The letter of acceptance: what it must show, and how to prove it is real

The letter of acceptance is the document the whole study plan rests on. Without one from a designated learning institution there is no study permit application to make. With a false one there is something worse: a misrepresentation finding, a refusal, and a bar on coming to Canada.

This is not theoretical. Fake acceptance letters have caused enough harm to international students that Canada built a verification system to catch them, and IRCC publishes a fraud page aimed at people in exactly your position.

What a letter of acceptance is

It is the school's written confirmation that it has admitted you to a specific programme. IRCC's description is one line: "Your school will give you a letter of acceptance." The school issues it. Not a recruiter, not an agent, not a portal.

IRCC asks you to upload it in the letter of acceptance space of the online application specifically, and warns that anything else attached there is treated as consent to disclose those documents to your school.

What the letter has to show

IRCC's application guide sets a minimum. The letter must be "issued by the Canadian institution (e.g. school district, University, etc.) on official letterhead, show the exact amount of tuition fees you are required to pay, the anticipated starting and finishing dates and the date by which you need to register".

So four elements are not optional: the institution's own letterhead, the tuition figure, the start and finish dates, and your registration deadline. A genuine letter also carries your legal name as it appears in your passport, the programme, the campus, and the DLI number. Check that number against the canada.ca list yourself, for the campus you will attend. If it does not match, do not use the letter.

• Your name exactly as it appears in your passport, including spelling and order.
• The institution's name, campus and DLI number, matching the canada.ca list.
• The programme, the credential it leads to, and the level of study.
• Start date, expected completion date, and your registration deadline.
• The tuition you must pay, which you check against the institution's own fees page.
• Any conditions, stated explicitly, with the date and format for satisfying them.
• Institutional contact details, used only after verifying them independently.

Conditional and unconditional offers

Most offers made before you finish your current studies are conditional. The University of Toronto states that most of its admission decisions are based on interim marks, so the majority of its offers are typically conditional on achieving acceptable final standing. That is normal, not a sign of anything wrong.

A conditional offer is a real offer with a live requirement attached. What matters is whether you can read the condition precisely: what has to be achieved or produced, by when, and in what form. Academic conditions are usually cleared by final official transcripts sent directly by your school, and the University of Toronto states that a transcript you upload yourself is not official and will not satisfy a condition.

Whether a particular conditional letter is enough for a study permit application is a question for the institution and your own file, not something to infer from a forum post. What is certain is that IRCC requires a letter of acceptance from a DLI, and in most cases an attestation letter, which usually requires you to have accepted your offer and paid tuition in part or in full.

How IRCC verifies your offer

Your letter is not taken on trust. Post-secondary designated learning institutions must use the IRCC Portal to verify the letters of acceptance or enrolment submitted for all post-secondary study permit applications. IRCC calls the requirement regulatory, and says it "helps protect vulnerable students and preserve the integrity of the International Student Program".

It has teeth on the school's side. A post-secondary DLI failing to comply "may be subject to consequences for non-compliance, such as a warning or a suspension period of up to one year".

There is a consequence on your side too. IRCC states that if your school does not respond by the deadline, it will return your application and refund the fee. A school that cannot or will not confirm your letter does not merely cause a delay. It ends that application, and IRCC learns the truth from the school rather than from you.

How to verify your offer yourself

Do this before you pay anything, and do it yourself rather than asking whoever supplied it.

1. Open the DLI list on canada.ca, find the institution and exact campus, and confirm the DLI number on the letter matches.
2. Reach the institution's official website by searching independently, not by clicking a link in the letter, and find the admissions contact details there.
3. Log in to the institution's applicant portal with credentials it sent you, and confirm the offer appears there.
4. Ask admissions, using those details, to confirm the offer, programme, dates and student number.
5. Check the tuition figure against the institution's own fees page.
6. Check the institution against the provincial registry: degree granting authority, or career college registration and programme approval.
7. Pay tuition and deposits directly to the institution through its own payment channel. IRCC's advice is flat: "Always pay tuition fees directly to the school."

IRCC also describes what a real admission process looks like, which is a test in itself: "A DLI or recognised institution will assess your language and academic abilities, confirm your identity and request transcripts, reference letters or proof of residence before providing any admission documents." An offer that arrived without any of that is not an offer.

Who to trust with your application

You may apply yourself or use a representative. IRCC requires that any representative be declared on your application, even an unpaid one, and states that failing to declare information is considered lying and may result in refusal.

A paid representative must be authorised by a governing body in Canada. IRCC names the categories: lawyers, paralegals, Quebec notaries, and a consultant registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. Anyone charging fees who is not authorised is what IRCC calls an unauthorised practitioner, often styled visa agent, immigration agent or visa fixer.

IRCC is direct: "Unauthorized representatives often use fake documents," and no one can guarantee a permit will be issued. The consequences fall on you. IRCC states that false or misleading information could result in refusal and a bar on entering Canada for up to 5 years, and that a person already in Canada may be removed.

So check the registration of anyone you pay, keep a written contract and receipts, never sign a blank form, and be present when your application is submitted through the Government of Canada's online system.

If the offer is withdrawn or the programme changes

Offers are not unconditional promises. An offer can be withdrawn if a condition is not cleared, and a programme can be cancelled or rescheduled. Ask immediately, in writing, whether the institution will issue a revised letter of acceptance for a different programme or intake, and what happens to anything you have paid.

Two situations carry specific immigration consequences. If you deferred your start and the school that issued your letter loses its designated status before you begin, IRCC says you cannot start there and will be asked for a new letter from a different DLI. And if you are in Canada and change to a different post-secondary DLI, IRCC requires you to apply to extend your study permit before starting there. Treating an offer change as purely an admissions matter is how people end up studying without valid authorisation.

What must a letter of acceptance contain?

IRCC requires that it be issued by the Canadian institution on official letterhead and show the exact tuition you must pay, the anticipated starting and finishing dates, and your registration deadline. A genuine letter also names you as your passport does, and names the institution, campus, programme and DLI number.

Is a conditional offer a real offer?

Yes. Most offers to applicants still studying are conditional on final results, because decisions are commonly made on interim marks. What matters is that you can read exactly what the condition is, the deadline, and the required evidence. Academic conditions are usually cleared by final official transcripts from your school.

How does IRCC check that my letter of acceptance is genuine?

Post-secondary designated learning institutions must verify letters of acceptance and letters of enrolment through the IRCC Portal for all post-secondary study permit applications. IRCC adds that if your school does not respond by the deadline, your application will be returned and the fee refunded.

An agent offered to obtain an acceptance letter for me for a fee. Is that normal?

No, and IRCC lists it as a warning sign of fraud. A designated or recognised institution assesses your language and academic ability, confirms your identity and asks for transcripts, reference letters or proof of residence before issuing admission documents. Have it send the letter directly to you.

What if I submitted a fake letter without knowing it was fake?

You are responsible for what is in your application whoever prepared it. IRCC states that false or misleading information could result in refusal and a bar on entering Canada for up to 5 years, and that someone already in Canada may be removed. Get advice from an authorised representative first.

My school withdrew my offer after I applied for a study permit. What now?

Contact the institution in writing about a revised offer or a refund, and treat the permit side as separate and urgent, because the application rests on a letter that no longer reflects reality. If you are in Canada and moving to another post-secondary DLI, you must apply to extend your study permit first.

If you are not certain the offer in front of you is genuine, or an agent has asked for money for an acceptance letter, get it checked before you pay or file. Book a consultation

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