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Studying in Canada

Tap into our offer and prep for your studies in Canada with our dedicated support, everyday account plans, credit card offers and more.

Open an account from within Canada

Open an account from within Canada

Offer for students

Open an everyday account for your day-to-day transactions like making deposits, transferring funds and paying bills. You can also apply for a credit card to finance your projects.

Eligibility

This offer 1 is for:

  • Individuals ages 18 to 21 or
  • Students ages 22 to 25 enrolled in a full-time college or vocational program at a recognized educational institution in Canada or
  • Students enrolled full-time at a Canadian university, regardless of age

Everyday account

An everyday account includes a free transaction plan 2 with unlimited transactions for as long as you're eligible.

Credit cards

Cash Back Visa and Cash Back Mastercard

Both the Cash Back Visa* and the Cash Back MastercardMD have no annual fee 3 . Earn up to 2% cash back on your purchases and up to 3 days of travel insurance.

Odyssey Gold Visa

The Odyssey Gold Visa includes a $110 annual fee 3 offers comprehensive travel insurance for up to 60 days 4 and earns you BONUSDOLLARS®, among other benefits. If you're a university student in an eligible field of study 5 , you could receive an annual bonus of 110 BONUSDOLLARS for 2 or 3 years.

  • Accounting
  • Actuarial science
  • Chiropractic medicine
  • Dentistry
  • Engineering
  • Law
  • Medicine
  • Optometry
  • Pharmaceutical studies
  • Pharmacology
  • Podiatry
  • Veterinary medicine

Other products and services

  • Visitors to Canada Insurance 6 , for healthcare and emergency medical services in case of accident or illness.
  • Insurance products for your protection, including damage insurance, life, health and disability insurance, as well as credit and travel insurance.
  • Online international transfers of up to $5,000 per day 7 .

Other perks

  • The option to open an account online and make 1 money transfer for a fee before you leave 8 , 9 .
  • Support to help you prepare for your move and settle in, with tailored products, tips, financial services, and more.

Do you have any questions?

Moving to a new country comes with a load of questions. Our multilingual team is here to help you.

Write us

Apply to open an account from abroad

Before filling out the form, you must:

  • Have a valid passport
  • Know your future address or the postal code of your school in Canada
  • Plan to arrive within 12 months of applying

Open your account in 3 steps

 Step 1.

Fill out the online form.

Fill out the form to open an account from abroad.

 Step 2.

Read through the welcome email that you'll receive within 24 to 48 hours following confirmation. It outlines what to do next and includes your account information. You’ll need this information if you want to make 1 money transfer for a fee before you leave 8 , 9 .

 Step 3.

Make an appointment 2 weeks before you leave to finish setting up your account once you arrive in Canada. Bring the required documents to your appointment to confirm your identity and pick up your debit card if you applied for one.

Learn more about our services and benefits

360d spaces

Located on select university campuses, our financial advice centres serve young people ages 18 to 30.

Learn more about Desjardins 360d

The Desjardins difference

Our cooperative nature sets us apart from other financial institutions. We're defined by our values and believe that money should be at the service of human development, personal commitment, democratic action, integrity, rigour, and cooperation.

Learn more about why you should choose Desjardins.

How to pay for your studies in Canada

Canada is home to a long list of colleges and universities with programs at very affordable tuition rates. Here are some ways to help you pay for school.

Get a part-time job

Students can work several hours per week to help cover the cost of tuition and get work experience in Canada. For more information, visit the Studying and working in Canada as an international student External link. page.

Apply for a scholarship or bursary

A number of foundations offer scholarships and bursaries. Visit your school or university's website to find out more.

Tackle your project head on

Preparing to live in Canada

Browse through a multitude of resources containing useful information to plan your move and help you settle in.

Learn more about preparing to live in Canada

Coming to live or work in Canada

Read through our welcome offer for newcomers to help you navigate your big move.

Learn more about the welcome offer for newcomers

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to open an everyday account to study in Canada?

No. However, having an everyday account can help you manage your money. You can use it to make deposits, withdrawals, transfers or payments.

 Is there a fee once I'm no longer eligible for the student offer?

