Headline

Japa: 7 Common Reasons Application For Canada Student Visa Gets Rejected

Published

1 year ago

July 8, 2024

The dream of studying in Canada is a goal for many international students, but obtaining a student visa can be a challenging hurdle.

Understanding why Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may reject a study permit application is crucial in ensuring your application is successful.

Below are 7 common reasons for student visa rejections and tips on how to avoid them.

Common reasons for Canada student visa rejection:

Not Having a Letter of Acceptance from a DLI

One of the first requirements for a Canadian study permit is securing admission to a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). A DLI is a university or college authorized to accept international students. You must attach your letter of acceptance (LOA) from the DLI to your application. Without this letter or if it’s from an unauthorized institution, your application will be rejected.

Inadequate Proof of Intent to Leave Canada

Visa officers need to be convinced that you will leave Canada after your studies. Highlighting an intention to stay in Canada post-graduation without legal provisions can lead to a rejection. Although extensions and Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP) are available, your initial application should demonstrate a clear intent to return to your home country after your study permit expires.

Unclear Purpose of Visit

If your purpose for studying in Canada isn’t clear or appears insincere, your application can be rejected. A strong statement of purpose explaining why you want to study in Canada and how the program aligns with your career goals is essential. Without it, the visa officer might suspect you intend to work illegally in Canada.

Lack of Financial Security

Proving financial stability is vital. You must provide documentation showing that you have sufficient funds to cover tuition fees for the first year and living expenses throughout your studies. This can include savings, bank loans, or scholarships. For those applying through the Student Direct Stream (SDS), purchasing a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) is mandatory. Failing to demonstrate financial security will result in a rejected application.

Inconsistent or Incomplete Academic Records

Your prior education credentials, transcripts, and mark sheets must be submitted with your student visa application. These documents validate your past degrees or certifications and demonstrate your academic performance. Incomplete documents or inconsistent academic performance can lead to rejection, as the visa officer may doubt the validity of your past academic achievements or your capability as a student.

Low Language Test Score

Proficiency in English (or French if you’re going to study in Quebec or enrol in a French-language program) is an essential qualifying criterion for a study permit. A poor score on an approved language test, such as IELTS, CELPIP, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada, will likely result in your student visa being refused.

Incomplete Documentation

Missing any essential paperwork, submitting incompletely filled out forms, and not providing sufficient reasoning for the purpose of your visit or other gaps in your application can result in your study permit being denied. Aside your LOA, proof of financial support, and proof of identity, you should also include a statement of purpose (also called a letter of explanation) and a Quebec Selection Certificate if you’ll be studying in Quebec. Review the document checklist issued by your local visa office carefully, as applicants from certain countries may have to submit additional paperwork.

Headline

Morocco Jails Student One Year Over Gen Z Protest

Published

19 hours ago

October 17, 2025

Editor

A student arrested during Morocco’s youth-led protests has been sentenced to one year in prison, his lawyer told AFP on Friday.

The case marks the first publicly known prison sentence linked to the kingdom’s Gen Z demonstrations, which have been held near-daily between late September and last week to demand social and political reforms.

The student was charged with “participating in an unauthorised and unarmed gathering” and “insulting the judicial police by providing false information”, lawyer Mohamed Nouini said.

“The ruling is unfair, and we will appeal,” he added, arguing that sit-ins did not require authorisation as per a Supreme Court precedent.

The lawyer said his client was arrested on September 30, three days after the protests erupted in the North African country.

According to a report by news website Hespress, citing another lawyer, the student’s arrest was “an unfortunate coincidence” as he was in Casablanca for a family visit.

The other lawyer, Mohamed Lakhdar, told the judge the student had “not insulted” police nor provided false information, telling them he “was just a student”, according to the report.

Hundreds were arrested during the early days of the largely peaceful demonstrations.

Some cities had seen spates of violence and acts of vandalism, while authorities have said three people were killed by police acting in “self-defence” during clashes in a village near Agadir.

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has said roughly 550 people are facing prosecution on suspicion of joining the protests, with some still in detention.

The organisers of the online-based movement behind the nationwide protests, the GenZ 212 youth collective, remain unknown.

The collective has called for “peaceful sit-ins” on Saturday and demanded the release of those arrested during the demonstrations.

The protest came after the deaths of eight pregnant women during Caesarean sections at a hospital in Agadir.

But protesters have also demanded reforms to the education system and a change of government.
AFP

Headline

Trump Refiles $15bn Defamation Lawsuit Against New York Times

Published

20 hours ago

October 17, 2025

Editor

US President Donald Trump has refiled a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, court documents show, weeks after it was thrown out by a federal judge.

Trump has intensified his long-established hostility toward the media since his return to the White House, and the suit is one of numerous attacks against news organizations he accuses of bias against him.

The Times’ complaint was thrown out in September because District Judge Steven Merryday took exception to its florid writing, repetitive and laudatory praise of Trump, and its excessive 85-page length.

The suit filed Thursday in Florida and seen by AFP runs to less than half the length, at 40 pages.

It takes aim at “false, defamatory, and malicious publications”, highlighting a book and two Times articles.

The lawsuit named the newspaper, three Times reporters and the publisher Penguin Random House as defendants.

It accuses them of making defamatory statements against Trump “with actual malice.”

“The statements in question wrongly defame and disparage President Trump’s hard-earned professional reputation, which he painstakingly built for decades” before entering the White House, the lawsuit says.

The court was asked to grant compensatory damages of not less than $15 billion and additional punitive damages “in an amount to be determined upon trial.”

Trump’s attacks on media outlets have seen him restrict access, badmouth journalists critical of his administration, and bring lawsuits demanding huge amounts of compensation.

In July, Trump sued media magnate Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal for at least $10 billion after it reported on the existence of a book and a letter he allegedly sent to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Paramount settled Trump’s lawsuit over election coverage on CBS News’ flagship show “60 Minutes” for $16 million the same month. He had alleged that the program deceptively edited an interview with his 2024 election rival, Kamala Harris, in her favor.

AFP

Headline

Italian Journalist’s Car Bombed, No Casualties

Published

20 hours ago

October 17, 2025

Editor

A bomb destroyed the vehicle of a prominent Italian journalist overnight, without causing casualties, his investigative television news show announced Friday.

Sigfrido Ranucci’s car blew up in an explosion in Pomezia, near Rome, that also damaged the family’s other car and the house next door, according to Report, which broadcasts on RAI public television.

“The force of the explosion was so strong that it could have killed anyone passing by at the moment,” it said in a statement on X.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni strongly condemned what she called a “serious act of intimidation”.

Inside Kwara Community, Ijara-Isin, Where Residents Have Own ‘Currency’

“The freedom and independence of information are non-negotiable values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend,” she wrote on X.

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said he had ordered an increase in the journalist’s security “to the maximum”.

He called the attack a “cowardly and extremely serious act that represents an attack not only on the person but on the freedom of the press and the fundamental values of our democracy”.

The Report show is known for its in-depth investigative reports.

According to the campaign group Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Italy ranks 49th in the world in terms of press freedom.

“Journalists who investigate organised crime and corruption are systematically threatened and sometimes subjected to physical violence for their investigative work,” it said in its latest update.

About 20 journalists currently live under permanent police protection after being the targets of intimidation and attacks, it added.

AFP