Students 18 years and older must meet the criteria of a fully vaccinated traveller with the required doses of Health Canada or WHO-approved vaccines to enter Canada. Please see this webpage to check eligibility requirements and for a list of COVID vaccines accepted for entry to Canada. Students under the age of 18 who are not fully vaccinated will be permitted to enter Canada, but must quarantine.
Please review our University of Toronto COVID-19 Quarantine Guide for Students as you prepare your travel plans. There are important changes to the quarantine requirements noted in the text below.
NOTE: The vaccine requirement for entry into Canada is different than the vaccine requirements to be considered fully vaccinated in Ontario and under the University’s vaccine guideline. If you have a non-Health Canada approved vaccine, you must obtain one mRNA (Pfizer or Moderna) dose or have received 3 doses of a non-Health Canada to be considered fully vaccinated under the government guidance and the University’s guideline.
Information on this page may change to reflect new government regulations. Changes will be marked as updated with a corresponding date stamp.
Safe Travels!
If you’re applying for a study permit, you should apply online, whether you’re outside Canada or already in Canada. The International Student Centres on all three campuses have many resources on applying for study permits.
St. George Centre for International Experience | isa.cie@utoronto.ca
UTSC International Student Centre | isc.utsc@utoronto.ca
UTM International Education Centre | international.utm@utoronto.ca
Once you have your approval for a study permit and are preparing to enter Canada, please carefully review the information on requirements for entering Canada on the FAQ For International Students: Entry to Canada & Pre-Arrival or the FAQ For Newly Admitted International Students.
Before booking your flight or driving to Canada, be sure to check for the most up to date information on travel restrictions and quarantine. If you are driving to Canada, you can consult the Canadian Border Services Agency as well for additional information.
There are COVID-19 vaccination requirements that must be met in order to enter Canada by air or by land. International students over the age of 18 years must be vaccinated according to the fully vaccinated traveller requirements before entering Canada. Students under the age of 18 who are not fully vaccinated may be permitted to enter Canada, but must complete arrival testing and quarantine.
Note that the vaccine requirements for those staying in Canada to work or study is different than for travellers entering the country and visiting for a short period. The vaccine requirements for those staying in Canada include a dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) for those with non-Health Canada approved vaccines.
U of T currently supports one quarantine option at this time:
14-Day At-Home/OffCampus Quarantine Program for Unvaccinated Travellers:
Apply at least 1 day before your arrival date.
Select this option if you meet ALL of the following criteria:
By registering, you will receive information and resources to support your At Home/OffCampus quarantine.
The Government of Canada requires that all students arriving by air or land complete the following tasks prior to arrival.
Starting April 1 2022, pre-entry tests will no longer be required for fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada by land or air.
Download the Government of Canada’s ArriveCAN app (iOS or Android) or use their accessible web app to provide your mandatory travel information required for entry into Canada. All travellers are still required to provide their information in ArriveCAN within 72 hours of their arrival to Canada and/or before boarding a plane destined for Canada.
Unvaccinated travellers, with right of entry to Canada , will be tested on arrival and day 8 and must quarantine for 14 days. Check the Government of Canada website for more details on COVID-19 arrival testing for travellers.
As a fully-vaccinated traveller driving from the United States, you may only require an arrival test as part of a randomized testing program.
As an unvaccinated traveller, you are required to undergo full 14-day quarantine including on arrival and Day 8 testing, unless exempt.
Check the Government of Canada website for more details on COVID-19 arrival testing for travellers.
You must follow the quarantine requirements established by the Government of Canada per the emergency order under the Quarantine Act.
Learn about self-care during quarantine: Guide on Self-Isolation & Staying Physically Healthy (PDF)
Before leaving the airport/land border crossing, travellers are provided with a COVID-19 test kit or instructions for taking their test later during their mandatory 14-day quarantine period. Please refer to the Switch Health website for more information. While in quarantine, you must complete your COVID-19 at-home test kit. Please follow the instructions given to you at the airport/land border crossing regarding this test.
All travellers will receive calls from a live agent or automated system, and you may also be visited at your place of quarantine by a screening officer to verify your compliance.
Your academic division will be communicating specific programming for you, and we will also be offering online activities for you to participate in.
If you have a question or concern, please email info.quarantine@utoronto.ca.
Avoid scams: Fraudulent calls – U of T has been made aware of several scams that are targeting students. Please note that Canadian Government officials WILL NOT contact you directly and demand money in exchange for securing your Canadian status or request currencies such as Bitcoin. In addition, the Canadian Revenue Agency or Service Canada will NEVER request a payment by e-transfer, online currency such as bitcoin or pre-paid credit cards. For more information, please see the links below:
UTSG: https://www.campussafety.utoronto.ca/fraud-prevention
UTSC: https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/utscinternational/scams-targeting-international-students
UTM: https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/international/fraud-alert
Campus Safety: https://www.campussafety.utoronto.ca/hit-pause-on-fraud
Unvaccinated students under 18 or students who were not granted a quarantine exemption upon entry to Canada must quarantine for a minimum of 14 days and have a negative test result from the Day 8 self-administered COVID-19 test.
Welcome to U of T!
Public Health Resources for You
Questions about COVID-19 in Canada? Here are some resources that you can check out.
StarRez quarantine program (Full and At Home) application
Covid 19 Quarantine Information for U of T students from the University of Toronto (OVPS)
Quarantine Accommodation Options for campus community members who may require a place to quarantine when arriving in Toronto.
Food/Essentials Delivery Options for students in quarantine.