DLI Tuition Refunds After Refusal
How to secure a tuition deposit refund from your college or university if IRCC rejects your study permit.
Almost all Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) require you to submit your refund request and a copy of your official IRCC refusal letter **within 14 to 30 days** of the date on the refusal letter. Failing to submit within this window can result in the forfeiture of your entire tuition deposit.
Standard Tuition Refund Protocols
If your study permit is refused by IRCC, most public colleges and universities will refund your pre-paid tuition, subject to specific deductions:
- Administrative Charges: DLIs typically deduct a non-refundable administrative or registration fee, ranging from **$150 to $500 CAD**.
- Application Fees: The initial program application fee (typically $100 to $200 CAD) is **never refundable**.
- Refund Timelines: Once approved, it takes public colleges **4 to 8 weeks** to process the wire transfer refund back to the account of origin (where the fees were paid from).
Required Documents for Refund Request
To submit a successful refund claim to your college registrar, prepare:
- IRCC Refusal Letter: The complete PDF letter issued in your GCKey portal explaining the grounds for refusal.
- DLI Refund Request Form: Downloaded from the college's international student portal.
- Wire Transfer Instructions: Details of the bank account where the funds were originally paid from. Due to anti-money laundering (AML) laws, colleges will only refund to the original payer account.
- Proof of Payment: A receipt or bank confirmation sheet showing the original transaction.
How to Refund Your GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate)
If you applied under the Student Direct Stream (SDS) or purchased a GIC (approx. $20,635 CAD in 2026) as proof of funds:
- Log into Bank Portal: Access your GIC account (e.g. Scotiabank, CIBC, or Simplii).
- Submit Cancelation Claim: Upload your IRCC study permit refusal letter.
- Full Refund: The bank will refund the full GIC balance back to your home country bank account, minus a standard **$150 to $250 CAD** bank administrative cancellation fee.
This guide compiles official study permit guidelines and DLI compliance criteria sourced directly from:
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Study Permit Conditions: canada.ca/study-permit-rules
• IRCC Designated Learning Institutions list portal: canada.ca/dli-list