Five common reasons that your study permit may be rejected

Study permit refusals have been rising this year. 

To reduce the risk of refusal, you’ll want to ensure that your application clearly demonstrates that you meet the criteria. 

A well-put-together application can make the difference between an officer ruling in your favour, or refusing your application. 

CIC News has partnered with an experienced immigration lawyer to explain some of the most common reasons that study permit applications get refused. Ensure that you avoid these pitfalls in order to maximize your chances of success.

What are the top reasons that study permit applications to Canada get refused? 

1. Insufficient or inadequate proof of funds 
Your study permit application may be rejected if you: 

• don’t have the necessary funds; or 
• have the required funds, but fail to provide adequate proof of those funds. 

IRCC requires study permit applicants to show that they have enough funds to support themselves while in Canada, in addition to paying for travel and tuition. 

The amount of funds you (as a single applicant, studying outside of Quebec) will need in 2024— on top of travel and tuition costs—is $20,635 CAD, representing 75% of the Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO). According to the size of your family, the funds you are required to present may change. These fund requirements are set to rise annually. 

2. Lack of ties to the home country 
You must also satisfy the immigration officer that you will leave Canada after completing your studies.

Generally, you will demonstrate this by showing that you have sufficient ties to your home country, such that you are likely to return, and not to stay in Canada beyond the validity of your temporary resident status. 

To this end, the immigration officer will assess your ties to Canada and your ties to your home country. 

In addition to assessing ties, IRCC officers will also consider general economic and political factors that may impact your ability or motivation to return to your home country. 

These could include your financial ability (airplane ticket, money, or a statement of bank assets), and/or legal ability (passport, travel document, and/or visa) to return home.

3. Weak or absent letter of explanation 
You can include a letter of explanation as one of the supporting documents in your study permit application.

In this letter, you can describe your goals and motivations in choosing your school and program, and more broadly in choosing Canada as a study destination. 

You don’t have to include this letter, but IRCC recommends including it, because a well-crafted letter of explanation can help the immigration officer better understand your motivations and aspirations for studying in Canada.

4. Incomplete application / Missing documents 
If your application is incomplete, IRCC officials will not process it. They’ll return the application to you, with a written request for the missing information. 

Your application can also be returned if you fail to pay the necessary fees. 

The below table breaks down the minimum needed documents and information for a study permit application. Note that these may vary, and additional documentation may be required/requested based on each applicant’s situation.

5. Schools not validating letters of admission 
As of December 1, 2023, new international students must now have their letter of admission (LOAs) to a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) validated by the school, to proceed with a study permit application. This step is done after international students submit their study permit application. 

As part of this process, DLIs will have 10 calendar days to validate letters of admission in IRCC’s online portal (deadlines are shown to schools for each individual applicant who has received an LOA, in IRCC’s online portal). 

If the LOA is not validated within that timeframe, IRCC will mark the application as incomplete, and return it to the applicant along with processing fees. 

Note that verification must be done before midnight on the date indicated on the portal, according to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). For example, if the deadline for an LOA to be validated is November 1, the verification process must be complete by 11:59:59 p.m. on October 31 (UTC). 

How can students ensure that their LOAs are validated by their schools? 
Ensure that you begin to follow up with your selected DLI as soon as you submit your completed study permit application. Although DLIs will likely be mindful of the timeline to verify an LOA, doing regular check-ups on the process can help ensure that all necessary steps are followed in the allotted time frame.

Source: https://www.cicnews.com/2024/11/five-common-reasons-that-your-study-permit-may-be-rejected-1148832.html#gs.irqtwd