IRCC Letter of Acceptance Verification: What Happens If Your School Cannot Confirm Your LOA?

A letter of acceptance may look official, contain a student number and show the name of a recognized Canadian college or university. That does not mean Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will accept it without checking.

Post-secondary designated learning institutions, known as DLIs, must verify admission or enrolment documents submitted with study permit applications. The verification process allows IRCC to ask the institution whether the document is valid and matches the school’s records.

If the school does not respond on time, IRCC will return the application and refund the processing fee. If the school reports that the document does not match its records, the case may be reviewed by an immigration officer.

A mismatch is serious, but it is not automatically proof that the applicant committed fraud. The cause may be an administrative mistake, an expired or cancelled offer, incorrect personal information, an altered document or a fraudulent letter supplied by another person.

This guide from 101 Legal Ways explains how the verification process works, what the possible results mean and what students can do to protect themselves.

A Realistic Scenario: Amina’s LOA Does Not Match

Amina applies to a public college in Canada through an education agent. She receives a PDF letter of acceptance showing her name, program, start date and a student identification number.

Before submitting her study permit application, Amina pays a tuition deposit to a bank account provided by the agent. She never logs in to the college’s student portal and does not contact the admissions office directly.

After she applies, IRCC sends the document to the college for verification. The college cannot find an admission record under Amina’s name and date of birth, so it reports a no-match result.

Amina contacts the college using the telephone number and email address published on its official website. She learns that the college never issued the letter and never received her tuition payment.

She immediately gathers her emails, payment receipts, messages with the agent and the PDF she received. She also reports the suspected fraud and obtains advice about how to respond to IRCC.

Amina’s evidence does not guarantee a particular immigration decision. However, acting quickly helps her explain what happened and distinguish her situation from someone who knowingly submitted a false document.

What Is IRCC Letter of Acceptance Verification?

IRCC’s letter of acceptance verification system allows post-secondary DLIs to confirm whether an admission or enrolment document submitted in a study permit application is genuine.

The process applies to:

• Post-secondary study permit applications submitted outside Canada
• Post-secondary study permit applications submitted inside Canada
• Study permit extension applications involving post-secondary studies

IRCC sends the relevant document and identifying information to the institution through a secure portal. The DLI then compares the document with its own admission or student records.

IRCC explains the process on its official letter of acceptance verification page.

Why Does IRCC Verify LOAs?

The verification system was introduced to help protect students from fraudulent admission schemes and preserve the integrity of the International Student Program.

False letters may be created by unauthorized agents, altered after being issued or connected to admissions that were later withdrawn. Verification allows IRCC to check directly with the institution before deciding the study permit application.

The system also helps detect situations where:

• The school never issued the document
• The letter belongs to another person
• The applicant’s name or date of birth does not match
• The offer has expired
• The school cancelled the admission
• The document was changed after the school issued it
• The wrong file was uploaded in the LOA section

What Documents Can the School Verify?

The process is commonly called LOA verification, but IRCC permits the institution to verify several types of admission or enrolment documents.

These may include:

• A letter of acceptance
• A letter of enrolment
• In certain situations, an offer of admission
• In certain situations, a transcript or another enrolment-related document

Applicants should upload the correct letter in the LOA-specific field of the online application.

IRCC warns that documents placed in this field may be disclosed to the school for verification. Unrelated documents should be uploaded in the appropriate sections of the application.

Review the current instructions on the official study permit document page.

How Does the School Verify the Document?

The DLI receives access to information that helps it compare the submitted document with its records. This may include:

• A copy of the admission or enrolment document submitted to IRCC
• The applicant’s first and last names
• The applicant’s date of birth
• The student identification number shown in the application or letter
• Other information contained in the submitted document

The school then selects the appropriate verification result in the IRCC Portal.

Applicants do not complete this step themselves. They also cannot log in to the school’s verification portal or submit the verification result on the DLI’s behalf.

What Are the Possible Verification Results?

IRCC’s current instructions give DLIs three verification results.

Verification result	General meaning
Verified – Matched	The applicant has been accepted or is a current student and the DLI is satisfied that the document is valid and matches the applicant’s name and date of birth
Cancelled	The document has expired or the DLI cancelled it because it is no longer valid, such as after a deferral or withdrawal
Verified – No match	The application did not include an accepted document or the DLI did not issue the submitted document to a student with the name and date of birth shown in the portal

The default portal label “Not started” is not a completed verification result.

These definitions appear in IRCC’s official instructions for verifying documents.

How Long Does the School Have to Respond?

The DLI normally has 10 calendar days to complete the verification.

The deadline belongs to the school, not the student. However, a student who knows that an application was returned because the school did not respond should contact the admissions office before applying again.

IRCC advises applicants to confirm that the school will validate the LOA before resubmitting.

