A software tester with 6 years' experience and a Project Management offer from Fleming College asked how paying only the first semester's fee — and holding a
general IELTS 7.5 — would affect visa chances. The thread surfaced three useful points:
- Fee payment determined your processing stream. Paying only the first semester meant a non-SDS application; the faster SDS stream required a full year's tuition (plus GIC). Historical note: the SDS stream has since been discontinued by IRCC (late 2024), so treat this distinction as context for older timelines rather than current strategy — though showing more prepaid tuition still strengthens a file.
- Take academic IELTS for a study permit. Members were clear: general training IELTS is mainly used by Express Entry/PNP applicants; for a study visa, apply with academic IELTS. If you've only taken general, weigh rebooking the academic test before filing.
- Course–profile fit matters more than the college's name. Members noted the college was decent but questioned whether a project management diploma fit a 6-year software-testing background — the same incongruence visa officers probe in study-plan reviews. And no college guarantees job placement, so don't choose a program on that basis.
- Before paying, check the fine print. One member's practical question is the right one: what part of the first-semester fee is non-refundable if the visa is refused?