Change of Plans?

If your study permit application has not been approved before the start of the term, you may consider the following options:

a) Defer your program to the next available intake

Deferral requests are subject to program availability, must be submitted before Day 10 of classes and be accompanied by a signed Deferral Request form (PDF)

b) Withdraw and request a refund

Refund requests must be accompanied by a signed Withdraw Form and by supporting documentation; administrative fees may apply. Refund requests must be submitted before Day 10 of classes or within 14 days of IRCC refusal if withdrawing due to study permit refusal.

If your study permit application is refused, you may consider the following options:

a) Defer your program and apply for another PAL

If your study permit is refused, you may choose to defer your acceptance to the next available term and request another Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to support a subsequent study permit application. Requests for another PAL must be submitted by emailing The Service Hub, with the subject line "PAL request."

As with all public institutions in Ontario, Seneca has been allocated a limited number of PALs for 2026 and therefore cannot guarantee the issuance of a subsequent PAL for all applicants. Use our helpful resources to prepare for your study permit application.

b) Withdraw and request a refund

Refund requests must include a copy of your most recent IRCC study permit refusal letter and must be submitted within 14 days of the date indicated on the refusal letter. Only the IRCC study permit refusal letter that is relevant to the term you are withdrawing from will be considered.

If a second study permit application is refused prior to the start of your first semester, you may still be eligible for a refund, subject to Seneca’s refund policy.

Only students who have paid their tuition deposit can be granted deferred admission. The deferral request must be submitted before Day 10 of classes with a completed request form (PDF). Students may defer once only. Any subsequent requests for deferral are considered new applications and will require a new application fee of $90.

If a study permit application is still pending a decision from IRCC, the deferral request must still be submitted before Day 10 of classes. A deferral will not be granted if the request is received after this deadline for the reason of waiting for a decision from IRCC.

ELI students who have taken their placement test are not eligible for deferral and need to withdraw from their program. This includes those who received direct entry to an ELI level and have already confirmed their attendance with the ELI Office. The tuition deposit will not be carried forward or refunded.

Deferral requests are subject to the program availability, please refer to the Program Availability page. Late deferral requests will not be considered unless approved with a written appeal. Late deferrals that are granted are subject to a $200 late fee.

To request a deferral of admission to a future term, complete the following steps:

• Complete the Request to Defer Admission form (PDF)

• email the completed form to The Service Hub from an email account registered with Seneca

Students may be eligible to apply for a tuition refund if:

• a decision on their study permit application has not been reached in time to start classes
• the study permit application has been refused
• IRCC policy changes have negatively impacted a student’s study plan

If you are already in Canada with a study permit and wish to withdraw (no longer returning), please consult with one of our immigration specialists to understand the implications prior to withdrawing as it may put you out of status in Canada. You can drop-in at The Service Hub or book an appointment to meet with our immigration specialists in person or virtually.

To request a tuition refund, the following documents are required. Seneca may request additional information depending on the type of refund required.

• clear copy of valid passport showing both the identification and signature pages
• completed Withdraw Form. The request form must be received by Seneca before Day 10 of classes. If a study permit application is still pending a decision from IRCC, the refund request must still be submitted before Day 10 of classes. A refund will not be granted if the request is received after this deadline for the reason of waiting for a decision from IRCC.
• supporting documentation applicable to your reason for withdrawing:
  • copy of study permit refusal letter
  • copy of letter of acceptance for another institution
  • other relevant documents, as requested

Submit the documents to The Service Hub from an email account registered with Seneca. No refund will be issued if the request does not come from the registered email address used during the application, the supporting documents are found fraudulent, or the study permit is refused due to fraudulent documents and/or misrepresentation.

• A $2,000 administrative fee will be deducted from your paid tuition fees for withdrawal and refund requests.
• If you choose to transfer to another Designated Learning Institution before Day 10 of classes, a $2,000 administrative fee will be deducted from any applicable refunds.
• No administrative fee will be deducted for your withdrawal and refund request if your study permit application has been rejected by the IRCC, or your study plan is no longer viable due to IRCC policy changes.

In order to be compliant with Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering policies, all refunds will be sent back to the credit card or bank account from which the funds were originally paid. Seneca is not responsible for the fluctuation of the currency exchange rate.

• If a payment was made by credit card more than 12 months ago or that card is no longer active, funds will be returned through Convera with online banking information verification. The instruction email will be sent to your MySeneca.ca student email address.
• Funds paid through CIBC International Student Pay, Flywire, ICICI Bank/Unifee or Convera will be returned through their portal to the account from which the funds were originally paid.
• Payments made from Canada using Interac or Canadian bank payments will be refunded back to the account through e-transfer.
  • to be eligible for e-transfer, the refund must be issued directly to the student who has access to their Student Home account, Seneca email, and holds a bank account at a Canadian banking institution.