In limited unforeseen or exceptional circumstances, a DLI may ask IRCC for an extension. IRCC’s institutional guidance lists circumstances such as a prolonged infrastructure failure, natural disaster, public health emergency or labour dispute. An applicant should not assume that an extension has been granted unless the school confirms it.

What Happens If the School Does Not Respond?

If the DLI does not verify the document by the deadline, IRCC states that it will:

• Return the study permit application
• Refund the processing fee

This is different from a refusal after an officer assesses the merits of a complete application.

A returned application also does not mean that the student can ignore the problem and send the same documents again immediately. The applicant should first ask the school:

• Whether it received the verification request
• Whether the LOA remains valid
• Whether the applicant’s personal information is correct
• Whether the school is prepared to verify the document after resubmission
• Whether a new LOA is required

Applicants should also consider the effect of the return on application timing, the program start date, the validity of a PAL or TAL and their immigration status if applying from inside Canada.

Is a No-Match Result an Automatic Refusal?

No. A no-match result is a warning that requires review, but it is not automatically a final finding of fraud.

IRCC reported that no-match cases are reviewed by an officer before a decision is made. The officer may consider the document, the school’s response and any explanation or evidence provided by the applicant.

Possible reasons for a no match include:

• A spelling difference in the applicant’s name
• An incorrect date of birth
• A student number entered incorrectly
• A school record under a different legal name
• The wrong document uploaded
• An offer issued by a branch, partner or recruiter that the DLI cannot confirm
• A document altered without the applicant’s knowledge
• A completely fabricated letter

The reason must be investigated. Applicants should not assume that every mismatch is harmless, but they should also not describe it as fraud before the facts are known.

What Does a Cancelled Result Mean?

A cancelled result generally means that the institution issued the document but it is no longer valid.

This can happen when:

• The acceptance letter expired
• The student deferred to another intake
• The student withdrew
• The institution withdrew the offer
• Admission conditions were not met
• The program or intake changed

A cancelled LOA should not be used as though it remains valid. The student may need an updated letter showing the current program and start date.

If a PAL, TAL or CAQ was issued for the earlier admission, the student should confirm whether it remains usable or whether a new document is required.

“Unknown or No Record” Is a Different Process

Students may see the phrase “unknown or no record” in IRCC’s DLI student compliance reporting guide. That label does not belong to the LOA verification results described above.

LOA verification occurs during a post-secondary study permit or extension application. It checks whether the admission or enrolment document is valid.

Student compliance reporting is separate. It normally concerns people who already hold study permits and asks DLIs to report their enrolment status.

Under compliance reporting, “unknown or no record” may be used when the institution has no record that a letter of acceptance was issued to the person named in the request.

Confusing these two systems can lead to incorrect conclusions. The processes use different portals, serve different purposes and have different reporting categories.

Can an Administrative Error Be Corrected?

Possibly. If the student believes the school made an error, they should contact the registrar or admissions office immediately.

Ask the school to confirm in writing:

• Whether it issued the LOA
• The date the LOA was issued
• The correct student number
• The applicant’s name and date of birth in its records
• The program and start date
• Whether the offer remains valid
• What result it submitted to IRCC
• Whether it can correct or explain an error

The student should also keep screenshots from the official student portal, tuition receipts and emails sent from the school’s official domain.

If IRCC has already contacted the applicant, any response must follow the deadline and method stated in the letter. The school cannot guarantee that IRCC will change its decision.

What Should You Do If IRCC Raises a Fraud Concern?

Treat the matter seriously and read the letter carefully.

If IRCC gives the applicant an opportunity to respond, the response may need to address:

• How the student applied to the school
• Who supplied the LOA
• Whether the student knew the document was false or altered
• What payments were made and to whom
• Whether the student communicated directly with the DLI
• What steps the student took after learning about the problem

Useful evidence may include:

• The original PDF and email in which the LOA was received
• The application submitted to the school
• Messages with the recruiter or representative
• Contracts and receipts
• Bank transfer records
• Tuition payment confirmations
• The school’s written explanation
• Student portal records
• Evidence that the representative was declared
• Reports made to police, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or a regulator

Because a misrepresentation finding can have serious consequences, applicants should consider obtaining advice from an authorized Canadian immigration professional before responding.

What Are the Consequences of a Fake or Altered LOA?

IRCC states that applicants are responsible for the information and documents in their applications, even when a representative prepared or submitted them.

If false or altered information is submitted, possible consequences include:

• Refusal of the application
• A ban from Canada for at least five years
• A permanent fraud record with IRCC
• Loss of temporary or permanent resident status
• Removal from Canada
• Possible criminal consequences in serious cases

IRCC also states that it is focused on identifying those responsible for fraud rather than punishing people affected by fraud. However, a student who believes they were deceived must still provide credible evidence and respond properly.

Review the official IRCC page on the consequences of immigration fraud.

How Can You Verify Your LOA Before Applying?

Students can reduce risk by confirming the admission directly with the institution.

