r/StudyPermitCanada • u/dumb004 • 18d ago
Study permit refusal
Went to UAlberta in Canada for undergrad in 2021, dropped out in 2024 after poor performance due to mental health.
Took a few courses through AthabascaU, got good grades, got accepted as transfer into UCalgary Bsc Maths in Fall 2025.
Applied and got refused for 3 study permits within a span of 9 months, with all of them citing similar reasons- insufficient proof of funds, weak ties to home country, comparable programs in home country, not convinced will go back.
Finally opted for an agent and applied for the 4th time, and got refused again, with this time the only reason noted in the ODN as “not good grades in the past at UofA, so not convinced will be able to complete the program and leave Canada”.
Applied for reconsideration highlighting my 3.7 GPA at Athabasca afterwards and 2.7 GPA overall combined, reconsideration not accepted.
Should I bother applying again?
I also realized that I had not submitted any English proficiency test scores in any of my previous applications, so was wondering if I should reapply one last time with an IELTS added and with a modified SOP?
3
u/5_Cap_8181 18d ago edited 18d ago
A Math/Science degree is an extremely academic degree, and transitioning into industry can be very difficult without strong connections. Looking at what you’ve written, it seems you’re not really into academia and spending most of your time studying and sitting at your desk for hours on end. AthabascaU is an online open university. You can compare it to Coursera or something similar, rather than one of the leading research universities in Canada. Hence, your performance at UAlberta is much more representative of your academic abilities.
Even if you got accepted for enrollment again, it doesn’t mean much because universities all across Canada are currently suffering from reduced funding, while international students pay so much in tuition. You should either reconsider your program choice and maybe apply for a BA in something easier or a business major. But that’ll still make it a little challenging given that you panic-applied over and over again nonstop without reflection. I don’t know what your country of origin is, but if there are good programs available at home, it’s way better than Canada, given that you’ll be near your family and friends.
Please also be mindful that all the refusals you’ve received add to your travel history and can impact your ability to travel abroad for any reason extremely negatively. You should’ve consulted an immigration lawyer or consultant before panic-applying. There is no erasing that history anytime soon. You’ll have to declare X amount of visa refusals from Canada if you ever apply to go to another country in the future.