Study permit refused.
It is usually about one thing.

The question behind most refusals

A study permit is a temporary status. However genuine your intention to study, the officer must be satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorised stay. A great deal of study permit refusal reasoning traces back to that single test.

Common reasons cited

• Purpose of study — the program does not appear consistent with your education or career history
• Financial capacity — insufficient or unclear evidence of funds for tuition and living costs
• Ties to your home country — the officer is not satisfied you have reason to return
• Travel history — limited previous travel, or previous refusals
• Documentation concerns — inconsistencies, or documents the officer could not verify

Requirements change — verify before you rely on anything

Study permit requirements have been subject to significant policy change in recent years, including provincial attestation requirements and caps on application intake. Anything you read online, including this page, may be out of date by the time you read it. Confirm current requirements on the IRCC website, or ask me to check for your specific situation.

Before you reapply

Reapplying with the same file rarely works. The steps that do work:

• Read the refusal letter and identify precisely which factors were cited
• Order GCMS notes where the letter is vague — for study permits they are often revealing
• Address the specific concern with new evidence, not new adjectives
• Make sure your letter of explanation actually explains the study plan's logic
• Check whether your circumstances have changed enough to make reapplication sensible at all

An honest word

Some refused study permit cases are worth reapplying for. Some are not, at least not yet — and being told that straight, before you spend money, is more useful than encouragement. I will tell you which one I think yours is.