DLI: what it means for students
Designated learning institution. What it means, who decides it and where to check the official source.
A DLI is a school that a provincial or territorial government has approved to enrol international students and that appears on the federal list.
In more detail
A designated learning institution is a school that is approved to host international students. The approval is a gate: a study permit application names a school, and that school has to be on the official list.
Being on the list says the school is approved to take international students. It does not tell you whether a particular program suits you, or whether a program carries any post-study work consequence. Those are separate questions with separate answers.
Each school has its own identification number on the list. Schools can be added to or removed from the list, so a name that was there last year is worth checking again before you apply.
Who decides
Provinces and territories approve schools; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) publishes the list.
Where to check
- Government of Canada
Search for the current list of designated learning institutions.
What to ask a counsellor
- Is the campus I am considering on the current official DLI list, and how do I confirm it myself?
- What other questions should I ask about a program besides whether the school is a DLI?
Questions about a term?
Bring it to a free counselling session. We explain how schools and programs work and help you prepare questions. We do not give immigration advice.
Independent advice
- Study Master Canada is an independent education counselling firm. We are an authorized agent of certain colleges and universities, directly and through recruitment partners, and the institutions compensate us. Our counselling is free to you.
- We help you choose a program and connect you with the college.
- We do not determine eligibility or funding, and we are not affiliated with any government.
- Regulated immigration work is done only by Visa Master Canada, a licensed RCIC partner, and only when you retain them directly.