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Canada is a popular educational hub for students from all around the world. The country is considered to be an immigration-friendly nation, has some of the best colleges and universities, and offers higher education at an affordable price. These factors have made Canada one of the top choices for international students who want to complete their higher education in other countries. International students who have a study gap in their transcripts are generally worried about whether they will be getting admission and a Canadian student visa. In this article, we will discuss everything that international students need to know about how much gap is accepted for study in Canada and how they might affect their dreams of studying abroad in Canada:

What is a study gap?

A study gap is basically when a student has a break or a gap in their education since obtaining their last qualification. This is the time that students take between getting their previous educational qualification and starting their present one. A study gap could be taken by students for any beneficial purpose, such as starting an internship or a job that may be valuable for them during their career ahead. These educational gap years could even be taken to improve the skill sets that may apply to your professional or academic journey. Generally, a small study gap is quite common among international students, particularly when they have completed one educational degree. 

Is the study gap accepted by Canadian colleges and universities?

Most colleges and universities in Canada accept students who have study gaps. However, the acceptance of candidates also depends on the number of years that students have had an educational break. The acceptance of study gaps depends on educational organizations and the number of years of study gaps. It is quite common for international students to have a few years of study gap before they go to other countries to pursue their higher education. However, to maximize their chances of admission to academic institutions in Canada, international students must ensure that they explain the claim for their gap year with valid reasons and supporting documents.

How many years of study gap is accepted for study in Canada?

Prospective international students have always been apprehensive about the number of years of study gap that is considered to be acceptable for admission to Canadian colleges and universities. Generally, most colleges and universities in Canada accept a gap of 2 years for their undergraduate program and a gap of 5 years for admission in their postgraduate programs. However, since these numbers may vary from the educational institute, you need to check with the college to which you are planning to apply and get the exact number of study gap years that are acceptable for admission. Many Canadian academic institutions also need international students to provide valid reasons as well as legitimate documents to reinforce their claim for an educational break.

What are some valid reasons accepted by Canadian academic institutions to explain a study gap?

International students who wish to continue their higher education abroad in Canada are required to support their justification for taking a study gap. In some cases, international students are also required to submit valid documents as proof to Canadian academic institutions to showcase the things that they have undertaken during their educational gap.

Entrance exams:

To obtain admission to an academic institute in Canada, you might be required to appear for certain competitive entrance exams. It is a common practice for international students to keep reappearing for these entrance tests until they receive the desired score. Hence international students naturally need some time to prepare for competitive tests and then apply to study abroad.

Professional experience:

 Many international students focus on gaining appropriate professional experience once they have completed a specific qualification since this may be helpful to them when they are applying to study in colleges in other countries. International students might undertake an internship or a job once their education is complete. No matter which sector you pick, it is crucial to ensure that you have legitimate supporting documents that will back your claim when you apply for admission to higher academic institutes in Canada. Usually, international students submit salary slips to showcase their work experience.

Upgrade skills:

 Not every international student directly goes to follow a professional path and get a job. Many international students focus on upgrading their skill sets. After obtaining theoretical knowledge during their academic courses, some students would like to acquire some practical knowledge regarding the same, and this doesn’t need to be professional. For example, some international students focus on learning skills like public speaking or things that they find interesting, or even a foreign language. These life skills could prove to be extremely valuable to international students in the long run. You can always provide certificates for the courses that you are planning to undertake as part of your claim.

Medical emergency:

 If you or someone close to you ends up suffering due to any unforeseen medical problem or illness, you can easily explain this situation to academic institutes in Canada. Make sure that you submit relevant medical documents as proof of your claim.

Personal reasons:

There can be a plethora of personal reasons why international students may require taking a study gap. For example, students may need time to arrange funds to study abroad, may need a mental health break, or maybe going through something.

Which documents are required to apply to study in Canada?

Only after getting clarity on how much gap is accepted for study in Canada here are the documents that you would have to provide when applying for enrollment in Canadian colleges and universities,

• You must send your standardized English language test scores, such as IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL, to universities. International students are mandated to provide these as proof of their fluency in communicating in the English language.
  
• If you hold any work experience, you must provide reference letters that are signed and written by your professional references.
  
• A student visa for Canada must be received once you get your letter of acceptance from the institute you plan to attend.
  
• You must provide academic transcripts for all educational institutes that you have previously attended.
  
• You should also include a well-written Statement of Purpose (SOP) that outlines your intent to pursue a particular course from the university of your choice.
  
• If you do not hold any relevant work experience, you must provide at least 2-3 Letters of Recommendation (LORs) that are signed and written by your previous academic professors.
  
• An updated resume
  
• Documents for student loans or financial aid should be provided if you plan to apply for the same.
• You will also need to submit proof of funds.
  
• You must also submit scores for competitive examinations such as GRE or GMAT to apply for a postgraduate course.
  
• Any certificates that are relevant to your application should be provided.

Conclusion

Study gaps are quite common for international students. International students are known to take some time between their academic qualifications before going abroad. Whatever reason you may have for taking an educational break, it is essential to provide a statement or some supporting documents to back up your claim. Generally, colleges and universities in Canada accept candidates who have a study gap. However, the exact number of years of educational break accepted by academic institutes may differ, and it is advised that you check the same with the college that you want to attend. For more information on how much gap is accepted for study in Canada contact India’s best Canada Visa Consultants.