Acceptance Revoked for Many International Students After NBCC Deadline Change
There was a deadline change for international students to submit immigration documents to New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) after they were already accepted which led to the college cancelling their admission.
Nnenna Orji 
There was a deadline change for international students to submit immigration documents to New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) after they were already accepted which led to the college cancelling their admission. The president of the Nigerian-Canadian Association of New Brunswick, Adebayo Ogunley, has been getting messages from concerned Nigerian international students applying to the NBCC.
International students applying to start at NBCC in January were initially given a deadline of Dec. 8 to submit proof of a study permit, the government visa allowing them into the country.
But by September, NBCC had changed this deadline to Nov. 17, delays at the federal level to issue study permits meant the students did not receive their study permits by the new date.
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Additionally, the college has stopped accepting applications from students from Nigeria and Ghana for the 2024-2025 school year.
"This affects students in terms of their career, it has also affected them psychologically because the career is hanging on the opportunity for them to forward their education," Ogunleye said.
According to the NBCC website, it shows the new Nov. 17 deadline, says "Any documents received after this time will be considered late, resulting in the cancellation of your application and admission."
On Nov. 20, just days after the moved-up deadline passed, the college sent emails to the students who could not submit their study permits in time, that their acceptance had been cancelled. "The decision is final," the email said. But any possibility to re-apply or defer to the following semester, fall 2024, was also off the table, because of the cap on admitting any more Nigerian students.
There was a letter signed by 21 Nigerian students applying to NBCC, who had all been affected by the deadline change, but none were comfortable giving an interview. "They are in a very vulnerable position because of the fear of retribution, and that's why you find out so many are not willing to come up and speak," said Ogunyele.
The students' letter said the deadline change happened "out of nowhere," and they had applied to the government for study permits with the Dec. 8 deadline in mind, not Nov. 17.
"Circumstances beyond our influence on our study permit applications have impeded our academic pursuits, disrupted our plans and caused undue mental stress," the letter said.
In Canada, international students who have already been accepted at a university or college and have received a study permit from the government cannot simply change schools. They must restart the school application process and, once approved, reapply to the government for a whole new study permit.
He believes the decision will make Nigerians think twice before applying to NBCC and that it's had a "ripple effect" on the Nigerian community in the province. "I am sending out an appeal to the management of NBCC to try and reconsider their stand and consider the fact that so many students would lose their opportunity to go after their dreams," he said.
According to a statement by NBCC president Mary Butler said the deadline change was because of "significant international growth during our Fall intake." She said the change was communicated to international students "more than eight weeks prior," on Sept. 13 and again on Sept. 22. Processing times for study permits are currently listed as 10 weeks on the federal government website.
As for the cap on students from the two countries, Butler said NBCC has 2,168 international students this year, and roughly a third are from the two countries: 622 students from Nigeria and 87 from Ghana. She cited "strategic enrolment targets" for why the college was capping admission from these two countries.
Butler said that NBCC considers many factors, such as program availability, visa processing times and approval rates, under-represented regions, and diversity when it comes up with these targets.
Nigeria and Ghana were the only two countries to meet or exceed their target numbers, Butler said in the email.
