If you are a Canadian citizen and planning to study in Canada for a program of 90 days or more, you will require the Canada study visa. With the significant increase in immigration to Canada, the government has made several amendments to the Canadian Immigration policies. These changes have made it even tougher for foreign applicants planning to study in Canada. The change will have a significant impact on all Non-Canadian nationals studying in Canada as they may get stuck with a 7- year time gap on their immigration history once they arrive back in their home country.

If you are considering Canada Study Visa with 7 years gap then you must be knowing the importance of study visa in your life. Without a valid study visa, you cannot go to Canada and join any International University in the country. There is a massive demand for international students in the higher education system of Canada, especially from the Asian countries. We will base our discussion today on – AA. But, other resources which you can find on our website include some frequently asked questions such as: 10 years study gap acceptable in canada and study gap acceptable in canada 2022

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Canada Study Visa With 7 Years Gap

Most of the students with gap years who want to study abroad face problems in justifying the reasons for their study gap, the following are some of the reasons accepted by the universities and colleges in Canada

Traveling – Several students from all over the world used to travel around, after their qualification. Some students consider this as redemption after the struggles they would have faced during their schooling or undergraduate period. Through traveling, the independence the student gains will boost their performance during their college period.
Family – Family issues are one of the toughest parts, which is not negligible. This reason is quite considerable for the institutions since it is not a negligible issue.
Work Experience – Some students prefer to work after their graduation to gain some experience. This helps the student to achieve professional growth, and with additional graduation, the student may be able to give the best impression during their job search. This reason is accepted in the colleges and universities in Canada, with proof of payslips and experience letter.
Medical Issues – Students do face problems with their medical conditions and accidents which makes a year stagnant for them. This type of study gap is accepted in the colleges and universities in Canada only if the student provides valid medical certificates.
A Second Chance – The concept of Entrance exams has become common among the students of India. Some used to take their time to prepare for exams for more than a year but unfortunately not all the students can clear it. So, as a second chance, the students prefer to study abroad for better education.
Skill development – Other than a degree or a qualification, most of the students begin to learn new skills and certification courses like Digital Marketing, Graphic designing, Photography, etc. to develop themselves for a better future. This study gap is considered in Canadian colleges and universities.
Arranging for Finance – Usually studying in Canada is costlier than studying in India. Not all Indian students can afford that. They might take a year or so to show proof of funding which is a mandatory requirement.

How to fix Study Gaps for Canadian Student Visa?

The first thing to concentrate on is to give a clear justification for the study gap. The student can clarify their study gap by a statement of purpose and also by attaching the documents that are required to prove it.

During the visa process, the students with study gaps have to attach some additional documents and some proof justifying the gap. Since the study gap may differ from one college to another, providing them a justifiable reason can make a better impression in the process of admission.

Archives, Documents and proof Required to Justify Gap Years

Some additional documents need to be attached during the visa process. These documents should justify what you were engaged in during the study gap. Some of the valid documents could be

Payslip – the student has to attach the payslip or the offer letter from the company they work for during the gap.
Certificates- The student can also attach the certificates on what skill or course they have done during the gap
Medical certificates– Students who have met with accidents or had medical issues can attach the medical certificates approved by licensed doctors or hospitals.
Marksheet – Students who took a year to prepare for entrance exams and could not make it, can att ach their result forms or hall tickets as proof for a study visa.

What Happens if I have more than 5 Years of Study gap?

A gap of 5 years is acceptable in Canada for PG courses. If there is a gap of 5 years and you want to pursue an undergraduate degree there are some colleges that accept students with reasonable gap years. Students with work experience in the gap and students who appeared for exams during the gap years are considered in some colleges and universities.

All you have to provide during the visa process is some documents that prove you are working or preparing for exams during the study gap.

Which Colleges in Canada Accept the Study Gap?

Most of the colleges and universities in Canada accept students with study gaps with regulations. The regulation is that a study gap of 2 years is acceptable for Diploma and Undergraduate courses, and a study gap of 5 years is acceptable for postgraduate courses.

Is the study gap acceptable in Canada?

What is a Study Gap?

A study gap is a time between a student’s last qualification and the present degree. Simply, if you take a break from your education and then restart it, it is considered a study gap. Gap years can happen for many reasons. If your reason is justified, you can continue your education track again.

Does Canada accept the study gaps?

Yes, Canada accepts students with a study gap. It provides study permits to international students who have gap years. However, when a student has an education gap, he may need to provide additional documents to justify the reason behind the gaps. But the reason should be valid and serious. You cannot just pass your time randomly and expect to be accepted by Canadian universities.

The eligibility requirement to apply for universities in Canada?

