Canada Visa Interview Questions &
Answers
The following are some of the
Canadian student visa interview
questions that the ambassador may
ask:
1. How are you doing?
Tip: You don’t have to be nervous and
answer in a formal way. This question is
basically asked to make you
comfortable.
Fine, Thank you.
2. Have you ever been to Canada
before?
Tip: Though Visa officer has the record
of all your visits to Canada but you
have to tell them the truth. If you have
been there then you should remember
the date of arrival & departure.
Yes I have been to Canada once in
2006 on a tourist Visa.
Or
No, I have not been to Canada so far.
If yes then it is advisable to remember
the date of last arrival and departure
from Canada.
3. Why do you want to study in
canada?
Tip: Visa officer wants to understand
your intentions to go to Canada. As you
are applying for Canada student Visa
so you should only talk about that.
I want to go there to pursue my
Masters degree. Because of the ample
research facilities and global exposure
available there. I will be completely
equipped in terms of practical
exposure, by being in contact with
people from different nations and
working with the best technology.
4. Why did you select this
particular university?
Tip: You should go through the website
and handbook of your university
carefully. Pen down some highlighted
features such as World ranking, the
research facility, the faculty profile,
Alumni profile etc. Visa officer wants to
know the reason behind joining the
particular University.
E.g. I was keen to study in a university
which can give me quality education so
while searching various options I found
that this university has got the best
faculty available in my subject. Even
the research facilities are very good.
Moreover it is listed in the top 50
universities of the world with well
known professionals as its Alumni’s.
5. For which course are you going?
Tip: You should go through the course
content carefully. You should know
everything such as: Duration, Fee,
commencement & end date, Credits
points, curriculum etc about your
course.
I am going for MS in Computer Science
for the Fall 2009 session.
6. Why did you choose this course?
Tip: You should be very clear about
your future plans after doing this
course. Prepare a good statement
mentioning about: How course is
relevant to your previous degree, how
this course adds value to you profile,
why you are interested in doing this
course etc.
This course is related to my previous
studies as I have done my B.Tech
(Computer Science) and I would like to
continue my education in the same
field. Moreover I am quiet interested in
VLSI design and this course includes
various modules related to that.
7. Why don’t you do this course
here in nigeria?
Tip: You should know what difference
the course would bring to you if done
from Canada instead of nigeria. If the
course is not available in nigeria, you can
tell the Visa Officer that it is not offered
in nigeria. If the same course is available
in nigeria, highlight the differences in the
quality of education and the course
structure in nigeria and Canada. You
should convince the Visa Officer that
doing this course from Canada will add
value to your profile. Talk about a few
researches being conducted in that
field. Technical words work out when
other things don’t.
Similar course in nigeria is entirely
theoretical. Whereas the same course
in Canada comes along with Internship
and a lot of project work. Internship &
projects will give me a lot of practical
knowledge. After completing the course
I will not get only the degree, but also
experience in the field. Also, the
research facilities are not that great
here in nigeria.
8. Which are the other universities
you have applied to?
Tip: Visa Officer wants to know if you
are really serious about your education.
If you applied to 4 and were accepted
in 1 and got 3 rejects, you should put it
this way: I applied to 4, got 1 admit, 2
awaited and 1 reject. Visa Officer will
have record of the Universities
accepted your application and not of
your rejections. You should say that the
chosen university was your first choice.
I applied to four other universities and
got calls from two of them. But I
preferred to choose XYZ because of the
research being carried out in the field
of Bleep (mention the one related to your
course) that interests me the most.
9. How are you going to fund your
education?
Tip: Visa Officer wants to know if you
are well aware of source of your funds.
This is the way to verify your
documents as well.
You can say that Family funds or Bank
loan (As per your Visa documents and
funds statement)
10. Are you getting any school
waiver?
Tip: Mention if you are getting any
tuition fee waiver or teaching
assistantship or research assistantship.
That will prove to be a positive point.
11. Why do you think the university
is giving scholarship to you?
Tip: You should know how much
scholarship you are getting and
probably the reason university is giving
scholarship to you Visa Officer wants to
know if you are aware of the
scholarship programs and financial aid.
Also if you have submitted any
Statement of Purpose for scholarship
then mention about that and carry a
copy of the same.
It is because of my academic records,
GRE & TOEFL Score.
12. From where did you do your
under graduation?
Tip: Mention the name of the course
and the university. If the university has
high ranking or some specific feature,
mention that too.
13. Tell me something about your
past?
Tip: Be prepared to tell them that what
you were doing between your last
school and till today. Make sure your
answers are focusing on your
achievements, skills, you being a
sincere student.
After completing my studies, I worked
in ABC Company as …… Executive for X
years. After that I joined Bleep Company
and presently working over there for
last Y years.
14. Who is sponsoring your
education?
Tip: If you have a scholarship, say that.
Else mention the name of your
sponsors, you may add that your father
and mother are supporting you for your
higher education as per the financial
documents.
My father and relatives (As per Visa
documents & Funds)
15. What does he do?
Tip: Visa officer basically wants to verify
the financial capability of the sponsors.
