A member's friend had a study permit approved for a Conestoga College program starting September 2022, but requested a program change just before entry — the college then cancelled the original admission, leaving the student waiting on a new offer letter while unsure whether they could still travel on the original approval.
What the thread clarified:- Your Designated Learning Institution (DLI) is locked in once your study permit is approved and you're still outside Canada. You cannot change your DLI at that stage — if you switch schools or programs before you arrive, your existing study permit no longer matches your enrollment, and you'll need a new offer letter (and, in the case of the same institution changing your program, that can also cancel your original admission).
- Colleges typically issue travel documents ahead of a student's arrival, which is a separate step from the offer letter/study permit itself — don't confuse having a travel letter with having a valid, matching offer letter.
- Several members pointed out the practical risk of switching or deferring programs before traveling: doing so can trigger loss of a seat for upcoming intakes, forcing another program change and further delay.
The practical takeaway: if you need to change your program or institution, do it
after you land in Canada, not before — changing your DLI while still abroad invalidates the match between your study permit and your enrollment, and you'll need to restart the offer-letter step.