Colombian wanting to study in Canada

[canadacolombo]

Hi,

I've searched and read many posts but still couldn't find a concrete answer to my query so here goes:

My Colombian girlfriend is planning to come to Canada to do a Master's degree, but first she needs to pass the TOEFl or IELTS, so she's first planning to take some exam preparation course at a recognized English Language Institute in Canada, then apply to the Master's program.

My question is:

Are her chances good of getting the Study Permit to study English with the intent of entering a Master's program without any University offer of acceptance?
Obviously she will show that she has been accepted to the English Language Institute for the prep course and a letter explaining her intent to apply to the University after hopefully passing the TOEFL/IELTS exam, as well as proof of funds. But is that enough?

She has visited Canada in the past with a TRV. She was refused her first TRV, but the second time was approved. She works full-time now but will have to quit her job in Colombia. She doesn't live with her family either, so there is little tying her to her country at the moment.
We are thinking of getting a letter from her employer in Colombia saying that they support her plans to get a Master's degree and return to work there in the future. Would that be enough?

Obviously a letter of acceptance from the University based on the condition of passing one of the English Language Exams would be great, but not sure they will give that to her. Have other people had luck getting such a conditional offer of acceptance? At McMaster University?

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

[canadacolombo]

Also, she plans to stay at my parents house in Vancouver, to save on rent. We will include a letter from my parents inviting her to stay there while she takes the English Language class.
They did the same thing when she came to visit on a TRV and it was fine.

The financial support is therefore from herself, her parents, and my parents. Is that ok?

Once hopefully accepted at McMaster, she will move to Hamilton and apply for scholarships and a part-time job on/off campus, and sustain herself, with some help from her parents.

This is all true of course, but is it convincing enough to get a Study Permit? Or does she need to provide some other evidence? Should I be mentioned in her application at all as her boyfriend?

 

[scylla]

I think she has a low chances of being approved for a study visa for the English course. She would be better off completing IELTS in Colombia and then apply for a study visa to Canada once she is ready to start her Masters. Applying for a study visa just to take an English language prep course in Canada might be perceived as just trying to get to Canada rather than being a genuine student.

 

[canadacolombo]

I just realized that the program at McMaster only accepts TOEFL.

In any event, the exam prep courses in Colombia cost the same as the ones in Canada, and are at an obvious disadvantage in that they are not taught by native English speakers and also you are not in a native English speaking environment, as you would be in Canada.

I think these are fairly strong reasons to want to study English and prepare for the TOEFL inside Canada rather than Colombia. But my opinion is worthless compared to the reasoning of Canadian visa officials of course. So based on experience, you still suggest that her chances are poor in getting a Study Permit to study English with the objective of entering a Master's program at McMaster?

 

[scylla]

How long is the TOEFL program?

 

[canadacolombo]

TOEFL prep is about 3 months, full-time study.

Another option is to just apply for another TRV, and then I could eventually sponsor her and once she gets "AIP" she could get a study permit as well, from what i understand, once she's accepted to McMaster.

 

[canadacolombo]

perhaps i should move this post to another section of the forum? Any suggestions as to which one?