International Student Guide to Montreal: Everything for Your First Month
Montreal hosts more university students per capita than any other major North American city, and a large share come from abroad — France, North Africa, China, India, Latin America, Iran, and dozens more. That makes arriving here easier than most cities: the systems are used to you. But Quebec runs on its own rules, separate from the rest of Canada, and the gaps between what you expect and what's actually required cause most of the first-month stress. Here is the complete arrival guide.
Start with the one that unlocks everything else: housing. Coliville rents furnished rooms from C$160/week with no Canadian credit history and no guarantor — the wall most international students hit.
Before You Fly
Documents to carry (never in checked luggage):
- Passport + study permit approval letter (the port-of-entry letter — your actual permit is issued at the airport)
- CAQ (Certificat d'acceptation du Québec) — Quebec-specific, required in addition to the federal permit. If you don't have it, you have a problem; sort it before flying.
- University acceptance letter
- Proof of funds
- Vaccination records
- Accommodation confirmation
Book housing before departure. An address unlocks your bank account, phone plan, and health registration. Landing without one delays everything by weeks. If you're still searching in late August, our last-minute student housing guide covers what's realistically available.
At the Airport
Your study permit is issued at the border, not before. At Trudeau (YUL):
- Present passport, port-of-entry letter, CAQ, acceptance letter
- The officer issues your study permit — check the conditions and dates printed on it before you walk away
- Keep it safe; you'll need it constantly
From YUL, the 747 bus runs to downtown 24/7 for the price of a transit fare. Taxi/Uber runs $45–$55 flat to downtown.
Week One: The Setup Chain
The order matters, because each step unlocks the next.
1. SIN (Social Insurance Number) — free, from Service Canada, usually issued the same visit in person. Required to work legally, and your bank will ask for it.
2. Bank account — Desjardins is the Quebec institution and often the smoothest; the big five (RBC, TD, Scotia, BMO, CIBC) all run newcomer packages with fees waived for the first year. Bring passport, study permit, proof of address.
3. Health coverage — this one is Quebec-specific and gets missed.
- Students from countries with a social security agreement with Quebec (France, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and others) can register for RAMQ — Quebec public health insurance — free.
- Everyone else is enrolled in their university's mandatory private plan (roughly $1,000/year, usually billed with tuition).
- Check which applies to you in your first week. Being uninsured in Canada is expensive.
4. Phone — Fizz (Quebec-based) and Public Mobile are the budget options at $25–$40/month. Prepaid first; postpaid once you have a bank account.
5. OPUS card — the transit card. $58.75/month student rate if you're under 25 (you'll need a photo OPUS card, obtainable at designated metro stations with proof of enrolment). Regular rate is $102.50.
Full sequencing and timing in our moving to Montreal checklist.
Working While Studying
Study permit holders can generally work up to 24 hours per week off-campus during academic sessions, and full-time during scheduled breaks — but the rules have changed more than once in recent years and vary by permit conditions. Read the conditions printed on your own permit and check current IRCC guidance rather than relying on what a friend told you last year.
You need a SIN to work legally. On-campus work has separate (usually more permissive) rules.
Housing Without Canadian Credit
This is the single biggest practical obstacle for international students, and it catches almost everyone.
Private landlords want a Canadian credit check. You've been in the country six days. To an automated screen, "no credit file" looks identical to "bad credit."
Your options:
- Proof of funds — bank statements showing several months of rent available. Your strongest document with a human landlord.
- Your acceptance letter — establishes why you're here.
- A Canadian guarantor — if you happen to have one. Most don't.
- A provider that doesn't require it — Coliville underwrites on your actual situation, not a score you haven't had time to build.
And the trap most people miss: Hydro-Québec and internet providers run their own credit checks and can demand deposits from customers with no file. You can secure the apartment and still fight for electricity. All-inclusive housing removes that entirely. Full detail in our no-credit renting guide.
One rule that will save you money: in Quebec, security deposits are illegal. Only the first month's rent may be collected in advance. Anyone demanding a deposit is scamming you — and international students are the primary target. See our rental scams guide.
The Language Question
You can study in English at McGill and Concordia and live in English in central neighbourhoods. But Quebec is French-speaking, Bill 96 has strengthened French-language requirements, and daily life is materially better with some French. Free Francisation courses are available through the Quebec government for many student categories — worth checking your eligibility in your first month.
Nobody expects fluency on arrival. Effort is noticed.
Monthly Budget
| Line | Cost |
|---|---|
| Furnished all-inclusive room | $693–$888 |
| Groceries | $280–$350 |
| OPUS student pass | $59 |
| Phone | $30–$40 |
| Books & supplies | $50–$100 |
| Fun | $150–$250 |
| Total | ~$1,300–$1,700 |
Plus $300–$500 one-time for winter gear — non-negotiable, and buy it in September–October, not December. Our winter guide explains why.
University-Specific Housing Guides
- McGill — downtown, Milton-Parc
- Concordia — two campuses, SGW and Loyola
- UdeM and UQAM — francophone, Côte-des-Neiges and Quartier Latin
FAQ
Do I need a CAQ as well as a study permit? Yes — Quebec requires its own certificate in addition to the federal study permit. Both, not either.
Can international students get RAMQ? Only if your country has a social security agreement with Quebec. Otherwise you're on your university's mandatory private plan.
How many hours can I work? Generally up to 24 hours/week off-campus during sessions, but verify against your permit conditions and current IRCC rules.
Can I rent without Canadian credit history? With most private landlords, only with a guarantor or heavy proof of funds. Coliville doesn't require it.
Is Montreal safe? Yes — one of the safest large cities in North America. Normal urban awareness is enough.
The Bottom Line
Montreal is genuinely one of the easiest cities in the world to arrive in as an international student — but Quebec's rules are its own. Get the CAQ before you fly, book housing before you land, sort SIN → bank → health coverage in week one, and never pay a rental deposit because they're illegal here. Do that and the rest of the year is yours.
Landing soon? Apply at Coliville — furnished rooms from C$160/week, all-inclusive, no Canadian credit, no guarantor, no deposit.