Program not matching previous studies - visa rejection?

[Essie]

Hi everyone!

I need your advice. I intend to apply to college in Toronto for a program starting in September 2017. I've done some research and apparently one of the most common reasons for visa rejection is when the chosen program does not match your previous education/work experience. Well, I have a bachelor degree from History and for a while I've wanted to completely change the field and move onto information technology. I have a keen interest in the field and I've been doing quite a lot of self-study but I have nothing to show for that and my work experience is mostly in administration.

I'm not gonna lie, I do like to prospect of potentially being able to stay in Canada permanently. I lived in Toronto for a year as a part of working holiday program and I absolutely loved it and made tons of friends there. However I do genuinely want to continue my education in a field that I enjoy and which can give me some actual job prospects. So I guess my question is. If I choose, say, web development as my program, how likely it is that my visa application gets rejected on that basis?

It just seems a bit counter productive not to allow potential students to pursue a different career path. I guess I could try for a completely different program but I can't really think of anything that relates to my degree in History (and I wouldn't be able to afford a university tuition for a M.A. in Liberal Arts for example). And anyway, that's my whole point, if it turns out I won't be able to stay longer in Canada after I graduate, at least I want to know that I spent my time and money on something that will have some practical use to me so I don't really want to compromise on my program choice.

Is there any solution that you can think of?

Thanks a lot!

 

[harvijay1001]

It's not always a rejection. Sometimes people get approval but that's dependent on their ability to convince the visa officer too.

Also depends on what country you're from. If you're from a high immigration risk country, you'll probably get a visa rejection for mismatched studies

 

[Essie]

Hmm, interesting. I'm from Poland, is it considered a high immigration risk country?

 

[harvijay1001]

Nah! Go ahead and enjoy your white privilege

Just make sure you submit a well thought out plan which explains why you wanna make this career change, why you want to study IT from Canada and not from Poland, and how it will help you when you get back to Poland.

 

[Essie]

Whew! That's good to hear, I was quite worried! Thanks a lot for your help! I'll make sure to prepare a good study plan!

 

[Farko]

If u choose a program that don't rel to ur first
Degree ur chances are 1%, while rejection chance is 99%
Wat u should do is apply with a course that
Relate to ur first degree, once u get a visa
U can always chan program when u arrive canada
Don't be deceived into bee refused bcos of wat u want
It not about u when applying for a visa
It's about the visa officer

 

[J5M]

Hi,

If u choose a program that don't rel to ur first
Degree ur chances are 1%, while rejection chance is 99%
Wat u should do is apply with a course that
Relate to ur first degree, once u get a visa
U can always chan program when u arrive canada
Don't be deceived into bee refused bcos of wat u want
It not about u when applying for a visa
It's about the visa officer

So with your logic, all MBA students in Canada got visa by mistake. Almost all of them have UG degrees in different field of studies. There are close to 40 business schools in Canada.

 

[J5M]

Hi,

Hi everyone!

I need your advice. I intend to apply to college in Toronto for a program starting in September 2017. I've done some research and apparently one of the most common reasons for visa rejection is when the chosen program does not match your previous education/work experience. Well, I have a bachelor degree from History and for a while I've wanted to completely change the field and move onto information technology. I have a keen interest in the field and I've been doing quite a lot of self-study but I have nothing to show for that and my work experience is mostly in administration.

I'm not gonna lie, I do like to prospect of potentially being able to stay in Canada permanently. I lived in Toronto for a year as a part of working holiday program and I absolutely loved it and made tons of friends there. However I do genuinely want to continue my education in a field that I enjoy and which can give me some actual job prospects. So I guess my question is. If I choose, say, web development as my program, how likely it is that my visa application gets rejected on that basis?

It just seems a bit counter productive not to allow potential students to pursue a different career path. I guess I could try for a completely different program but I can't really think of anything that relates to my degree in History (and I wouldn't be able to afford a university tuition for a M.A. in Liberal Arts for example). And anyway, that's my whole point, if it turns out I won't be able to stay longer in Canada after I graduate, at least I want to know that I spent my time and money on something that will have some practical use to me so I don't really want to compromise on my program choice.

Is there any solution that you can think of?

Thanks a lot!

Not sure which school (I mean a good school) will give you admission in IT with your background in History.

 

[Farko]

I said u got 1% chance
Atleast I said u still had a chance
But 1% remember
More over MBA anyone can go for MBA
It's business
But 99% chances of rejection
I speak from experience if u care to know

 

[harvijay1001]

It's not that everyone who does an MBA gets a visa.

If you go for any program at an institute where the standard of admission is high, then you won't get a course mismatch rejection is almost all cases, because the embassy understands that the university has filtered out and selected the best possible candidates already

Sadly, that's not the case with almost all colleges and some "universities".

Try getting a visa for an MBA where GMAT is non-essential, your chances become slim.

 

[Essie]

Hi,



Not sure which school (I mean a good school) will give you admission in IT with your background in History.

Well, seeing as most colleges accept high school transcripts I don't see how having a degree in something completely different would be an issue? I did take the relevant subjects in high school. I'm aware that this might not be enough but that is a separate issue.

If u choose a program that don't rel to ur first
Degree ur chances are 1%, while rejection chance is 99%
Wat u should do is apply with a course that
Relate to ur first degree, once u get a visa
U can always chan program when u arrive canada
Don't be deceived into bee refused bcos of wat u want
It not about u when applying for a visa
It's about the visa officer

Well, I can't think of any college program that directly relates to my degree so no matter what I choose there is going to be a mismatch. And how does changing a program works exactly? I assume you can only do it if there are some spots left in the chosen program and there is still no guarantee that you get accepted? That's too much of a gamble and I don't think I'm THAT desperate to get to the country.

Still, I don't really understand the logic behind it. You are meant to prove how what you choose to study is going to help your career when you move back to your home country. I fail to see how the visa officer would be more convinced that I didn't apply to college in Canada just for the PGWP if I choose to pay some ridiculous amount of money just so I can continue my education in a completely impractical field which I could study literally anywhere.

 

[zatoichi]

Did your visa application got accepted?

 

[ankitnimesh]

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