What to do if your student visa application is rejected

If your student visa application gets refused, it’s natural to feel disappointed or stressed by the outcome.

Remember that you are not the first international student to have their visa application rejected, and a range of support is available.

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See below for our guide on what to do after having a student visa application refused, including why it may have been rejected and whether you can appeal your result.

What should I do if my student visa is rejected?

The first thing you should do if your visa is rejected is try to find out why the application was refused. This should be outlined in a rejection letter from the home office or department of immigration in your destination country.

If the reason hasn’t already been made clear it’s best to ask for feedback directly and review it thoroughly before reapplying or appealing the result.

From there, you can work to address the reason/s for rejection and reapply for the visa once you have addressed the concerns.

You should also contact your university to let them know, particularly if the delay to your visa means you cannot arrive for the agreed starting date of your course. Most universities have an international office devoted to international students, so this should be your first port of call. They will have helped countless students obtain a visa to study at their institution and they will be able to support you.

Different countries have different routes of appeal, while for others you’ll have to start a new application. See below to find out the processes to follow after a student visa rejection in Canada, Australia, the US and the UK.

Common reasons your visa may be rejected

Student visas are sometimes rejected for arbitrary or fixable reasons. Some common reasons include:

• Incorrectly filling out one or more parts of the visa application form, or forgetting to fill out any parts
• Not providing the correct forms, including ID or photographs
• Insufficient English language ability
• Lack of substantial proof to show you fulfil the financial requirements to study abroad
• Failing any background checks
• Your previous education isn’t related to your course. Having no previous qualifications related to your course, or having qualifications in unrelated fields is a common reason for visa refusal.
• There is a gap in your education journey. The amount of time since you were last in education can have an impact on your outcome.
• Your course selection doesn’t show career progression. Choosing a course at the same level of education or lower calls into doubt the purpose of your visa. Whether you are applying to a college or a university can also impact the result. Universities typically have better approval rates.
• Your travel history to other countries
• Your nationality. Each nation has its own political and economic factors that contribute to the success of an application. The same application from citizens of different nationalities may have different results. 
•  Your past application history. Any previous visa refusals could be a factor, particularly if you were previously granted a visa to your destination country and were found to be breaking any visa conditions.

Should I get an agent to help with my visa?

Many international students will use an agent or study adviser to help with the entire process of applying to study aboard, including visa applications. If your visa has been refused it may well be worth enlisting an experienced international student or immigration agent to ensure things go more smoothly next time.

Finding an experienced agent who can help prospective students understand visa-specific requirements can improve the chance of successfully receiving a visa, according to Jake Foster, chief commercial officer at Australian Education and Career Counselling. He adds that you should always look for a reputable agent with a proven track record.

For help with study visas in Canada, Hari Ghai, a senior immigration consultant at ApplyBoard, suggests students find an immigration consultant using this .

For consultants in Australia, Janelle Chapman, president of the International Education Accreditation Authority, suggests finding agents through the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority’s .

You can also check out the  for its list of approved agents.

In the US, the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) has created a to ensure that agents operate transparently and with integrity. You can find a .

Are more student visas getting refused because of Covid-19?

If your visa has recently been refused, you may be wondering if Covid-19 played a factor.

Chapman and Foster say that Covid-19 has actually reduced visa rejection rates, but Foster points out that this is most likely the result of fewer applications flowing through to various countries, especially those with closed borders.

Despite lower rates of visa rejections generally, Covid-19 has still caused visa delays for many students. Ghai says visa processing was slower due to limited resources during the pandemic and that “the reasons for refusal at the moment are mainly the lockdown of institutions, limits on flights, and risk of transfer”.

To find out what’s changed about student visas in your destination country because of Covid, you can read our guides on changes to student visa policy in the , , and . Remember too, so do keep track of updates for the country in which you’ll be studying.