Student Visa Questions - proof of funds

[SandraRotaru]

Hello,

I have been accepted to Algonquin and pending acceptance from Carleton University. I have a few concerns
1. Tuition - Do we need to pay both school years before applying for the student visa? If not, is there a minimum limit out of our tuition fee that needs to be paid beforehand? I don't want to pay everything up front and get rejected by the visa office (although i guess i could retract my school application and get my tuition money back- or at least some of it)
2. School type - Would a master's program give me more of a chance than a generic 2 year diploma?
3. Proof of funds - Could my special someone (Canadian citizen) sponsor me? e has more than enough money and I obviously will be quitting my job here so no more funds to show.
4. Since I will have a job no longer and I have no property to my name (living in rent now) will this be a liability - visa wise? Will they think I am not coming back after school? It's an often used reason to say 'no' as far as I know.


Profile / background: master degree in telecommunications + 2 years working experience. The truth is I am going there for school to get PGWP and immigrate after some decent work experience IN Canada (applying for PNP or just experience class after i have worked). All this because it seems impossible to find a job offer from here in order to apply as a skilled worker.

Thanks,
Sandra

 

[NemesisBR]

1. Tuition - Do we need to pay both school years before applying for the student visa? If not, is there a minimum limit out of our tuition fee that needs to be paid beforehand? I don't want to pay everything up front and get rejected by the visa office (although i guess i could retract my school application and get my tuition money back- or at least some of it)

A: No, you don't need to pay tuition beforehand in order to apply for your visa.
BUT, in some countries you need to pay 1 year beforehand - India for instance.
You need to check that.

2. School type - Would a master's program give me more of a chance than a generic 2 year diploma?

A: No, chances are the same if you get a full time program on a public institute.

3. Proof of funds - Could my special someone (Canadian citizen) sponsor me? e has more than enough money and I obviously will be quitting my job here so no more funds to show.

A: Yes but you need to have some link with this "special someone", I think.
You need a letter from this person along with their passport or ID.

4. Since I will have a job no longer and I have no property to my name (living in rent now) will this be a liability - visa wise? Will they think I am not coming back after school? It's an often used reason to say 'no' as far as I know.

A: If you attach your payroll checks to your financial doc, it would be enough.
But you could add a letter from any of your parents stating that they would help if anything happens - also attaching their passport or ID.

Cheerz

 

[SandraRotaru]

Thanks!

You just gave me a lot of hope. I was afraid a visa officer would look at these as issues.
I will get my boyfriend and my parents to both show bank statements, work letters, and add statement letters from each. Hope it will be enough.

I was thinking of having him give me the money directly but that just seems sketchy, for it to appear on my account like that out of nowhere. I prefer to be honest about everything. and hope and pray.

If I stay here working for 2 more years to put aside money for proof of funds (and just have them sitting in the account), then they would find it weird i am applying for another school program when i am actually done with a masters here already (by that time it would be the 2 years already) - I've heard of cases when they rejected the visa for pause between last course and the one applied

Thanks so much,
Sandra

 

[SandraRotaru]

A: No, you don't need to pay tuition beforehand in order to apply for your visa.
BUT, in some countries you need to pay 1 year beforehand - India for instance.
You need to check that.

A: No, chances are the same if you get a full time program on a public institute.

A: Yes but you need to have some link with this "special someone", I think.
You need a letter from this person along with their passport or ID.

A: If you attach your payroll checks to your financial doc, it would be enough.
But you could add a letter from any of your parents stating that they would help if anything happens - also attaching their passport or ID.

Cheerz

On point 4 - Still, how do I prove I'm coming back? To be honest I don't want to. I want to work (PGWP after school for Canadaian experience). Then, after having worked there, apply through EXP Class in Express entry or OntarioPNP

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Sandra

 

[harvijay1001]

A: No, you don't need to pay tuition beforehand in order to apply for your visa.
BUT, in some countries you need to pay 1 year beforehand - India for instance.
You need to check that.

