What is a Letter of Acceptance (LOA)?

A Letter of Acceptance (LOA) is the official acceptance letter from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) confirming admission to a study program. Required for every Canadian study permit application.

What the LOA must include

To be accepted by IRCC, the LOA must contain:

• Full legal name of the applicant
• Program of study (name, level, full-time or part-time)
• Start date and expected end date / program duration
• Tuition fee for the program
• Completion deadline / latest entry date
• DLI number and DLI signature / official letterhead
• For Quebec DLIs: information specific to Quebec study permit requirements

LOA quality matters at IRCC

Officers scrutinize the LOA for:

• Authenticity — verifying the LOA is genuine; fake LOAs are a recurring fraud category at IRCC New Delhi, Islamabad, Manila
• Program credibility — does the program align with the applicant's background?
• DLI track record — newer / smaller private institutions face higher scrutiny than established public ones
• Program length — must match what's claimed for PGWP eligibility post-graduation

Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)

For most study permit applications since 2024, you also need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the province where the DLI is located. PAL is provincial confirmation that the applicant counts toward the province's study-permit allocation.

Conditional vs. unconditional LOA

• Unconditional LOA: applicant is admitted with no further conditions
• Conditional LOA: admission subject to specific conditions (e.g. final transcripts, language test, prerequisites)

Both are typically accepted by IRCC, but officers may ask for confirmation of any unsatisfied conditions before issuing the study permit.

Halani's note

The LOA + financial proof + Statement of Purpose are the three foundations of every study permit application. Verify your LOA carefully — wrong details, expired program start dates, or unrecognized DLIs trigger refusals.