skybeginner:
Good day to all the gurus here. I've been a silent follower of this thread and appreciate everyone's immense contribution. I have been able to get adequate answers to several questions I had just by going through this thread and this has streamlined my question to only 1, which is why I am here.

Please I need advise on securing PhD admission in Canadian universities. I have a very strong career and academic profile and that won't be a limitation.

The reason I came on here to ask is that several years ago when I decided to pursue this dream, I reached out to several professors in different schools seeking to be engaged for my PhD with them; however, none responded even after several follow up mails.

Between that time and now, God has been gracious to enable me build a very strong career, serving in a high position with an international organisation. I want to deploy the funds available to me to pursue the PhD dream I had once abandoned. Of course I'd prefer it to be fully funded. I just want to explore all avenues possible of achieving this dream.

Please what can I do differently this time around to increase my chances of getting a PhD admission in Canada?

I would appreciate all the insight I can get.

Thank you in advance

BoluwajiPieters:


Biology (neurobiology)
Biological sciences (neurobiology/cellular and molecular biology)
Neuroscience.
Pharmacy.
Pharmacology. (Neuropharmacology option)

Thank you very much.

ShallyK:


My Story
This dream started in 2011 during NYSC and with no one to finance my study abroad plans, at that time, I didn't know about Canadian schools with full scholarship as I finished with a 4.17 CGPA. So I aborted mission in 2014 when I got a better job.
Thou from 2011, I had started saving aggressive for my immigration plans, in between then and now, I have travelled to the US twice and once to Canada for holiday. The plan was to build travel history and migrate legitimately.
Imagine my shock when I got my first study permit refusal Jan this year.

Got gingered in 2017 when my Sister and her family were reallocating to Canada via PR, started the process, score not sufficient for ITA, took a PGD course in 2019 to boost, while waiting for ITA, age took off points, then Covid happened in 2020. I decided to try Canadian visit visa since they were favouring family of PR and Citizens, so I applied and got the visa in 2021. Went to Canada and fell in love with the place and people.
It was during this trip I started to consider other routes of migration to Canada, then the study pathway came up during my research. I looked it up on Nairaland, found this thread when it was in part 18 and started reading and following people's stories.

I got admission to Fanshawe for Jan 22, defered to May 22 cos of late payment of deposit. I wanted hubby to come with me, so I delayed applying for study permit till Nov21 while he applied for visit visa in Oct, then the waiting started for both of us.
I was so sure I will get the visa as I still had a valid Canadian visit visa and been to the USA twice, but that didn't count ooo cos I got denied on the 30th Jan22.
Honestly I panicked! The only reason they gave was personal assets and financial status, I was shocked because I paid tuition deposit, had N12m statement, earn over 500k monthly, N2m Sukuku bond. I ran to Nairaland, opened this account and solicited for help. I got several reponses, thanks to everyone.

What I did differently
Requested for my GCMS using my sister's email. I know this will take 30 days so I used the wait period to pay my tuition balance via form A and bought 12kCAD GIC. Also, during the wait, I went to renew my international passport as it was expiring in June. Unfortunately, my BVN was in my husband's name so I had to do change of name before passport could be renewed. All these activities took my mind off the visa refusal.
When the note came Feb ending, it showed the document submitted does not support funds will be available or sufficient.
I reapplied 18th March and added my hubby to my application as we were yet to get response to his visit visa application that was submitted Oct21.
Documents Submitted
I applied via the new portal on the 18th of March
Study Permit (Mine)
SOP - stated strongly that I have fully paid tuition and bought GIC of 12k for my living expenses, talked about the course I am going for and how it will help boost my current career.
Mentioned my hometies: parents and other siblings, job (earn close to 600k, did not get letter from office but used my employment letter and payslip), hubby and the Sukuku bond.
BSC & PGD certificates and Car documents were also submitted.
Past visa pages with stamps to show travel history.
Financial Proof (self sponsored) - Full tuition fee receipts, GIC certificate, 4 months payslip, 4 months bank SOA with less than N3m balance, Pension SOA, Sukuku Bond certificate.