A: No, chances are the same if you get a full time program on a public institute.

A: Yes but you need to have some link with this "special someone", I think.
You need a letter from this person along with their passport or ID.

A: If you attach your payroll checks to your financial doc, it would be enough.
But you could add a letter from any of your parents stating that they would help if anything happens - also attaching their passport or ID.

Cheerz

You have to pay one year tuition fee before applying for visa? :O is this a rule? Can you please tell me how to verify this?

 

[Bs65]

Thanks!

You just gave me a lot of hope. I was afraid a visa officer would look at these as issues.
I will get my boyfriend and my parents to both show bank statements, work letters, and add statement letters from each. Hope it will be enough.

I was thinking of having him give me the money directly but that just seems sketchy, for it to appear on my account like that out of nowhere. I prefer to be honest about everything. and hope and pray.

If I stay here working for 2 more years to put aside money for proof of funds (and just have them sitting in the account), then they would find it weird i am applying for another school program when i am actually done with a masters here already (by that time it would be the 2 years already) - I've heard of cases when they rejected the visa for pause between last course and the one applied

Thanks so much,
Sandra

i do not see anything about what course you are applying for given as you hopefully are aware cannot
be some random course. In issuing a study permit they look to see if course is relevant to existing qualifications and work experience plus longer term career objectives that the course will supplement.

Colleges and UNIs are not it appears so strict on relevance but CIC are when assessing an application. Could be something to do with the international fees but thats me being cynical.

You generally pay first an admin fee upfront which would be non refundable to process acceptance letter, each place is different, and as you say you already have couple offers. Some institutions then ask for a deposit which is refundable if permit refused and then before course starts usual to pay first year. Some institutions support semester by semester payments but that depends on the institution.

 

[SandraRotaru]

Hi,

So my profile is the follwing:
- Ielts band 8 - writing pulled me down (6.5) the rest around 8
- Master's in engineering - electronics and telecommunications - finished with low-ish grades (as to Carleton standards) - average 6.9 (out of 10) and Bachelors in same field - finished with average 7.3 (out of 10)
- 2 years work exp in telecommunications

Now I got the admission to Algonquin. You can find the course here - http://www.algonquincollege.com/sat/program/computer-systems-technician. The reason I said the program is weird is that it is not another master's so, like you said, the visa officer might ask why another college diploma when u have a degree?
I am pending a response from Carleton for a proper master's course but with no reply so far and it's getting late. I tried contacting them to delay/reconsider it for the winter 2017 term but no response.

I am not worried about paying the tuition at the moment. Algonquin says they only need first year fee by September and probably Carleton will advise me on how to pay it. The problem remains, is it weird that I am being sponsored by someone not blood related?

And third, what about ties to the country? Except for emotional ones, I have none. No property on my name, no work to come back to.

All of this will have to be written down in a letter and explained, but I don't know how to

 

[SandraRotaru]

Bs65, any opinions so far? or anyone else for that matter?
Carleton moved my application to the next step. it's in the hands of the dept of post graduate affairs. I expect a yes or no within 10 days. The visa problems MUST be dealt with by then and I am still unsure of lots of things. any ideas/opinions help

 

[Regina]

As you were told previously applying for 2 year DIPLOMA AFTER you got Masters- is a RED flag to CIC. They do not understand why you would need it after batchelor + masters. So,Carleton is better.

If not, is there a minimum limit out of our tuition fee that needs to be paid beforehand?

You have to show funds enough to pay 1 year tuition+ living expenses ($10 000)- in the FORM, and you have to show (in SOP and papers attached) where from your funds for the second year will come.

Could my special someone (Canadian citizen) sponsor me?

Is this your boyfriend? It WILL BE a problem. he has to write a letter explaining that he takes such a responsibility AND to prove that he has enough money to support himself, you and pay expensive international student tuition fees (a letter from work, bank statement, NOA 2015, payroll stubs etc).
On top of that CIC will suspect you of going to Canada to marry your boyfriend, instead of marrying him first and THEN going to Canada through spouse sponsorship.