If you are seeking admission to a Canadian University, you must match the entry requirement to get the chance of admission. Every country and university sets some entry criteria for an international student to enrol in Canadian universities. Let’s know the entry criteria set by the Canadian University.

Bachelor’s/ Diploma/ Certificate Courses

Bachelor’s degrees in Canada generally take 3-4 years to complete. When a student takes a 4-year degree, this degree includes 2 years of foundational degree and 2 years of dedicated education.

Minimum overall Ielts 6/6.5 according to the requirement of course and institution.
60% expected in the 12th grade.
TOEFL- PBT: 550 min and CBT: 213 min.
Flexible admission.

For Undergraduate/ Bachelor’s level

70% in the 12th grade.
12th grade level of Maths.
TOEFL-PBT: 580-600 minutes. ( Depending on the course)
CBT: 237-250 minutes.

For Post-graduate/ Master’s Courses

2-3 years of full-time work experience.
With 70% average a 4 years bachelor’s degree.
GMAT- 580-600 min.
IELTS- 6.5 with no band less than 6.0. ( can vary from course to course)
TOEFL- PBT: 580-600 min.
CBT- 237-250.
Some institutions may require portfolio/ published work experience.

How long are study gaps accepted in Canada?

Various degrees in Canada have different levels of gap years duration. There is no specific study gap duration. Nowadays, international students with study gaps are increasing day by day. For many reasons, a study gap can happen. So Canada doesn’t focus on the gap years for international students. If you have work experience or strong academic background, you can study in Canada without having a study gap.

Diploma- 2 years
Undergraduate- 2-3 years
Postgraduate- 5-8 years

However, the universities in Canada will accept students with more study gaps than the permitted ones if the student has a justified reason for the gap years and has a strong academic background.

What if the gaps are more than 5 years?

If you aim to take a postgraduate/ Master’s degree in Canada, then more than 5 years of the gap can easily be accepted. And if you want to pursue an undergraduate degree, then some colleges or universities in Canada can accept students with a reasonable year gap. So, if you have a valid reason like you have utilised your time by appearing for an exam or gathered experience by working, you can enrol at Canadian universities.

Acceptable reasons for the study gap in Canada.

You were in a gap after completing your last education. Now you want to take another degree in Canada but are worried about the gap years. Most international students face problems in justifying the reasons for the gap years. The university authority can not accept a silly reason. If you have the following reasons, you may be accepted by a Canadian university with a study gap. They are-

Family Issues- Family does matter. It is considered the strongest part of a person’s life that can’t be negligible. So if you had a serious family issue, and that’s why you were bound to take a break from your education, this reason is quite justificatory. And the Canadian university authority will accept this gap cordially.
Work experience- Let’s say, after completing the previous qualification, you have taken a break to gather work experience. Work experience is needed to achieve professional growth. These experiences will help you to find good jobs in the future. Even employers will appreciate a candidate with good job experience and skills. So when you have a study gap due to this reason, it will be accepted by the colleges and universities in Canada. But you have to provide proof of payslips and an experience letter.
Health Issues- If the reason for your study break is some serious health issues or an accident, this type of gap is accepted by Canadian universities. But as evidence, you have to provide medical certificates.
Entrance Exams- If you took a break due to the entrance exam, this reason would also be accepted by the universities of Canada. But you must prove the necessary documents such as admit card and result sheet as evidence.
Skill development- There are many skill-development courses available for international students. Despite a degree or a qualification, many students like to take skills and certification courses to develop their careers for a better future. So if you have gap years, for this reason, it will also be accepted by Canadian universities.
Financial matter- If your study gap reason was financial inadequacy, and it took a year or two to manage the required amount to study in Canada, this reason will also be accepted by Canadian universities.

How can a student justify study gaps for a Canadian student visa?

Study gaps always demand a clear justification. A student can clarify the reason for the gap years through the statement of purpose by attaching the required documents. A student must provide the required documents to justify the gap during visa processing. So here are the required documents you may need to explain the gap years. They are-

Payslip- You may need to provide a payslip or the offer letter as evidence if you worked during the gap years.
Work Certificates- If you have done any skill-based course during the break, you can provide the work certificates as a justification.
Medical Certificates- If health issues or another reason like an accident is the reason for your study gap, then you have to provide medical certificates.
Marksheet- If you took a year to prepare for the entrance exam but couldn’t make it, you can attach the mark sheet or result.

All these documents are mandatory when applying for a Canada student visa. Besides these documents, other documents are also mandatory. Here we will learn about them one by one-

Documents that are required to apply for a student visa in Canada.

Passport
Letter of acceptance.
Valid IELTS score.
Sufficient money to pay for the tuition fees and other costs.
Medical certificates
SOP or the statement of purpose.
Embassy report.
Academic documents
Proof of gap justification.