You are advised to go through the
Income tax returns, and supporting
documents of your sponsors carefully.
Have a good idea of the income source
of your sponsors.
16. What savings does your family
have?
Tip: Make sure your answer focus on
proof of having sufficient funds. Go
through the financial documents
carefully and mention the savings as
per the documents. Always carry a
detailed bank account statements and
CA report with you. If you have taken
an education loan then do mention
about that and carry a copy of Loan
letter with you.
My father is having savings of around
XX naira. And my mother has a fixed
deposit of XX naira. Collectively they
have sponsored me for XX naira. We
are also availing an education loan from
XYZ Bank for X naira.
17. What is your father’s annual
income?
Tip: Visa Officer wants to know if your
father’s annual income is sufficient
enough to meet your expenses of
studying abroad. They think that
money can be put into banks, but
annual income is a proof which they
heavily rely upon to decide the
student’s parents capability to meet his
educational expenses. You should
mention the annual income as per IT
returns.
His annual income is XYZ.
18. How many brothers and sisters
do you have?
Tip: Such kind of questions is basically
to verify weather your family has other
members for whom your parents may
have to raise fund later on. Basically
such questions are asked to evaluate
the balance of income and expenses of
the family.
19. Do you have any relative in
Canada?
Tip: Be truthful at this instance. Visa
Officer will have record of this (about
your brother/sister/Mother/Father) with
them. If your distant aunt or uncle
stays there, then you don’t have to say
about them. All that matters is your
immediate relatives i.e. own brother,
sister, father or mother. Any of your
relative overstaying in Canada may not
be favorable considered.
20. Is your brother/sister enjoying
there?
Tip: Visa officer wants to know what the
intentions of your brothers and sisters
are. Never answer in a way that makes
them believes that they plan to settle
or overstay. Any of them overstaying in
Canada may not be favorable
considered. You may say that he is
finding life tough there and has plans
to come back to India after completing
his studies/after a year or two.
21. What are the course
commencement and completion
dates?
Tip: You should remember the exact
dates. Visa Officer wants to know if you
are well aware of the course duration
and start date.
22. Where do you plan to stay in
Canada?
Tip: Mention the address where you
have planned. This should reflect that
you are serious about your studies and
have made all arrangements for your
education abroad.
23. What do you plan to do during
your vacations?
Tip: Visa officer wants to know your ties
to your home country. You can say that
you plan to come back to meet your
family and friends here in nigeria. You
should not say that you plan to work in
Canada as that shows you are not
financially strong and you are going
there to earn money. This will make the
Visa officer believe that even after
completing your education, you would
like to do job and settle there.
24. Show me your GRE and TOEFL
Score?
Tip: Carry all documents in such a way
that it becomes easy for you to remove
and present them to Visa Officer
without any wastage of time, whenever
asked for. Always try to put the better
score on the top. The speed at which
you are able to show the relevant
document whenever asked for also
counts a lot. Visa Officer wants to know
how sincere you are at your studies.
Remember your scores and exam
dates.
25. What is your undergraduate
GPA?
Tip: You should convert your
percentage in GPA and remember it
exactly.
26. Can you show me your degree?
Tip: Handover the degree confidently
and look at the visa officer. If asked
only for a degree, do not show the
mark sheets of each semester.
27. Mention some professors’
name?
Tip: Do research the university and find
out specifically the professors in your
department before going for visa
interview.
28. Did you get in touch with any
professors in this University?
Tip: Before going for visa interview, you
should contact professors in your
department. VO wants to know how
sincere you are for doing graduation
from your chosen university.
Yes, I exchanged some emails with Prof
XYZ. With the area of his research and
the interest I have in that particular
subject, I guess I can be good research
assistant under him. It is always
advisable to carry the printouts of the
emails with you.
29. What are your future plans? Do
you intend to stay in Canada?
Tip: Your answers should reflect clarity
of thought, clarity of your intentions
and strong ties to your home country.
I am sure the recent growth of nigeria
economy will open many avenues for
me to start my company back in nigeria.
After acquainting with latest
technologies in Canada, I look forward
to start my company here in nigeria.
30. Do you plan to work there?
Tip: Visa Officer wants to know your
intentions. You should answer in such a
way that Visa Officer is convinced that
you are financially strong and plan to
return to your home country after
completing your studies.
31. Do you have enough funds
while you are there?
Tip: You should be confident and say
yes. Visa Officer wants to know if you
have enough funds to meet your
educational expenses.
Yes.
32. What is the location of your
university?
Tip: You should do some research on
your university before visa interview.
You should know its exact location and
the location of different campus as well
(if any). Location might be one of the
reasons that you selected this
particular university, so make sure that
you know its exact location.
33. What’s the difference you can
make by doing your MS in Canada?
Tip: You get better opportunities once
you do your MS. Show foreign
companies coming to India investing in
your field. State some technical words
expressing the advancements in your
field.
Most of the Universities in Canada are
going in parallel with the latest
technologies. Educating myself in those
technologies will provide me the
necessary skill-set to start up
something of my own in future.