Visit Visa (Hubby)
SOP - stated he was going to help me settle, get accommodation and do the run around. Also that he having the visa will give him some form of rest of mind back home in Nigeria as it will enable him easily travel to me in case of any emergency I encounter over there.
Home Ties - his aged mother and siblings (he did not include their birth certificate or pictures), Job ( letter of introduction stating he is entitled to 25 days leave), 4 months payslip, Salary and Savings SOA (both combined were less than N2m)
Proof of Financial - SOA, payslip, my full tuition fee and my GIC certificate (both to show I am not a liability to him). My SOA ( I wrote a letter of support that I will be accommodating him in Canada and also purchase his ticket), so my GIC of 12k was evidence of that and my SOA is were the flight ticket will be purchased.
We did a table in the financial proof letter to show he will handle his PTA N300k and indicated the account that will come from. Also showed cost of the flight ticket which was about N515k and tallies with the holding ticket we attached, we indicated that will come from my own savings account.
On invitation, he stated he was visiting spouse, he used Fanshawe address as the address he is visiting.
We attached an holding flight ticket, to show how much it will cost and his duration of visit (3 weeks).
Marriage certificate
He does not have any travel history.

After submission, we started waiting and hoping approval will come in April cos school resumes in May. I did not send any email, was just hoping and praying. Last week in April, I had to defer my admission again, I got the new LOA (Jan22) on the 13th of May. I sent it immediately via email and web to Nairobi, then 20th of May, BVL dropped for both hubby and I and PPR for hubby.
I wasn't surprised I didnt get PPR, recall I said my passport was expiring in June. I still had not gotten the renewed passport as at then.
Picked up my new passport now in Hubby's name on the 26th May and sent it via webform and email to nairobi that same day. There was no response, a week after I resent it alongside my marriage certificate, change of name Affidavit and newspaper Publication.... Just to show its still me. Still no response, so I gave them two week....nothing.
I started sending weekly emails and webform to Abuja, Lagos and Nairobi...then yesterday BVL and PPR dropped and they both indicated my new name.
It ended in praise!

For those still waiting, it will surely end in praise.

Ps: My long story is just to encourage someone out there and for people to learn from my experience. This is my way of giving back to all I got here on Nairaland right from when I applied for my first USA visa in 2015 till this very day. .

Chukwudi24:
How did you later complete this form a and how did you go with the payment?

amila20042001:
Yes, it is.
I await your good news!

marexluv:
Good evening house
Please has anyone who sent in their application between 22-25th of May heard from ircc. I just want to know if they have started sending out mail to people in that group. I submitted on the 24th of may.

Uzoamaka123:
I haven’t gotten feedback .

May 26 applicant .

It will end in praise .

Jenny255:
Okay, thank you.

Please do you know where I can get cheap flights?

Currently seeing over 800k from Abuja to Toronto for flights in August.

hardeorlah:
Hello house,

For someone who have been denied a US student visa. What impact will this have on Canada study visa. I am about to start Canada process

chuksinfotech:


I started studying online since September 2020 till now

Kolajero:


Congratulations to you. Please, what do you mean by holding ticket? Is it a flight reservation? If yes, how did you get it and it was for how many months? Tha is where I am stuck currently.

tolupe1:
Good evening everyone.
So I applied on the 26th of January and I was served breakfast on the 6th of June due to personal assets and financial status.

I have returned after taking a breather.
Here are my concerns and how I need advice to tackle them.

1, My sponsor(hubby) had a huge amount saved consistently over a period of over a year just for the purpose of my Canadian study dreams. The money was in a Mutual Benefit account.

2, We had about 4M in both of our savings account when we submitted the application in January

3, We had already paid for my first semester tuition of 8k CAD

I feel that the reason that I might have been denied was because the VO might have felt that the money in the Mutual Benefit account wouldn’t be easily accessible and that the 4M in our accounts would not be sufficient for my time in Canada. (My program is for 2 years).

Before my refusal came, I had ordered for my GCMS notes and they came is spanking clean.

Eligibility - check
Info sharing- check
Criminality- check

Everything can in clean and I thought I had my visa in the bag but lo and behold, I was served.

So I was advised to move the money into a regular savings account and I have done that.

MY QUESTION NOW IS: how do I prove that the money isn’t bulk money? That hubby moved it from one bank to another. How do I convince the VO without a doubt that the money is ours and not for demonstration purposes.

I really need help. I intend to reapply this week. Help your sister out. Thank you.

NB: kindly itemize says I can achieve this or explain myself to the VO .

GoodofNaija:
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen!

Pls do I need to write both SOP and LOE for my study permit application?

I thought either one will be enough to give my info.

Pls I need advice

Mercyfoundme05:
Good morning Family……..

Please I have a question. My international passport will expire in February 2023, and the duration of my course is 1 year (from September 2022 to April 2023 with co-op).

