A member asked how long IRCC generally takes to reach a final decision on a study permit application.
What the thread reported:- The commonly cited baseline is about 3 months, though several members said they personally received decisions faster — in the 1–2 month range.
- A separate comment noted that even non-SDS applications were also taking around 3 months at the time, suggesting the SDS/non-SDS distinction didn't create a dramatic difference in processing speed during that period (note: SDS has since been discontinued by IRCC, so this comparison is now historical).
- The overall message from members was that IRCC timelines are inherently unpredictable — plan around the ~3 month baseline but don't be surprised if it's faster or, in some cases, slower.
Practical takeaway: budget roughly 3 months for a study permit decision as a working baseline, while knowing individual cases can come in faster. Check IRCC's official processing time tool for current, program-specific estimates rather than relying solely on past community reports.