Deferrals and Refunds

Deferral of Admission

You may request to defer your admissions if your student visa application was declined or delayed, or you cannot start your studies due to personal reasons. Deferral requests must be made before or after 30 days of the start of your intended program and are accommodated based on program availability. Deferral requests are not considered once a student’s visa is confirmed and following timetable selection.

Requirements to defer:

  1. Your first semester fees have been paid in full to Mohawk College.
  2. You have applied for your study visa. However, IRCC has not yet granted you a study visa, or your visa has been granted after the intended start date of your program.
  3. You are deferring to the program listed on your current Letter of Acceptance (if your current program is full for the next intake, see the FAQ for more information).
  4. Your deferral request is in the same academic year, up to a maximum of three intakes.

How do I request a deferral?

  • Update your application status in the OCAS International Applicant portal by navigating to the Applicant Dashboard -> Offer Details Page -> Withdraw Acceptance and provide reason for deferral -> Request Deferral for future term and select a program in future intake -> Select Yes -> Submit documents to support the deferral request -> Save.
  • Applicants working with an authorized Mohawk representative, or third party must contact them directly to update their applications.
  • To support your deferral request, please provide a full copy of the official Visa/Study Permit Refusal Letter (if available) from the Canadian Embassy.

Note: Once a new offer of admission is issued for a future term, you are now considered a candidate for the new start date. Therefore, the holdback fees for your now deferred application will apply. You will not be able to use a previous terms visa refusal letter to claim a refund for the new application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I request a deferral by email or phone call?

All deferral requests must be made on the OCAS International Applicant portal only. If you are working with an authorized Mohawk representative (i.e. agent, third party etc.) please contact them directly to submit the request on your behalf. The request must be made within 30 days of your original program start date.

When will I find out if my deferral is approved?

Deferral requests are processed within four to six weeks. However, the timeline varies depending on the time of year. Applicants are encouraged to request a deferral if classes have started and there has been no update from IRCC regarding your study visa application.

Am I guaranteed a seat in my intended program if I defer?

No, program seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

I have paid my deposit. Can I defer?

You may request a deferral only after paying your full semester one fee.

I didn’t pay my tuition fee. Can I defer to the next term?

No, you must pay your semester one tuition fee to defer.

Can I apply to a different program when deferring to a future semester?

No, you will only have the option to select the same program you had in your original Letter of Acceptance.

The program listed in my current offer letter is full for the next term or not offered. What should I do?

Please complete your deferral without selecting a program on the OCAS International Applicant portal. In the Notes section, indicate an alternative program selection for consideration 30 days before or after classes start. 

If you wish to withdraw your application and receive a refund due to your program being full in the next intake, please note the following: Only deferral requests received 30 days before or after the start of classes will be considered for a refund, minus a $250 administrative fee. Deferral requests received after the 30-day deferral deadline will incur a $2,450 holdback fee.

I will require a new Provisional Attestation for my deferral request, how can I request one? 

If you defer from a Winter Term to a future term within the same academic year (up to three semesters), you will require a new Provisional Attestation Letter (PAL) before you apply for a study permit. Mohawk will send a new PAL a few days after your deferred LOA is issued; there is no need to request PAL from us directly.

Refund Policy

Mohawk College’s International student refund policy has been developed in compliance with the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) Policy on Tuition and Ancillary Fees and Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Study Permit guidelines.

Note: Mohawk does not transfer payments to other institutions. Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be notified of students not actively registered at Mohawk College.

Mohawk College will only return funds to the original payer and payer account in accordance with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard and to abide by the Government of Canada’s guidelines. Therefore, it is advisable for students not to make payments through an Agent or other third party.

  • If a third party has paid fees on behalf of a student, it is the student's responsibility to coordinate the return of their tuition fee with the third party after the refund is sent. Mohawk bears no responsibility in these cases and encourages students to pay fees directly to the college through our various payment methods.
  • Any wire transfer fees or other bank charges associated with returning the funds will be subtracted from the amount returned.
  • Mohawk College will require between 60 and 90 days to complete the return of funds once Mohawk College has received all necessary documentation to support the refund request.
  • Mohawk College bears no responsibility for funds that do not reach their destination due to inaccurate or obsolete financial information provided by the student. Applicants/students are responsible for all banking and foreign exchange charges associated with their payment/refund.
  • Electronic copies of supporting documents are accepted; however, originals may be required upon request.

Winter 2025 – Refund Option for PGWP Ineligible Programs

Semester one students in the Winter 2025 term:

PGWP ineligible
If you have received a notification from Mohawk that your program is no longer eligible for a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) due to the IRCC field of study requirement effective November 1, 2024, and you applied for your study permit after November 1, 2024, you may request a refund of your tuition. A $250 administrative fee will be deducted from the refund amount. Refund requests must be received by the 10th day of classes to be considered.