Now, I have renewed my passport. Should I send a webform to inform IRCC I got a new passport or can I just send the new passport when IRCC sends my PPR??

Mercyfoundme05:



Happy Sunday family..... @gurus

Nobody answered my question...... Abeg, nah una be my only family wey dey keep me going this time. I need answers/suggestions please

Only1boy:


Long post and please don’t mind my typing errors.

Ok so guys. I don jam person wey don chop my money oo.
So I met this agent on this platform, I won’t mention his name just yet. He has always been answering my questions and all until we started charting privately. He’s Always answering my questions still and made mention to me that he can help me process my visa application. I doubted it so very much that my spirit didnt go with him but he persuaded me that he is good and professional etc and because of the questions he answered and showed he has ideas I agreed and he charged me 350k and after so much persuading he agreed to 200k then said I should pay for commitment and it would be Half of the money before he can continue answering my questions then I paid 100k after which he shared informations about the process and all then fast forward to few days later he started getting busy and doesn’t want to answer some of my questions. Sometimes he leaves my messages on read. Then I started complaining and told him I dont think I want to continue with him because of the reasons mentioned. It even got to a time I was not free to ask him anything because of how he might respond. Then he said he’s sorry that he’d change and always be available to answer my questions and tell me what I need to do and mot know in the process. Mind you I haven’t gotten my documents ready to start the process sef still waiting on some of my documents before we start. We moved from there but still my spirit wasn’t working with this guy but I kept pushing. Until today that I told him i dont think I Would be able to balance him up the remaining 100k because of some finance issues im starting to have, that I’ll like to do this whole thing myself since this informations are even online. I have not even asked for the 100k I paid.
Naso baba start to threaten me that I’ll see what he would do to me in few weeks bla bla bla that he has my informations already and he’ll get to me sending me threat voice notes that I stole his intellectual property that is more thank 200k that I must balance him up even if I am not interested again ooo egbami ooo lol . Now my question is must I continue with somebody i dont want to continue with because he has advised me and given informations on how I’ll go about thr whole thing after my first 100k, we didn’t even sign any agreement that I must complete the job with him funny enough we’ve not started yet.
Please house what do you advice I do

Only1boy:


Long post and please don’t mind my typing errors.

Ok so guys. I don jam person wey don chop my money oo.
So I met this agent on this platform, I won’t mention his name just yet. He has always been answering my questions and all until we started charting privately. He’s Always answering my questions still and made mention to me that he can help me process my visa application. I doubted it so very much that my spirit didnt go with him but he persuaded me that he is good and professional etc and because of the questions he answered and showed he has ideas I agreed and he charged me 350k and after so much persuading he agreed to 200k then said I should pay for commitment and it would be Half of the money before he can continue answering my questions then I paid 100k after which he shared informations about the process and all then fast forward to few days later he started getting busy and doesn’t want to answer some of my questions. Sometimes he leaves my messages on read. Then I started complaining and told him I dont think I want to continue with him because of the reasons mentioned.

Bobomaigida:


Dear Only1boy,

It is always good to hear both sides of the story, as it is this is your own side, from what you have said, it will be proper to ascertain what the commitment payment was meant to achieve, ie when you had the discussion with the agent, what did he promise in exchange for the payment? You also have to know that this forum is faceless, there is no redemptive mechanism here that might help you get the resolution you are looking for.

bullstriker:
It will be in your best interest to withdraw. If you continue, you will be jeopardizing the positive outcome of your application and it is obvious that the person is not authorized to represent you.
Note that even if the person is a lawyer/consultant, you are at liberty to withdraw from the agreement at any time.

legenduq:
If Its your first time, only SOP. If you're reapplying SOP and LOE

GoodofNaija:


It's my first time and I've just written LOE not SOP.

Can it be LOE at this first time or must it be SOP?

Only1boy:


He only promised to answer my questions and prepare everything needed for the application.
I just wanted to see peoples view concerning the intellectual property he said I stole lol. Intellectual property that is online.

Bobomaigida:


In Legal terms, Except a party can show they actually own an intellectual property duly trademarked, they can not claim that it is stolen when another party uses the IP, more so when they gave the other party the information for a consideration. I will advise you face your application yourself and and consider the amount (though outrageously high )you paid as compensation for the the questions you asked and he answered. Like they say on this forum, only deal with people with track records that are verifiable.

GoodofNaija:


It's my first time and I've just written LOE not SOP.

Can it be LOE at this first time or must it be SOP?