Funding and Sponsorship Guideline
for Student Visa
Year of Publication: 2020
©PBSCU Any unauthorized use of this article, including copying or editing is prohibited. If you want to use the article, you need to take permission from us: pbscuadm@gmail.com or from the author and you must mention the author's name and the group's name in all cases.
Follow this guideline of FUNDING and SPONSORSHIP if you are applying from Bangladesh via Singapore Visa Office. If you are applying from outside of Bangladesh, many of the suggestion will not be applicable to you.
Remember, this is NOT an official guideline. For official guidelines, visit IRCC website. https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/student.asp?countrySelect=BD#applications
In the VISA Application Form:
Show 1 year tuition + living cost based on the city/university’s cost calculation + miscellaneous (air fare) [It doesn't matter whether you are funded or not].
Remember this is the IRCC rule for students from any countries and the visa chance following this may vary person to person and situation to situation. Many got visa showing 5 -10 Lakhs taka or not showing any extra money (0$), but many did not got visa even showing 60 lakhs to 2 Koti BDT. Therefore, the Remember this is the IRCC rule for students from any countries and the visa chance following this may vary person to person and situation to situation. Many got visa showing 5 -10 Lakhs taka or not showing any extra money (0$), but many did not got visa even showing 60 lakhs to 2 Koti BDT. Therefore, the source and legitimacy of the money shown is very important. Based on “Personal Assets and Financial Status” is a very common rejection reason.
Here are some suggestion on how to show funding and sponsorship. These suggestions are based on posts from students who got the visa. This suggestions are NOT hardcore rules and are NOT official IRCC guideline, but we will add links where from where the suggestions are based on.
IF YOU ARE FUNDED or PARTIALLY FUNDED :
[1 year tuition fee (some universities may waive it) + living cost + miscellaneous + air fare + ~ 5000 - 8000$ (extra for safety)] minus [whatever fund you have].
****FDR maturity is not important. But it is better to keep the money for ~4 months.
***Tax papers are not important.
***Who is your sponsor is not important.
Why do I need to show funding if I am a fully-funded students?
Unless you get a guaranteed university funding (means you got a central scholarship that guarantees you 2-4 years of tuition fees and living costs; e.g. University Central Scholarship, Person Scholarship), you SHOULD show some extra money.
Now, we have used the term “should” rather “must”. It means it is better to show extra money, but not a necessity. Many got visa without showing any extra money, but we know some got rejections as they did not show extra money.
Professor’s funding are never guaranteed. Professors may kick you out after some months when they see that you are failing in courses or not doing your research work productively. In those scenarios, visa officers want to know whether you have sufficient money to stay in Canada for some months, buy tickets and go back home or switch schools. Remember, it is not legally allowed to work (even part time) if you are not an active student.
IF SELF FUNDED FUNDED:
Full program tuition fees + living cost (year-1) + miscellaneous (air fare) + ~ 5000 - 8000$ (extra for safety) minus [whatever fund you have] = Total Sponsorship Amount.
*FDR maturity is important (min 6 months) if you do not have a proper source of income proof.
*For undergrad students, showing 2-3 years of tuition fees is a safe bet. However, show whatever your sponsor genuinely have. Honesty helps.
This calculation is based on a “safe funding” scenario, means if you can show like this, there is a better chance you will get the visa or at least fall under a “low-risk” student for visa assessment. Not all of you may be able to show it. Show whatever you can and but do not forget to add Financial Calculation Document with your visa application. This document explains how much is your tuition and living cost and how you are planning to pay for them.
Remember, with self-funding, many got visa showing 5 - 25 Lakhs taka, but many did not got visa even showing 60 Lakhs to 2 Koti BDT. Therefore, the Remember, with self-funding, many got visa showing 5 - 25 Lakhs taka, but many did not got visa even showing 60 Lakhs to 2 Koti BDT. Therefore, the source and legitimacy of the money shown is very important.
