By: TRU World
Campus Life, ,

What You Need To Know After Completing Your Studies at TRU

You’ve finished your last exams, and you are finally ready to pursue a new chapter after completing your studies at TRU. As an international student, there are a few things you should know after completing your studies at TRU.

Whether you are going back home, staying in Canada, or continuing your studies, make sure to download our Exit Checklist for International Students.

If you’re going back home

After living abroad, it is common to go through a transition period when returning home, commonly known as “reverse culture shock”.

Before returning home

There are so many things to do before leaving!

  • Visit your friends and colleagues. You may want to throw a celebration party!
  • Visit your favourite places around town.
  • Take photos of your favourite spots.
  • Visit TRU Bookies on the first floor of CAC for souvenirs.
  • Pack with you symbolic objects that bring back good memories from your time at TRU.

Once you’re home

Returning home may be a challenging process for some, and an exciting one for others. If you are feeling sad or discouraged upon returning home, remember that these feelings are normal and they will go away once you start adjusting. The experiences you had at TRU and in Kamloops will be with you for a lifetime, so take time to understand and integrate them into your life now.

If you’re staying in Canada

If you are planning on staying in Canada, make sure to maintain a valid status, as your Study Permit expires 90 days after completion of your program.

If you need assistance with your visa or permit applications or have questions about your current status in Canada, make sure to attend one of our Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Workshop, or contact our Registered International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) at [email protected].

Staying as a worker

Most TRU graduates are eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) upon completion of their studies. How long your PGWP is valid for depends on the length of your study program. Students from programs of 2 years or more are eligible for up to a 3-year PGWP.

You have 180 days after your school issues your final marks to apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP).

You can work full-time until a decision has been made on your work permit application if you:

  • had a valid study permit when you submitted your application
  • completed your study program
  • were eligible to work off-campus without a work permit while studying and you didn’t work more hours than you were allowed to

If these don’t apply to you, you must wait until your work permit arrives to begin your new job. It’s illegal to work in Canada without a permit. Learn more about working while your application is being processed.

Staying as a visitor

If you want to stay in Canada temporarily as a visitor but your Study Permit is expiring, you need to apply for a visitor record. The application should be submitted no more than 180 days after program completion.

You cannot apply for a post-graduation work permit after switching to a visitor record.

Staying permanently

If you wish to stay in Canada permanently, you may be eligible to apply for one of the following:

If you’re planning on continuing your studies

You may consider pursuing Graduate studies after completion of your program at TRU.

Graduate studies at TRU

TRU offers a wide range of Master’s Degrees and other graduate studies. Master’s Degrees include:

For more information on our graduate programs, please visit our program page.

Graduate studies at other institutions

If you are looking into other institutions for your graduate studies, in Canada or abroad, here are a few helpful links: