An applicant with IELTS overall band 8 asked how to start applying to colleges — and whether they needed a consultant. Members' answer was a clean DIY sequence:
- Start from the DLI list. Search Canada's designated learning institutions (DLI) list — only DLI programs support a study permit (and PGWP eligibility varies by program).
- Shortlist your own colleges and courses. Do your own research, shortlist institutes offering your target program, and apply directly through their portals. One member did the entire process without a consultant and recommended the same.
- Wait for the letter of acceptance, then file the visa. The sequence is: apply → receive LOA → apply for the study permit with the LOA.
- Match the program to your background. The applicant (MBA-HR graduate targeting a digital marketing postgraduate certificate, with a related internship) got concrete pointers: Bow Valley College in Calgary, plus Ontario options like Confederation College and George Brown. The transferable lesson: pick programs where your degree plus any hands-on experience (even an internship) make the progression story coherent.
A consultant is optional — the group's experience was that with decent language scores and self-research, the college application step is very manageable on your own.