Before submitting a study permit application:

1. Check that the school appears on the official DLI list.
2. Confirm the campus, program and DLI number.
3. Contact the admissions office using details published on the school’s official website.
4. Log in to the institution’s official student portal.
5. Confirm that the school has your correct legal name and date of birth.
6. Check the program title, start date and any conditions on the offer.
7. Pay tuition only through payment methods confirmed by the school.
8. Keep the email showing that the school sent or confirmed the LOA.
9. Review every document before a representative uploads it.
10. Download a complete copy of the application after submission.

Do not rely only on a recruiter’s telephone number, social media profile or email address.

How Can You Identify a Risky Admission Offer?

Warning signs may include:

• A guaranteed LOA without an academic assessment
• Pressure to pay immediately to a personal account
• A request to send tuition through cryptocurrency or social media
• A school email address that does not match the official domain
• Spelling errors or inconsistent logos
• A program that does not appear on the school’s website
• An LOA for a campus that does not exist
• A representative who refuses to let the student contact the school
• A promise of guaranteed work, permanent residence or a PGWP
• Personal details that do not match the student’s passport

A professional-looking PDF is not proof of authenticity.

IRCC recommends that students obtain the LOA directly from the DLI and pay tuition fees directly to the school. See the official international student fraud guidance.

What If Your Application Is Returned?

If IRCC returns the application because the DLI did not respond:

1. Read the return letter carefully.
2. Contact the school’s admissions or international student office.
3. Confirm whether the LOA remains valid.
4. Ask the school to investigate why it missed the request.
5. Obtain a new or updated LOA if necessary.
6. Check whether the PAL, TAL or CAQ is still valid.
7. Confirm the next available intake and final arrival date.
8. Reapply only after the school confirms it can complete verification.

If the applicant is in Canada, a returned extension application may have consequences for temporary resident status. Do not assume that submitting an incomplete application created maintained status. Obtain case-specific advice promptly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming an official-looking PDF must be genuine

Confirm the admission through the DLI’s official channels.

Paying tuition to an agent’s personal account

Use a payment method verified by the school.

Uploading the wrong file in the LOA field

Place the current admission document in the correct section.

Ignoring differences in your name or date of birth

Ask the school to correct its records before applying.

Reapplying immediately after a returned application

First confirm that the DLI will respond to the next verification request.

Treating a no match as automatically harmless

Investigate the cause and gather evidence.

Assuming the agent is responsible for every error

IRCC says applicants remain responsible for their applications.

Editing an LOA yourself

Never change the program, dates, tuition information or any other part of a school-issued document.

A 101 Legal Ways Educational Example

After reading 101 Legal Ways guides, Ravi realized that receiving an LOA from a recruiter was not enough to prove that his admission was genuine.

Before applying for a study permit, he checked the college on the official DLI list and contacted its admissions office using the email address on the college website. The school confirmed that Ravi had been accepted but found that his date of birth was entered incorrectly in its system.

Ravi asked the college to correct the record and issue an updated LOA. He then reviewed the new letter, confirmed his student number and uploaded the correct document in the LOA field.

This is a fictional public education example. Ravi is not a real client and the scenario does not guarantee approval. It shows how verifying an admission directly with the DLI can help identify an error before it creates a larger problem.

101 Legal Ways provides practical public education about Canadian laws and immigration procedures. Its guides help readers understand official requirements, organize relevant evidence and ask better questions before making important decisions.

Four Actionable Takeaways

1. Confirm the LOA directly with the DLI. Use the school’s official website, admissions office and student portal.
2. Make sure every detail matches. Check your legal name, date of birth, student number, program and start date.
3. Understand the result. A missed deadline leads to a returned application while a cancelled or no-match result may require investigation and officer review.
4. Act quickly if something is wrong. Preserve the original documents, contact the school and obtain authorized advice when fraud or misrepresentation is alleged.

Final Thoughts

IRCC’s LOA verification process makes direct confirmation from the institution a central part of post-secondary study permit processing.

Students should not rely only on the appearance of a letter or the promises of a recruiter. A genuine admission should be traceable through the DLI’s official records and communication channels.

If a school fails to respond, the application may be returned. If the document is cancelled or does not match, the student should determine why before reapplying or answering IRCC.

The safest approach is to verify the admission early, keep complete records and review the latest official instructions before submitting the application.

Official Government Sources

• IRCC: Letter of acceptance verification process
• IRCC: How DLIs verify documents
• IRCC: Study permit documents
• IRCC: Designated learning institutions list
• IRCC: International student fraud
• IRCC: Consequences of immigration fraud

Legal Disclaimer

This article provides general public legal and immigration information only. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client or consultant-client relationship. Immigration rules, institutional procedures and individual circumstances may change. Consult IRCC, your designated learning institution or an authorized Canadian immigration professional for advice about your specific situation. Information was reviewed against official IRCC guidance available on August 10, 2026.