3. For each extra person, add 4000-10000$ fund of living cost each year, depending on where you will be living (consider the city’s living cost). Hint. The cost of living in Montreal vs Toronto is not the same.
FAQ and Points to Remember:
1. Are you sure about the maturity of FDR? I have seen students keeping money for 2 days and got the Visa.
Answer: We have also seen them, but we have also seen students not getting visa whose money has more than 2 years of maturity. What happened there? As we said, the maturity is important for self-funded students “if you do not have a proper source of income proof”. If you get details from the students who got the visa with 1 day maturity, you will see that they showed a proper source of the money showed.
2. Why “proper source of fund” is important?
Answer: This was not a major thing 4-5 years ago. But scenario changed as now a days many students does this - borrow money from someone and put it in their account, they took out loan FDR showing FDR in another back account and then show both of them as total funding, they use dishonest bank officers to take out money from someone else’s account and put it in your account for some months, some dishonest officers give you a bank statement similar to your sponsor’s name (matching fund).
These kinds of activities led a through “security check” on financials and some even go for “secondary clearance” where they call/go to banks to verify funds showed. Not to mentioned, the processing time increased significantly.
3. How can I prove that my or my sponsor’s money is legitimate?
Answer: Here is a list of proofs that you can add:
You do not need all of these proofs. One or some of these will render you a “low-risk” student and you will not through a detailed assessment.
Add an affidavit from the sponsor declaring from where the money is coming from. The person could add its his/her salary statement, land sale, gift (with proper explanation) etc.
Add tax assessment papers. In tax assessment papers, you sponsor’s every penny is accounted for. Therefore, you do not need to show anything else if you have the detailed assessment.
Provide bank statements for the FDR or whatever account you showed for 6 months. This showcases the money is stable. If there is a valid source, money can come out and go, does not matter.
4. Where did you get this “6 months” timeline?
Answer: This is mentioned in the checklist for Bangladeshi students who are applying through Singapore Visa Office.
Visa office instructions – Study [IMM 5850] (PDF, 335.47 KB)
5. Where did you get “Notice of Assessment” Line?
Answer: This is mentioned in the same checklist for Bangladeshi students who are applying through Singapore Visa Office.
Visa office instructions – Study [IMM 5850] (PDF, 335.47 KB)
6. Can I just add TIN Number? Will that work?
Answer: Tax papers are not that much important if you can show proofs that you have a “valid source of money”. Tax assessments are proofs of genuine money, means the sponsor genuinely owns the money. TIN certificate/Tax Certificate (just says you paid taxes) has NO value if you do not add assessment. If you do not have tax assessment, focus on other proofs with which you can prove you or your sponsor genuinely owns the money (means it was not borrowed or matching fund).
Remember, you are adding all these papers to prove that you did not do one of these fraudulent activities mentioned below. If you can prove that in some other way, tax papers are not important for visa applicants. Especially for FUNDED students, tax papers make no difference. Tax assessment papers are the key.
Fraudulent Activities:
Borrow money from someone and put it in their account.
Taking out loan FDR showing FDR in another bank’s account and then show both of them as total funding
Dishonest bank officers to take out money from someone else’s account and put it in your account for some months.
Dishonest officers give you a bank statement similar to your sponsor’s name (matching fund).
Prove that your money is legitimate, you are good to go.
7. My earning is foreign money and is tax-exempt. What should I do?
Answer: Foreign money are tax-exempt. However, all Bangladeshi nationals must file tax returns even if their income is tax-exempt. If you have tax papers, then add them. If not, write an affidavit from the person the money is coming from, declare that the money is tax-exempt, and add job/salary certificate to show that the money actually came from a person living outside of Bangladesh. Same is true for housewives.
8. I opened my FDR 3 days ago. Will that be a problem?
Answer: If you can explain where the money came from, you are good to go. Read Q1.
9. Who can be my sponsor?
Answer: If you are a FUNDED student, maximum money is coming from the scholarship, so it does not really matter who is your sponsor.
If you are SELF-FUNDED, the money will be coming from Bangladesh so you need to show them who is your sponsor and why they are sponsoring you.