DLI Transfer
If you are transferring from another designated learning institution and your new study permit is not approved after beginning your studies at Mohawk College, you will be provided with an amended refund policy. If you withdraw from studies before March 21, 2025, because of a visa denial, you will receive a partial refund of eligible fees and no academic penalty.  

Once IRCC has provided a decision on your new study permit, you must inform Mohawk College immediately by connecting with our international student services team.

See below for information on “how to apply for a refund.”

Request a Refund

The refund process involves various holdback fees and deadlines, which are applied based on the individual request. Please review the following scenarios to understand these requirements and your eligibility for a refund.

Visa Denial (For Applicants/New Students Only)

If your student visa/study permit has been denied, you may be eligible to receive a refund of any tuition fees paid, less a $250 administrative fee. Refund requests must be made within 60 days of the program start date listed on your most recent acceptance letter. A refund will be issued to the originating source (i.e., the person who made the original payment) by the original method of payment.

How do I apply for a refund?

  • Update your application status in the OCAS International Applicant portal by navigating the Applicant Dashboard -> Select Offer Details -> Withdraw Acceptance -> Select Yes for a Refund-> Click Continue -> Upload supporting document, i.e. visa refusal document/letter of explanation -> Save.
  • Upload your Visa Denial letter from the Canadian Embassy. Proof of the refusal for previous semesters is not accepted.
  • If your program is no longer PGWP eligible, please indicate this in the comments section in the above portal

Upon receipt of the completed submission within the OCAS-International Applicant platform and corresponding documents, Mohawk will process your refund request.

Note: Once a new offer of admission is issued for a future term, you will be considered a candidate for the new start date. All rules and regulations for the application will apply. You will not be able to use a previous terms visa refusal letter to claim a refund for the new semester. To qualify for a refund minus the $250, you will need to receive a visa refusal for the new application.

Refunds without a Visa denial

Application Withdrawal Partial Refund

If you decide not to attend Mohawk College and your visa application has not been denied, you may be eligible for a partial refund if you apply before the 10th day of classes.

Required Documents:

  • If transferring to another institution, you must provide:
    • A Letter of Acceptance from the college/university you are transferring to. (The LOA needs to be for the same term that you are withdrawing from at Mohawk College).
    • A new Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from your transferring institution or official Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) if transferring to a school in the province of Quebec.
  • If returning home, you must provide:
    • A return ticket to your home country.
  • If withdrawing for another reason:
    • Upload a Letter of Explanation (explaining why you will not be attending).

How Do I Request a Refund?

Submit the following within ten (10) days of the program start date.

  • Update your application status in the OCAS International Applicant portal by navigating to the Applicant Dashboard Applicant Dashboard -> Select Offer Details -> Withdraw Acceptance -> Select Yes for a Refund -> Click Continue -> Upload supporting document i.e. visa refusal document/letter of explanation -> Save.
  • Upload the required documents mentioned above and a Letter of Explanation.

Upon receipt of the completed online submission form, and corresponding documents, approved requests will be processed less a $2,450 non-refundable administrative fee. A refund will be issued to the originating source (i.e. person making the payment) by the original payment method.

Note: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will be notified of the withdrawal from Mohawk College.

Students enrolled in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), or Pre-EAP Foundations will be charged a $2,450 nonrefundable deposit if they withdraw for any other reason than a visa denial after the college’s deposit deadline for the upcoming term.

Refunds: Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take to process my refund request?

Refund processing time is approximately 6 to 8 weeks from receipt of the complete refund package. Processing time may be longer during peak periods.

I am in Canada and have a study permit. I don’t have an offer letter and PAL from another institution (for the same term) or a return ticket. Will I get a refund of my semester one fees?

You will need to submit a letter of explanation for review, as you may be eligible for a partial refund.

I deferred my admission and no longer wish to pursue studies in Canada. I was denied a student visa for a previous term. Can I get a full refund?

You will not be able to use a visa refusal letter from a previous term to claim a refund minus the $250 admin fee for the application. Instead, if you have paid your full tuition, you qualify for a partial refund (full tuition minus $2,450) as you are considered an applicant for the intake and have received an updated offer. Therefore, all rules and regulations for the new and most current applications apply.

Can my refund be sent to someone else?

Refunds are issued to the originating source (i.e., the person making the payment) using the original payment method. Refunds to third parties will not be considered.

I paid the deposit but no longer want to study at Mohawk for personal reasons or because of IRCC changes. Can I get a refund?

No. The tuition deposit is non-refundable.

I have an agent. Should they make the refund request on my behalf?

Yes, Applicants working with an authorized Mohawk representative must contact the agent directly to request a refund before the above-mentioned deadlines.

Contact Us

Questions or concerns, contact the Applicant Support team for additional information.