In order to apply for your study permit in Canada, you need an admission permit or an LOA (Letter of Acceptance from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI).
In this article, I will walk you through everything you need to know about LOA.
What is a LOA (Letter of Acceptance)?
A Letter of Acceptance (LOA) is an official confirmation sent by a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) announcing that you can come to Canada as a student and pursue a study program mentioned in the letter. As an aspiring study abroad student, you need to undergo a rigorous screening and admission processes in order to get the LOA from a Canadian University.
What all a Letter of Acceptance from a Canadian DLI include?
Your Letter of Acceptance includes the following information:
- Your full name and date of birth.
- Your student ID number.
- If your DLI is based in Quebec, it includes your Certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) details.
- Your mailing address in your current country of residence.
- The educational institution’s information — full name, DLI number, address, contact information, and whether it’s a public or private institution.
- Details about the program include whether the course is full-time or part-time, hours of instruction per week, internship or co-op work requirement.
- Estimated tuition fees for the first year of study, and whether you’ve paid these in advance.
- Any scholarship, teaching assistantship, or other financial aid.
- Conditions of acceptance, if any.
- Program duration.
- Your Letter of Acceptance’s expiry date.
- Other relevant information.
- Name and signature of the institution’s representative.
How to get a Letter of Acceptance
You need to apply for a relevant study abroad program at a Designated Learning institution of your choice to get a Letter of Acceptance.
Here are the key steps for getting:
Apply to a Canadian university or college of your choice
Based on the study program you’re interested in, list down DLIs you’re likely to qualify for. Keep track of all the relevant timelines and prepare your application and all the required documents in advance.
Hiring a study abroad consultant at this time could be of huge help as they can help you prepare everything and make sure there are no loose ends. Some DLIs may also ask for a Statement of Purpose (SOP) and will require you to appear for an English language test (IELTS or CELPIP) and fetch a minimum score.
Please Note: Most DLIs charge a non-refundable application fee that ranges between $50 CAD to $500 CAD, so try applying to the Universities you are most likely to qualify for.
Secure admission and get an LOA
Once your application is accepted by the college or the University, you will receive an intimation about the same and you will get a few days to pay the first year’s fee, including tuition, accommodation and non-tuition fees, upfront. Only after you have completed this step, will you get your Letter of Acceptance.
Please Note: If you are planning to apply for a study permit through the Student Direct Stream (SDS), you must have a GIC ( Guaranteed Investment Certificate) and must proof that you paid tuition for your first year of study.
How long does it take to get an acceptance letter?
This depends upon the University or the study program you have applied for. Most Canadian schools take at least four to six weeks to determine whether you are a good fit or not.
What to do after you get an LOA
Once you receive your LOA, it is time to file your study permit application as your LOA is valid for a limited time. In order to apply for your study permit online, you will have to upload a scanned copy of your LOA. For paper-based applications, you must submit the original LOA.
Try preparing everything for your study permit application in advance to avoid any unavoidable delays in your study permit application. These are the documents you can collect:
- Proof of financial support: You can show proof of funds in the form of a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) ( Read all about GIC here)
- Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ): If you’re accepted into a school in Quebec, you will need a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) once you receive an LOA.
- Statement of Purpose: Also called Letter of explanation to help a visa officer understand why you wish to study in Canada.
- Police certificate and medical exam results: To show that you’re not inadmissible to Canada.
The processing time of study permit is usually 12 weeks excluding the time needed to submit your biometrics.
What is a conditional Letter of Acceptance?
In some cases, your Letter of Acceptance may be conditional, that is you will have to fulfil certain requirements for the LOA to be valid. For example, if you were accepted into a graduate program while awaiting results for an undergraduate program in your home country, your LOA will be conditional on the successful completion of your undergraduate program or scoring a minimum grade point average (GPA).
Who doesn’t need a Letter of Acceptance for a study permit in Canada?
There are two notable exceptions for this.
- If your spouse or partner is already approved for a study or work permit in Canada.
- If your study program is shorter than six months.
Does having an LOA guarantee a study permit?
An LOA is one of the essential but not the only documents required for your study permit application and therefore, it cannot guarantee a study permit.
The IRCC may still reject your study permit application if:
- You are unable to show sufficient proof of funds.
- You are unable to convince a visa officer you’ll leave Canada after completing your studies.
- You fail to fulfil any conditions listed on your LOA.
- Your chosen study program is not in sync with your past academic or work experience.
- You lie or give incomplete information on your study permit application.
- You are ineligible for entry due to health, security, or criminality reasons.
Do you need an LOA to extend your study permit?
As an international student, you may want to extend your study permit. For that, you typically do not need another Letter of Acceptance however, you must apply for extension 30 days before your study permit expires.
Read more about Letter of Acceptance (LOA) here
Who can help you?
Keel’s team of expert Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) has helped many people work and study in Canada. If you also want to immigrate to Canada to study, Keel provides you with the best, fastest, and most transparent study abroad application filing tech platform.
Our streamlined immigration services will take care of your entire study abroad process from the day you decide to change your life until living your dream life in Canada.
Schedule your call today, and let’s make your Canada dream a reality.
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