Merits and Demits of a study gap.

Though initially, the study gap seems negative, it has many positive aspects too. While you take a break from your education and utilize this time by doing many constructive things like working or being involved in some skill-based training will enhance your qualification. However, if your gap years are not justificatory, it will decrease your chance of getting admission to the universities of Canada.

Merits:

An opportunity to learn new skills.

As an international student, you can get new skills, knowledge or experience through many skill-improving courses during the study break. It will increase your qualification and help you find a part-time job in Canada. Seeing your qualification and skill, employers will be more impressed with you and give you a top priority.

Solve the family problem- Family is such a thing that surrounds most emotions. If your family is in some crisis or problem, you will be unable to concentrate on other things. So it will give you a chance to solve family issues and graduate with more enthusiasm and concentration.
Developing professional skills- Taking the study gap for any job will help you gain many work experiences. You will be professionally more skilled and experienced. It will help you to get better job opportunities in the future.
Time to prepare for the competitive exams- You may use the gap year to prepare yourself for the competitive exams. The experiences you gained will help you in a great way to face major exams in the future.

Demerits

It breaks the rhythm of continuing study- Everything depends on practice. You may lose your continuity in education when you take a study gap.
Waste of time- If you don’t do anything constructive during the gap years, you will only lose your year.

Get an expert’s help.

So if you want to study in Canada and are worried about the gap years, our experts can show you the easiest solution of it. AIMS Education is a student consultancy firm that helps students to study in the UK, USA, and Canada. The Canadian AIMS Education experts will help you find your dream university.

FAQ- Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Does Canada accept the study gaps?

Ans: Yes, Canada accepts the gaps in the bachelor’s and postgraduation courses. Canada’s education system permits international students with a study gap if the reason is valid and the student meets all the requirements properly.

Q. How many years of study gaps are accepted in Canada?

Ans: Usually, for a bachelor’s degree, 2-3 years of study gap for a postgraduate degree, 5-8 years of the gap is accepted. But if you have a gap more than this with a valid reason and meet the other academic and financial requirements, you may study at some Canadian universities.

Q. How can I justify my study gap in Canada?

Ans: You can justify your gap years through a gap explanation letter. With the letter, you need to include-
⦿ Pay slip or the offer letter if you have worked in your gap years.
⦿ If you have used the time by doing any course or obtaining skills, you must attach all the certificates with the gap explanation letter.
⦿ Provide the medical certificates if you have medical issues behind the gap years.
⦿ If you took a year for any entrance exam but failed to make it, provide all the evidence like your admit card, registration form etc.

Q. What are the requirements to obtain a student visa in Canada?

Ans: To obtain a student visa in Canada, you must meet some entry requirements as an international student. Such as-
⦿ Due to the covid-19 situation, an international student must be vaccinated.
⦿ Students must enrol at DLI-listed universities.
⦿ You must be financially stable to cover the living costs and tuition fees to study in Canada.
⦿ No criminal records.
⦿ Clinically fit and a good medical clearance certificate.
⦿ Prove to an officer that you will leave Canada after completing your study or the expiration of the study permit.

Q. Is a visa interview required for Canada?

Ans: There is no visa interview required to study in Canada. If you submit incomplete documents for the visa or the visa officer feels like taking an interview, then you may need to attend a visa interview.

Q. How much study gap is accepted in Canada after the 12th?

Ans: Canada mostly accepted students after the 12th with 2-3 years of study gaps. It prioritises a student’s profile/ qualifications and financial stability.

Q. Is 3 years gap accepted in Canada?

Ans: Yes, 3 years gap is accepted in Canada. Even a student can study in Canada with more study gaps if he has a valid reason and standard qualification.

Q. Can I get a study permit in Canada if I have gap years of 7/8/9?

Ans: Most Canadian universities accept students with 2-3 years of study gap for a bachelor’s degree and 5-8 years of gap years for a postgraduation degree. Canada mostly focuses on a student’s quality instead of the gap years.

Q. Do I need work experience to apply for a postgraduate degree in Canada?

Ans: Minimum 2 years of work experience is mandatory when you want to do an MBA in Canada. Besides, other master’s courses also require work experience to enrol in Canadian universities.

Canada Study Visa With 7 Years Gap

Canada Study Visa With 7 Years Gap

How to fix Study Gaps for Canadian Student Visa?

Archives, Documents and proof Required to Justify Gap Years

Other Documents required for study Visa in Canada

Pros and cons of taking a gap year

Pros

Cons

What Happens if I have more than 5 Years of Study gap?

Which Colleges in Canada Accept the Study Gap?

Is the study gap acceptable in Canada?