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Non-SDS study permit: showing proof of funds beyond just your first-semester fee receipt

Canada • Study Permit • study 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • First-semester fee payment receipt

    Confirms your admission deposit, but is not sufficient proof of funds on its own for a non-SDS application.

  • GIC certificate

    Typically covers a portion of costs but is generally not treated as covering your entire program's fees and living expenses.

  • Bank statements

    Needed to demonstrate funds for remaining tuition and living expenses beyond what the GIC and first payment cover.

Step-by-Step

A member with an admission offer from Mohawk College, having paid the first semester's fee to confirm admission, asked whether a non-SDS study permit application needs proof of funds for the entire program, or just the first-semester receipt plus a GIC.

What the thread clarified:
  1. Non-SDS applications require proof of funds beyond the first semester. Members were consistent that paying one semester and holding a GIC is not enough — you need to show you can cover the remaining semesters' fees plus living expenses (survival costs) for the full program length.

  2. A rough guideline members cited: be ready to show funds covering roughly your full program length (e.g. 2 years) of fees plus living costs, not just what you've already paid or what the GIC covers.

  3. Even if you pay the full first year's fees upfront and hold a GIC, you may still need to demonstrate additional funds — simply having money available in your account and being able to show it is generally accepted as sufficient evidence, regardless of the specific combination of payments already made.


The practical takeaway: for a non-SDS study permit, don't assume your first-semester receipt and GIC are enough — plan to show proof of funds covering the remainder of your program's tuition and living expenses through bank statements or other financial documentation.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Don't: Don't assume a first-semester fee receipt plus GIC is sufficient proof of funds for a non-SDS application.
  • Do: Prepare bank statements showing funds for your full program length's remaining fees and living expenses.
  • Tip: Having the funds visible and documented in your account is generally accepted, regardless of which specific fees you've already paid.

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