Sample SOP for Canada Study Permit

To 

The Visa Officer 

High Commission of Canada 

Sub: Application requesting a study permit to pursue higher education in Canada 

Dear Sir/Madam, 

I, Savita Puri, hereby inform you that I have received admission to Toronto Film School in Film Production Diploma program due to my history, passion, and involvement in filmmaking. I am, therefore, seeking a valid Canadian study permit from you so that I can pursue the above-mentioned course swiftly and inculcate the required traits as per the demands of the modern film industry in India.

Academic and professional background 

I completed my secondary and senior secondary school in <add 10th pass year> and <add 12th pass year>, respectively. After this, I pursued a Bachelor of Mass Communication Advertisement and Journalism due to my inclination to film and media industries Also, my interest led me to pursue a 3-year diploma in Electronic Media from the Asian School of Media Studies from 2007 to 2010. My high career aspirations took me to the film city of India, Mumbai where the maximum TV shows and films are produced. My skills and presentations led me to get an opportunity to work with the most prestigious production house, Red Chillies Entertainment from November 2010 to 2011. Here I worked among the most talented professionals in India. Working with eminent Producers and Educators uplifted my skills and I gained the confidence to work as a Freelance Assistant Director which helped me assist in the making of more than ten films and about thirteen advertisements. Most prominent projects include “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, “Sense 8”, “Million Dollar Arm”, and “The Partition 1947”. After working in the industry for six years, I got married in 2016 and decided to take a break to give appropriate attention to my family. Later, due to being married to an entrepreneurial family, I also acquired a franchise of two renowned children’s schools, Pre Schools Footprints Pre School and Daycare, in partnership with my husband. However, due to personal reasons and mutual consent, I and my husband separated in April 2022. Hence, I have planned to go back to the film industry as now I can fully immerse myself in the film industry with a thriving throwback. However, after years, I want to go back to school before diving into film production due to the notable changes which have taken place in the industry. By doing so I will justify my career and attain my career goals more swiftly.

Why Film Production at Toronto Film School?

The curriculum of Toronto Film School includes Producing and Production Management which will be taught in this six-term course. With this, I would be able to acquire entrepreneurship traits in film production which directly relates to my long-term goal. This course will help me in refining my understanding of the paperwork involved to get permits, location agreements, crew, and budgeting while allowing me to set realistic shooting budgets and schedules utilizing the latest software. Also, my knowledge of securing available funding options will enhance my understanding of raising capital for financing my projects. All of this has remained compromised in my previous education and industry exposure which I am confident the chosen course at TFS will teach me. By studying at TFS, I will learn to implement my learnings in an organized manner in the Indian film industry upon my arrival back home.  As a result of my mentorship under elite film producers and industry-leading faculty at TFS, I will strengthen my decision-making skills in strategic goal-setting utilizing the appropriate tools and platforms to elevate my producing experience. Moreover, TFS is known for its furbished technology and dedicated teaching support. It offers students teachings from international professionals and helps in accelerated learning to creative, technical, and business expertise in students. Its small class size has attracted me to pursue my study goals here because I associate small class sizes with umpteen learnings, especially in terms of dedicated faculty attention. As a result of comparing its benefits with other filmmaking schools in Canada, I am more interested to pursue a filmmaking course at TFS where I will get an equal opportunity to learn without any cultural bias as the college entertains a diverse range of international students.

Why Canada and not India?

Canada has abundant resources and high-quality teaching standards. It also has one of the top film schools in the world. Toronto, being part of Holly North, paves way for producing considerate Films and TV shows. This makes Canada the most preferable country for pursuing my study objectives. On top of it, Canada is a multicultural land which offers diversified learning in terms of networking and connections. I find studying in Canada more lucrative than studying in India. Canada also offers a bilingual advantage and makes learning easier for me as an international student who is more conversant with the English language. At the same time, it offers a budget-friendly tuition cost and high standards of living which ensures me a comfortable stay throughout my studies in Canada. 

Why not India: Pedagogy followed in Canada is inclined to practical learning which is a far cry in my country, it is more theoretical and theatrical, precisely. The latest technology like animation, VFX, and VFS has been introduced recently in India while Canada has been implementing these for a long time. Hence, I believe I can learn a lot better techniques through education in Canada than in my home country. Hence, upon my return to my home country, I will return as a valuable addition to the Indian film industry. Also, if I study in India, I might miss the opportunity to gain international exposure which I certainly require to augment my career back home.

Reasons to return to India:

Family Ties

I belong to a traditional nuclear family in India that comprises my father, mother, and younger brother. My father has worked with the Government of India as a Finance Controller and my mother is a housewife. My brother is a Senior Project Manager at Lowe’s. I am very close to my family members who have dedicated and supported me during all the good and bad times of my life. I am forever indebted to my parents and I have well-planned my life to dedicate quality time to them, especially as they grow older. Being the elder child, it is also my duty toward my parents that I give them the required emotional and financial support while also fulfilling their social obligations on their behalf of them. I am strongly rooted in my society and follow family traditions with all my heart. Hence, I have strong reasons to return home, especially considering my parents’ responsibility which I warmly want to address. I do not have any family ties in Canada which prompt me to return to my roots and thrive in an enriching career right beside my people and my society.

Future Goals

I wish to concentrate my short-term goals on completing my current study program and acquiring the fundamental skills required to create stories that can leave a lasting impression. It is imperative to me that I continue to add value to my academic and professional profiles as I strive to establish myself fully in the Indian film industry. To fulfill this, I would return home to put my learnings to the real test. I would seek to work with leading production houses or platforms like Netflix, Yash Raj Films, Dharma Productions and Excel Entertainment. By working with such big names in the industry, I will be able to revitalize my entire work style and immerse myself fully in film production which will prove extremely beneficial for me. However, in the longer term, I aim to become an independent producer and work on independent projects delivering film production services to the leading production houses. It will utilize my entrepreneurial traits in building a massive production empire for unlocking opportunities even to work with global production houses. I am even more excited to handle strategic business operations and decision-making in my production unit. With this, I would be able to create a self-sustaining career that can take me to greater heights in future.

Financial establishment and payment plan

I belong to a financially stable family background which convinces me to fulfill my education endeavours in a foreign country. We possess a net worth of CAD 6,19,377, owing to which I am confident that I can fund my education. Therefore, I have already submitted a tuition fee of CAD 30,085 and deposited a sum of CAD 10,000 into the GIC account.

IELTS Score

To fulfill the language proficiency criteria, I have passed the IELTS examination with an overall bands score of 7.0 with no bands less than 6.0 (Listening 8.0, Reading 6.0, Writing 6.5, Speaking 7.5). This gives me an edge in continuing my studies at  TFS.

Conclusion

I conclude my statement by promising to follow all Canadian Immigration Laws. I will represent my strongest cultural values and not overstay in Canada as I also have to explore my talents back home and contribute toward the growth of the Indian film industry. I am hoping to receive your genuine favour in allowing me a valid Canadian study permit to me. Thanking you in advance.

Yours Sincerely,

Savita Puri