Canadian Study Permit SOP - I was already refused once

To
The Visa Officer

Subject:

Request for a Canadian study permit to pursue a bachelor's course in Actuarial Science

Dear Sir/ Ma'am,

I am Ananya Adiraju. I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for giving your time to reviewing my application. I am re-applying after being refused for failing to express my intention of returning to India after I graduate. It has always been my plan to pursue bachelor's abroad as I wish to experience various cultures and grow into bigger shoes. India is a fast-growing nation, and we have some great institutions for higher studies but there are only two institutes and only one organisation for actuaries. I believe that earning an international degree from Canada will improve my job prospects upon returning to India. Hence, I had applied and been accepted into University of Calgary for the Fall 2021 intake. However, due to COVID-19 and refusal of study permit I have had to do my first semester online and take a leave of absence for Winter 2022 semester. I intend to catch up by studying through Spring/Summer 2022 if all goes well.

Personal and Academic Background

I come from a close-knit family of five: my father, mother, grandmother, younger brother, and me. My father is the Associate Vice President in JSW Steel Ltd., Dolvi; one of the largest steel plants in India and my mother is a teacher. My younger brother is seven years my junior and is in sixth grade. As the eldest child, I have a duty to support my parents in retirement and fund my brother's higher studies. I want to settle in India at a respectable position as soon as possible to reduce my parent's burden. Choosing to study in Canada has been tough decision for us, we thought long and deep about how having an international degree can impact my career. My parents have always encouraged me to rise in my profession of choice. They taught me that nothing is impossible if I commit myself to the task.

I was always more interested in mathematics and economics. I loved the sense of accomplishment after solving a lengthy calculation either by hand or by using a software such as MATLAB. I finished GCE A levels in March 2021 in Dr. Pillai Global Academy, New Panvel. This equipped me with a sound understanding of my strengths and weaknesses and the skills I will need in university. I was very active both inside and outside the classroom. I have learned a lot from during different projects and seminars that came my way. I am a strong believer that having practical skills is more important that digging deeper into theories hence, I taught myself how to code in Python, one of the most widely used languages.

Now I wish to have a bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science to learn more about applied mathematics, statistics, economics, and computer science. With the rise in popularity of cryptocurrency in India, I believe very soon there will be need of actuarial models for cryptocurrency insurance. For this transition, there will be a high need of actuaries with a focused skill set and in-depth knowledge of the field. I would like to be one of the many contributors in this scenario, hence I want to learn and develop myself in an academically rich environment, with a curriculum that focuses on skill development.

Why Canada?

In India, Actuarial Science is often misunderstood to be a field that deals with only insurance. There are only two institutes that offer a bachelor's in actuarial science and only one certification board. There is no practical exposure in universities here. I want to have a meaningful experience in university while broadening my horizons by exposing myself to diverse backgrounds. After researching, I found Canada to be the ideal destination. Only here will I receive a world- class education in excellent infrastructure and experience good living standards at an affordable price. I will stand apart from the crowd as I will be able to grasp industry-oriented knowledge. Moreover, in Canada, there are two exam pathways for an actuary, I want to learn more about these pathways, the opportunities they represent and to choose the equivalent in India. There are numerous opportunities for me to network and build fruitful relationships also. These are the reasons why I want to pursue higher studies in Canada.

Why University of Calgary?

It is my understanding that Actuarial Science is a fascinating and dynamic field that can be applies to most professions. As a student in Actuarial Science, I will need to have solid footing in Economics, Statistics, Data Analytics, and Mathematics. I have always enjoyed working programming languages like Python and MATLAB for calculations and recently started learning ExcelVBA and SQL for working with databases and macros. University of Calgary is ranked 10th in Canada and is one of the best universities that offers my program. It is endorsed by Canadian Institute of Actuaries in Canada meaning students can be exempted from a few actuarial exams if they receive good grades in certain courses in their degree program. This is appealing to me because my chances of landing a summer job at a good firm and gaining experience will not be affected by not having written any exams if my grades don't fall. University of Calgary also has a beautiful campus with various amenities. The curriculum is designed to give us a taste of both pathways and choose our specialisation by our final year. We learn by dealing with real life problems in classes and tutorials. The course leads us to explore a risk management and assessment and equips up with strong fundamentals. Teamwork both in class and outside is encouraged which allows me to network and learn to be professional. There are mentorship opportunities on campus to help me navigate my life in a new country. The campus life is very engaging with tons of leadership opportunities and social clubs. After going through various websites, I found that the environment in the city of Calgary is very supportive for international students. The cost of living was also much more appealing in Alberta than in other provinces like Ontario. By pursuing this course, I believe that I will be able to reach great heights.

Expenses

I come from a well-educated family of India. We are financially secure, and we have taken an educational loan worth Rs.65 Lakhs for my tuition. My living expenses in Canada will be sponsored by my parents. Additionally, I have deposited CAD $ 16,412.60 towards my fee for the first year and deposited CAD $ 10,000 towards my living expenses into GIC account with CIBC. Please find the relevant documents attached below for your kind reference.

Plans

After completing my bachelor's in Canada, I plan to work at a reputed multinational consultancy like WNS Ltd, Deloitte India, IBM etc or at a top insurance company such as MaxLife Insurance, HDFC Life Insurance, MetLife India, etc. I am certain that my chosen degree program will help me excel in my field of interest and make me capable of taking up better positions in India. I will be able to work efficiently and help me take care of my brother and parents in India with me as I am extremely grateful for their faith in me and allowing me to come this far to pursue my dreams.

Conclusion
At last, I humbly request that you assess my details kindly and help me in getting a study permit. I trust your judgement, so I hope I will be allowed to start my journey to reaching my goals, staring from my international degree in actuarial science.

All the relevant documents have been attached for your kind reference. I thank you for your thorough and patient evaluation of my application.

Sincerely,
Ananya Adiraju

From the very start of the letter, I already saw at least 2 strong weaknesses in the presentation. One is academically connected, the other, is related to the family background. These are only the start of the problems with your application.

Academically speaking, since you have already completed one semester online, without any problems, then having you physically present in Canada for studies is proven to be unnecessary. Actuarial studies do not require in person laboratory work, nor formal face to face classes. Having completed a semester means that the online class system works quite well for you and there was no need for you to take a leave for the winter schedule. You should remained enrolled for the winter schedule instead to show that you are truly determined to complete your studies at the University of Calgary.

Next, since your parents are financially well placed, there is no reason for the consul or visa officer to believe that you will have to go back to India to financially care for your parents or your younger brother. Truth be told, there are no references to any strong ties to India on your part at this point. Rather, everything points to things being dobtful, yet again, about your intentions to return to India.

The lack of compelling career plans, intentions to return to India during school breaks, a chance at an internship in India, or anything that shows a clear career path, or ties to your home country are sorely missing from this application letter.