Reasons for Visa Rejection and How to Avoid them

The road to successfully completing a higher education course abroad is filled with a lot of trials. Students who wish to study abroad are expected to jump through numerous hoops before they’re deemed fit to study in well-reputed universities. While it is easy for students to complete their academic prerequisites, the outcome of their student visa process is what determines whether they get to chase their dreams after all. The legitimacy of a student’s funding source plays a major role in the student visa process.

It can be said the source of funds used by you could decide the fate of your student visa. An abroad studies education loan is considered to be one of the most reliable sources of higher education funding by many students in India because, in the past, students who had mentioned an abroad studies education loan as their source of funds have had better chances at getting a student visa to study abroad. 

It is a well-known fact that a majority of students in India who wish to borrow an education loan for abroad studies face several hurdles along the process. Now, even if students manage to get a study loan for abroad education without a lot of hassles, it is important to note that embassies often look at factors other than funding while processing a student’s application in the student visa process. What actions should be taken by students who have already availed of an abroad studies education loan? 

This is the topic of discussion in today’s article and the subject of episode 16 of the Loanflix Inshorts series, which has been embedded below for your reference.

The chances of a student visa being rejected are pretty less under general circumstances. Students who have submitted an incomplete application form, or the wrong set of documents, those with insufficient funds in their account, and those who have taken funds from unacceptable borrowers, are the ones at risk of getting their student visas rejected by their respective embassies. Although it may seem like it at first, a student visa rejection is not the end of the road to your higher education dreams. A lot of students who are dependent on an abroad studies education loan for their funding are gripped by this very thought.

Unless the reasons behind a student visa rejection are not extreme, the embassies of many countries across the world allow students to re-apply for the student visa process. If you have already availed of a study loan for abroad studies, there are three situations that likely arise when students re-apply for another student visa to study abroad.

Read about Abroad Education Loan Process: Modifying education loan details

Situation 1: Re-applying for a visa to study in the same country, university & course with an abroad studies education loan

One of the best policies adopted by most Indian lenders is that students can hold on to their sanction letters of an abroad study education loan for up to six months’ time. This is applicable to students who have borrowed a collateral-based, abroad studies education loan from government banks. In light of the past circumstances in which countries rejected student visa applications due to the scare of the pandemic, most NBFCs have extended this time period to one year for unsecured education loan borrowers.

So, the study abroad education loans of students who re-apply for their student visa within six months of their education loan being sanctioned are not affected at any cost, unless they plan to apply to another country/course post the first rejection of their student visa. Such students are not required to inform their respective banks regarding the student visa re-application. This is applicable to both, secured, as well as unsecured education loans.  Instead, they can directly re-apply and provide the same abroad studies education loan sanction letter which was issued to them in the beginning.

Situation 2: Re-applying to a Different Country & Course/University Post Student Visa Rejection With an Abroad Studies Education Loan

In the higher education process, most students apply to multiple universities in different countries to better their chances of studying abroad. Such students are at an advantage here as they possess offer letters from at least two other universities from different countries before beginning their student visa process.

When their student visa application is rejected on the first attempt, such students often change their minds about re-applying to study in the same country and university as before and apply for a student visa to study in another country for another course or in another university. Under such circumstances, students who have already availed of a study loan for abroad education will have to request their lending banks regarding the change in the name of the country/course/university. 

The lending banks/NBFCs will make the necessary changes in the education loan sanction letter accordingly and only after receiving the modified sanction letter can students begin their student visa process to study in a different country. Episode 14 of Loanflix Inshorts explains the details of how students can request their lending banks to make changes in their abroad studies' education loan sanction letter. WeMakeScholars has vast experience dealing with students going to various abroad education destinations like the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Italy, China, and France among others.

Situation 3: Dropping Plans To Pursue Higher Education With an Abroad Study Loan

When students who have already availed of an abroad studies education loan are unsuccessful at getting a student visa and decide to drop their plans of studying abroad, they are supposed to inform their lenders at the soonest possible instance. Whatever disbursement was availed by students to fulfil certain requirements to qualify for a student visa has to be returned to the lender by the borrowers.

The fear of contracting the disease and the stringent travel guidelines laid down by various countries are pushing a lot of students to drop their higher education plans for this year.

Getting an abroad studies education loan is not a cakewalk. There are very few sources that give useful information to students regarding the harsh realities of securing an abroad study education loan. The Loanflix web series on YouTube is one of them. It is perhaps one of the only channels which are dedicated to providing a detailed picture of every small aspect of the abroad education loan process.

This web series is developed and created by WeMakeScholars which is a government-funded initiative that helps students get their education loans with minimum hassles. The financial officers of the team have good knowledge of the education loan market and provide our students with the necessary guidance and assistance to fulfil any obligations required to get an education loan for abroad studies, successfully.