Letter of Acceptance - LOA Canada. Requirements and Exemptions

Letter of Acceptance - LOA Canada

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Every student/applicant needs to present to the assessing officer, an original letter of acceptance from their Designated Learning Institute (DLI) that they will be attending the specified course at that DLI for the stipulated duration of the course.

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For the purposes of a study permit application, a Letter of Acceptance must include the following mandatory information: 

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• The student’s full name, date of birth, and mailing address

• Institution's name and contact information - including telephone number, fax number, email address and website

• Institution's Designated Learning number (DLI number)

• Type of institution (e.g., private or public, and, if not a university, if it is publicly funded, a description of the type of institution, such as whether it is a post-secondary college, post-secondary community college, or post-secondary technical college)

• The student's accepted level and year of study, as well as the field or program of study

• The (estimated) length of time or date the course will be completed, the start date of the chosen course of study, and the final day a student can register for a chosen course

• Course type: Full-time of part time. The details of a required internship or work placement for course completion.

• Course fee (including tuition fee) - scholarships and other financial aid (if applicable);

• Letter of acceptance validity date (the last date until which the letter of acceptance is valid);

• any conditions related to the acceptance or registration, such as academic prerequisites, completion of a previous degree, proof of language competence, etc.;

• clear identification of the educational institution, normally confirmed through its letterhead;

• for study in Quebec, the requirement of a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ); and

• where applicable, licensing information for private institutions normally confirmed through letterhead.

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Click here for the IRCC's recommended template for an LOA.

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Letter of acceptance exemptions [R219(2)]

 

A foreign national is exempt from the letter of acceptance requirement in the following situation:

• If a foreign national obtains written approval for a temporary work or study permit prior to entering Canada, his or her family members may apply for a study permit without submitting an Acceptance Letter.

• Students who wish to enroll in a study program with a duration of six months or less do not require a Letter of Acceptance. Such students do not need a study permit for Canada either.

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Conditional Letter of Acceptance

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An institution may provide a conditional letter of acceptance, offering the foreign national acceptance to the program under the condition that they first complete the necessary courses, if admission into a particular program requires completion of prerequisite courses. For instance, a foreign national may be permitted to enroll in a Bachelor's degree program after successfully completing an ESL (English as a Secondary Language) or an FSL (French as a Secondary Language) course. The immigration officer will only grant a study permit for the duration of the preparatory course when passing it is a requirement for admission to the program.

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Students who successfully complete their prerequisite program will then need to apply for a new study permit and demonstrate they have completed the admission requirements.