>>> Yes, you can be your own sponsor. Add source of that money and tax documents (if any).
If you are employed and showing your self as the SPONSOR, add the following documents. If you are not your own sponsor, this document is not that important.
>>> Your best sponsor’s are your parents and your siblings (it is a common sense why they would like to sponsor your studies). If you are married, your in-laws are also a good sponsor especially if you are applying with your spouse and/or children.
>>> If you show any other person as sponsor, it is better them to show them as secondary sponsor. Like your parents/siblings as primary and anyone else is secondary sponsor. In that case, make sure you add an affidavit from that person explaining why they would like to sponsor you.
10. Which type of savings are good for the visa?
Answer: Anything. The key is to have a valid source. Liquid money (Sonchoypatra, Post Office Bonds, GPF (General Provident Fund), Savings, Current Account, FDRs, Golds etc) is the money that is available for your studies. Fixed assets (land property) has no “fund” value, but it increases your “country tie”. “Stock Exchange (SE)” money can be changed anytime, so it’s not ideal to show SE money as “available sponsorship money”. You can add a CA evaluation of your or your sponsor’s property to increase country tie.
11. Can I take “loan” and use it to apply for the visa?
Answer: Yes, you can. If any bank or company providing you a genuine “education loan”, you can use that money to show as available funds. However, these kinds of loans are very rare for Bangladeshi students.
Fraud companies use the term “loan” in such scenarios which are actually NOT loans and these may lead to rejection.
You have 20 Lakhs in Bank A, you took 20 Lakhs loan from Bank-B based on Bank-A. The company will show, you have 20+20= 40 Lakhs.
Dishonest officers will “transfer” certain amount of money from someone else’s account to your account and will take 10% interest on that money. They will sell you this idea as “loan” which is not an actually loan because they will take it out once you get the visa.
Remember, Singapore is not far way from Bangladesh. So Visa Officers know your techniques. Do not try to fool them. Be honest.
12. One company contacted me saying that they can “show” money for visa. Should I go for it?
Answer: If you checked last year’s rejection as well 5 year ban posts, you should know Visa Officers are now very through. They visit/call banks to check the legitimacy of the money. They also know which accounts are being used for “Matching Funds”. Here are some actual rejections from last year:
13. Are there any banks that black-listed?
Answer: Still now, NO. But Visa Officers know where some of these fraudulent documents are coming from.
14. I want go to a company or a person who can show money for me, what’s wrong with it?
Answer: If you show fake documents, lie on Canadian Immigration Forms, or misrepresent, you can face rejection or a 5 year visa ban. Even if you get the visa, they may cancel your study permit and send you back.
News Source:
https://studentimmigration.ca/canada-rejects-most-african-students/
“Being caught for breaking rules has dire consequences with students losing their permits and being deported. In 2018, 5,502 study permits were revoked, up from 1,538 in 2016. In the first two months of 2019 alone, 1,048 study permits were cancelled”.
News Source:
So the risk is yours.
15. I am from a Middle Class Family. How can I show so much money?
Answer: If you are really interested in studies but have no money to show or do not have suggested amount, do these:
Be honest. If you are funded and if you do not have any extra money, just mention in your cover letter where the money is coming from. It is very rare that a FUNDED student got visa rejection. But it can happen. Being honest and upfront is the solution.
MS/Course-based students: Again, be honest. Showcase only the genuine amount of money and in your cover letter explain how you plan to maintain yourself. Look for scholarships, TA opportunities, on-campus job opportunities (get a offer letter or a commitment even before you come to Canada).
Undergrad students. Try to choose a university or college which you “can” afford. Otherwise it will be very tough to maintain living cost with tuition fees and may impact your studies. This does not mean choosing any institution that gives you an offer letter. Your profile MUST match to the program and your profile must also meet their admission criteria. If your sponsors do not have sufficient money, explain in your cover letter. Do not fake documents - that’s the key. Your luck may get you visa, who knows!
Good luck!