How to write a killer statement of purpose for your canadian study permit application

So how do you write a killer Statement of Purpose (SOP) for your Canadian Study Permit application? SOP or Statement of Purpose is one of the key documents you submit with your application for the Canadian Study Permit. And writing your SOP properly may either significantly increase the chances of your study permit approval or just completely kill it. Let's talk about the key elements of this letter and how to properly write it.

SOP or Statement of Purpose is an essay, where a prospective student will have a chance to summarize their educational and professional background, prove that their purpose of visit is genuine, show that they have sufficient funds to study and sufficient ties to their home country. While you submit the documents in support of your application, it's very important that you go over every single one of these aspects in order to present your case to the officer in the best possible light. So what do the officers want to see in your Statement of Purpose?

Your background

Start with basics. Tell about your educational and professional background. Describe your career and educational achievements and successes. Prepare the officer to see that the program of study that you've chosen is perfect for you based on your past education and past experience. This is where the immigration officer will look for answers to the following questions:

• Is there evidence that this student will be able to complete the chosen program of study in Canada?

• Is there evidence that this applicant's career requires further education for growth?

• Does this student have a strong career plan?

Program of study

Right program of study based on your background will give you an extra boost. The chosen program has to match your educational and career background. It also has to show that this is your next logical step in your career progression path. Do your research, determine what would usually be the typical career path for your occupation. Then research schools, review school rating websites and look at program curriculum at several colleges and compare. Look at the options in your home country for similar programs - are there any serious alternatives in terms of the cost of education and curriculum. And if there are, then you need to be prepared to present a well articulated argument on why you've chosen Canada as your study destination. This is where the immigration officer will look for answers to the following questions:

• Is there evidence that the chosen program of study reflects the applicant's educational and professional background, as well as his/her career progression path?

• Is there evidence that the student doesn't have any alternatives for education in his/her home country?

• Is there evidence that the applicant has done sufficient research and he/ she is genuinely interested in the chosen program as the logical progression of his/her career path?

Finances

Finances are important. Generally, you'll spend minimum $15,000-$18,000 CAD per year on your tuition and around $10,000-12,000 CAD for your living expenses if you're single. So it's expected that you have at least enough funds to cover your first year of studies. Which would come to $25,000 to $35,000 CAD. And I always tell my clients, the more funds you can show, the better. In most cases I strongly recommend to show sufficient funds to cover ALL years of your study, including your tuition and living expenses. Here are the general rules to follow:

• Show at least 6 months of your bank statements;

• Submit your employment letter. Note that employment letters are useful to prove your salary deposits in your bank account. Combined with the bank statements they show that you're capable to paying for your education in Canada;

• If there are any large unexplained deposits in your bank account during this time, make sure to explain it in your Statement of Purpose. There have been a lot of cases when the applicants would show borrowed funds and end up coming to Canada without any money. So any such large unexplained deposits are red flags for immigration officers;

• If you have any additional income, for example, rental income, make sure to show evidence of this income - rental agreements, cheques etc.

• If your tuition and/or living expenses are covered by a sponsor, make sure to show the same kind of documents as you'd provide for yourself - bank statements, employment letter and proof of additional income.

The funds have to be easily available to you. This is where the immigration officer will look for answers to the following questions:

• Is there evidence that the applicant has sufficient funds to cover at least his/her first year of study, including tuition and living expenses?

• Is there evidence that the applicant's funds are going to be easily available to him?

• Is there evidence that the applicant will be able to cover all years of study in Canada?

• Is there evidence that this is a reasonable expense based on the applicant's financial situation?

Ties to your home country

Showing that you have strong ties to your home country helps prove that you have something to return to in your home country. Without these, you basically have nothing to lose and there would be a reason to believe that you might stay in Canada indefinitely and may even break the immigration laws and regulations just so you can stay here. The most typical proof of ties to your home country are:

• family ties, especially, immediate family, such as children and spouse. However, even parents and siblings can be viewed as ties.

• real estate - your home, rental properties or commercial properties in your name would be considered strong ties to your home country. The higher the value - the better. So make sure to submit your property valuation reports with your application.

• long term employment and established career - working for the same employer for lengthy periods of time in good positions shows that you have an established career in your home country. This means you can always go back to this position or a similar position.

• business in your home country

• pension plans in your name

Other aspects

There are a few other aspects that may strengthen or weaken your application and it's always best to touch on each

• your travel history, especially to the US or any European countries would definitely strengthen your application.

• any previous refusals - if you have those, make sure you work with an immigration professionals to address those in your application

• an intent to apply for permanent residence after your studies in Canada. A lot of unlicensed consultants recommend that you lie and explain that you are planning to leave Canada at the end of your studies. I don't recommend that. Canadian immigration law allows dual intent, meaning planning to follow all the laws and regulations for temporary residence, while having an intent of applying for permanent residence. And I always recommend doing that. Immigration officers can generally sense whether the application is genuine or not. And if not, you have a higher chance of refusal due to low credibility - meaning, that it's obvious that you're lying about your intent, what else might you be lying about?

That's not an exhaustive list of all aspects you would need to touch on in your Statement of Purpose for your study permit application. Make sure you're honest and precise about all of the details. And good luck with your application!