918.50 for 12 months of insurance for a single student. The college will invoice you for these premiums and send the funds to the insurance company on your behalf. This cost will be payable before the first day of college. See FAQs here.
    2. All programs will require some textbooks and supplies, costs not included in tuition and not payable to the college. Some, but not all, will be required in the first week of college. Without these books or supplies, you likely could not pass courses. If you can find any correct textbook at a lower cost, you can purchase it elsewhere; however, be sure you are buying the correct textbook, including the correct edition. Note also that many textbooks include a PIN to use an online resource, so used textbooks often will not help you.
  8. Be sure to monitor the email address you provided on your original application to us, including your junk and spam folders. This is where we send important communication to you. If your email address changes, please contact us directly at international@assiniboine.net along with your name and student number and we will update your email address on file.
  9. Bring your original hard copy foreign documents (transcripts and English language test results) to Brandon for verification. Assiniboine staff must compare these with scanned application documents. If you were attending an institution in Canada, bring or mail the most up to date original, official transcript for our files. This transcript would be the "final" transcript from that institution, not an "interim" or "in progress" transcript. If you do not provide these documents by the first day of the program, you risk losing your seat in the program. If you have questions about this, please email international@assiniboine.net along with your name and student number.
  10. Pay your tuition fees. When we register you in classes, we will email your log-in information for your college computer account and the MyACC information. When you log in to MyACC, you will see the exact fees.
Arrival planning

During your first few days, you can provide your original documents, confirm your registration, obtain a schedule, pay your fees, get a student card and computer account, tour the college and meet college staff and students in your program. You will learn much more about how to be successful in your program and about supports and facilities for you. And we will have some fun, so you can make more friends at college!

This will make your college experience much less stressful. If you believe you cannot arrive by the first day of your program, contact Assiniboine International as early as possible (email international@assiniboine.net) to discuss.

Please contact us at international@assiniboine.net if for some reason you will not attend Assiniboine College, or if you are unsure whether you can arrive before the first day. If you do not arrive on the first day of your program and have not contacted us before that day to discuss, we will believe you are not coming and we reserve the right to cancel your seat and offer it to someone on the waiting list.

Orientation for International Students

Depending on your program of study and start date, you will receive information from Assiniboine International via email about a new student orientation. This may include an in-person a week or so ahead of your classes, where you will:

  • meet other international students across different programs
  • familiarize yourself with campus staff and services available to you as a student
  • learn more about your bus pass (if you're a student in Brandon)
  • prepare for classes and have fun!

You may will also receive program-specific orientation as organized by your academic school.

Questions?

You are welcome to email Assiniboine International at international@assiniboine.net

Assiniboine International employs a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor. The advisor can offer basic advice to students about study permits and work permits. They cannot complete applications for you, and cannot represent you.

Financial Aid

As an first-year international student, you may be eligible for an entrance award to apply directly against your tuition. We also offer bursaries to support international students returning for their second year of study.

Health Insurance

You will receive an international medical plan for primary care and an extended health and dental plan when attending Assiniboine. Learn more about the plan in our FAQs.

Housing & Transportation

Find the resources to help you get settled while attending Assiniboine.

Work Opportunities

There are several opportunities for full-time international students to work in Canada.