About ties in home country. You have non versus a boyfriend in Canada. :

 

[harvijay1001]

Can someone please clarify this point?

If one is from India, is it MANDATORY to pay one year tuition fee in advance?

 

[Regina]

If one is from India, is it MANDATORY to pay one year tuition fee in advance?

it is not mandatory. But if you do not pay the university will state it in its letter of Acceptance (so called a conditional LOA) and VO does not like such a kind of letters. By not paying tuition you increase chances of your SP application to be rejected by VO.

 

[SandraRotaru]

You have to show funds enough to pay 1 year tuition+ living expenses ($10 000)- in the FORM, and you have to show (in SOP and papers attached) where from your funds for the second year will come.

Is this your boyfriend? It WILL BE a problem. he has to write a letter explaining that he takes such a responsibility AND to prove that he has enough money to support himself, you and pay expensive international student tuition fees (a letter from work, bank statement, NOA 2015, payroll stubs etc).
On top of that CIC will suspect you of going to Canada to marry your boyfriend, instead of marrying him first and THEN going to Canada through spouse sponsorship.

About ties in home country. You have non versus a boyfriend in Canada. :

So you're pretty much telling me to drop my plan and marry?
Yeah well I find it weird they prefer marriage first, since I keep hearing how stressing and awkward and weird it is when you apply for that type of sponsorship. Like to them it sounds just as sketchy (people could be as easily suspected of false marriages just to get in). I, for one, would have loads more respect for someone trying to make a life for themselves and integrate into society first. Take things in a decent order, school and a job and prove I can be part of the Canadian system.

Anyway I finally got conditional acceptance letter from Carleton so I'll move things asap, unless you think my plan is a disaster


Thanks for all your prompt and honest responses so far. they mean a lot. Being new to any process is scary and I just don't wanna ruin it

 

[harvijay1001]

So you're pretty much telling me to drop my plan and marry?
Yeah well I find it weird they prefer marriage first, since I keep hearing how stressing and awkward and weird it is when you apply for that type of sponsorship. Like to them it sounds just as sketchy (people could be as easily suspected of false marriages just to get in). I, for one, would have loads more respect for someone trying to make a life for themselves and integrate into society first. Take things in a decent order, school and a job and prove I can be part of the Canadian system.

Anyway I finally got conditional acceptance letter from Carleton so I'll move things asap, unless you think my plan is a disaster


Thanks for all your prompt and honest responses so far. they mean a lot. Being new to any process is scary and I just don't wanna ruin it

Is there no way for you to get a loan for funding yourself?

Even if your boyfriend or parents co-sign for you?

You can always apply for a visa via a loan maybe co-signed by your parents and then one semester into the program you can pre-close the loan or something like that and resume being funded by your boyfriend?

There would be loss of money in the form of bank's charges and stuff but is that not possible?

 

[SandraRotaru]

I shall ask him after work. I am pressed by time now and opening a loan in Canada requires me to be there, right? And opening one here... Well, he needs to be here to Co sign. I can't ask mom
Didn't think of this as we do already have income so I didn't see need for a loan.

I'll talk to him ASAP and see if he can ask his banks about me

 

[harvijay1001]

I shall ask him after work. I am pressed by time now and opening a loan in Canada requires me to be there, right? And opening one here... Well, he needs to be here to Co sign. I can't ask mom
Didn't think of this as we do already have income so I didn't see need for a loan.

I'll talk to him ASAP and see if he can ask his banks about me

Yeah do that. Although it would be better if the support was from a blood relative or someone like that.

Getting a loan is no easy feat either and I will need to figure out my own financial support from a widowed housewife of a mother, a sister who is married and settled in the US, and an aunt who's a US citizen. Any ideas for my situation? Anyone?