Application Process

Now accepting applications for February 2026!
September 2025 – CLOSED

Step 1 – Review the Required Grades & Attendance requirements.

Step 2 – Review and gather the Required Documents.

Step 3 – Review the School Availability and select three options.

Step 4 – Use the Application Portal to submit your application and documents.

Step 5 – Pay the Application Fee.

Step 6 – Wait for your Confirmation of Acceptance or Denial.

For more detailed information about the Application Process, please carefully review the steps below.

If you have any questions, please contact us at isp@hcdsb.org.

Step 1: Required Grades & Attendance

The HCDSB has grade and attendance requirements for all International Students applying to our School Board.

Please review the following requirements below before beginning the online application process.

Grade Level Requirements

  1. Recommended overall grade average = 70%
  2. Minimum grades allowed for consideration:
    • Mathematics = 70%
    • English = 70%
    • First Language = 70%

Attendance Requirements

  1. No unexplained absences

Step 2: Required Documents

The below listed documents are required. Please be sure to have them ready to upload before you start the online application process.

Elementary & Secondary Students

  1. Official Transcripts provided for all previous years of High School (transcripts from country of origin must be notarized and translated into English).
  2. Official Credit Counselling Summary including Equivalency credits granted (if applying from a school within Canada).

Elementary Students Only

  1. A copy of the child or parent’s Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate OR a completed non-Catholic Attestation Form

Step 3: School Availability

A list of secondary schools that are currently accepting applications is available on our School Availability page.

For a list of elementary school availability, please contact: isp@hcdsb.org

Step 4: Application Portal

Once you have reviewed the requirements and obtained the required documents, you are ready to complete an online application. You will be asked to create an account if this is your first time using the application portal. There are two different application portals to choose from:

Agent Portal

If you are a certified HCDSB Agent, you can use the Agent Portal to submit student applications.

If you are not yet a certified Agent, but are interested in becoming one, please submit an Agent Application Form via email to isp@hcdsb.org.

Family Portal

If you are submitting an application without the help of a certified Agent, please use the Family Portal.

Step 5: Application Fee

After you complete the online application, you will be required to pay a non-refundable application fee of $400.00 CAD.

Applications will not be processed until the application fee is received.

For International Payments 

Please use the Flywire secure link that is in the application portal.

  1. Sign into your application portal account
  2. In the Invoices menu, select “View Invoices”.
  3. Set the Invoice Paid dropdown to “No”.
  4. Click the “Pay Invoice” button to begin the payment process.
  5. A pop-up message will appear that says you will be transferred to the secure payment site. Click “OK”.
  6. Follow the instructions to complete payment.

For Payments Within Canada

Please use your Canadian bank account to make payments within Canada using online banking.

Learn more about making payments in Canada using online banking on our Payment Options page.

Step 6: Confirmation of Acceptance or Denial

You will receive notification of your application either being accepted or denied within 1-2 business days after you have applied.

Confirmation of Acceptance

Once the application, application fee, and required documents are received from the applicant and approved, a Conditional Letter of Approval (CLOA) will be issued to the student.

Tuition Payment Due

School tuition is required to be paid once the student has been approved. Once the tuition payment has been received by HCDSB an Official Letter of Approval (OLOA) will be provided to the student. HCDSB will only accept payment in full. Payment plans are not available.

The Official Letter of Approval (OLOA) will assist the student in applying for a Student Authorization (Study Permit) from Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or the Consulate or Immigration Office in the applicant’s country of residence. The Student Authorization allows the student to study in Canada.

A student will not be registered at their school until the tuition payment is received.

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