Plans

The Unlimited plan is included with the offer. However, if you're no longer eligible, the monthly fee for the Unlimited plan is $15.95. This plan is free if you maintain a minimum monthly balance of $4,000. Take some time to compare our plans and see if there's one that works better for you.

See our plans

Credit cards

Your credit card won’t be affected if you’re no longer eligible for the offer. Take some time to compare our credit cards to decide which will benefit you most.

See credit cards

 Can I make an international money transfer to my Desjardins account before I arrive in Canada?

Yes. Once you've completed your application to open an account, you can make only 1 international money transfer to your Desjardins account from abroad 8 . You can do this through your financial institution in your home country as soon as you receive your new account information by email.

 How much does an international transfer cost?

Fees for transferring money to your Desjardins account

Contact your financial institution in your home country with fee-related questions and to find out what the exchange rates are for transfers or international money transfers.

Fees for receiving money in your Desjardins account

  • Transfers under CAN$50: free
  • Transfers over CAN$50: CAN$15 9
Voir plus de questions sur AccèsD
Odyssey ®, BONUSDOLLARS ®, Desjardins ®, Desjardins Insurance ®, all trademarks containing the word Desjardins, as well as related logos are trademarks of the Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec, used under licence. Mastercard ® and World Elite ® are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. * Trademark of Visa International Service Association and used under licence. This promotional offer is for student members. This includes members between the ages of 18 and 21; members ages 22 to 25 enrolled in a full-time college or professional program at a recognized educational institution in Canada; and members who are full-time students at a Canadian university, regardless of their age. If you get this offer, the fee waiver only applies to the Unlimited plan. For withdrawals at non-Desjardins Interac ® and Plus*-affiliated ATMs, fees of $1.50, $3.00 or $5.00 may apply. Some ATM operators may charge additional fees. They must inform you of the fee via an on-screen message before processing the transaction. You then have the option of cancelling the transaction. These fees are added to the withdrawal amount and paid directly to the ATM operator. For more information, see the Service fees page. This offer is for student members who are full-time students in a Canadian university, regardless of their age. If you get this offer, the fee waiver only applies to the Unlimited plan. For withdrawals at  non-Desjardins Interac ® and Plus*-affiliated ATMs, fees of $1.50, $3.00 or $5.00 may apply. Some ATM operators may charge additional fees. They must inform you of the fee via an on-screen message before processing the transaction. You then have the option of cancelling the transaction. These fees are added to the withdrawal amount and paid directly to the ATM operator. For more information, see the Service fees page.
You have 21 days from the date the monthly statement is issued to pay the full balance on your account without interest, except on cash advances.The minimum payment is 5% of the following: your outstanding balance, interest on purchases, monthly installments that were not paid by the due date for the previous period, regular purchases and cash advances from the current statement period, plus interest on cash advances. This amount will also include any other amounts due under your credit card contract. Here are some examples of applicable interest for a 30-day billing cycle: If the regular annual interest rate is 19.9% and your average daily outstanding balance is $100, you'd be charged $1.64 in interest. If it's $500, you'd be charged $8.18 in interest, and if it's $1,000 you'd be charged $16.36 in interest. This coverage is offered by Desjardins Financial Security and applies to people ages 75 and under. Coverage applies to cardholders, their spouse and dependent children when travelling with the cardholder. Some exclusions and restrictions apply. See your policy for coverage details. This offer applies only to university students who were approved for an eligible card after June 18,  2018. To be eligible for Visitors to Canada Insurance, you must be between 15 days and 84 years old and fall into 1 of the following categories: Canadians not covered by a provincial health plan, newcomers waiting to be covered by a provincial health plan, foreign workers with a work visa, international students with a student visa, or visitors to Canada. Excludes Working Holiday permit holders. For more information see the Visitors to Canada Insurance page.
Certain conditions, exclusions and limitations may apply. Account openings and money transfers from certain countries may be subject to strict regulations under Canadian and international economic sanctions. Applicable fees are calculated on the transferred amount received, or, as the case may be, on the amount in Canadian dollars resulting from the conversion of foreign currency. The conversion rate corresponds to market rates in effect at the time funds are received. Some correspondent banks may impose fees or additional charges, which will be deducted from the amount transferred.