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Enrolment resumes at Scarborough college after international students left in limbo

Students protested outside Alpha College of Business and Technology — an affiliate of St. Lawrence College — after they say it took a unilateral decision to suspend their enrolment, even though they had already paid thousands of dollars for tuition. (CBC - image credit)
Students protested outside Alpha College of Business and Technology — an affiliate of St. Lawrence College — after they say it took a unilateral decision to suspend their enrolment, even though they had already paid thousands of dollars for tuition. (CBC - image credit)

Days after students began protesting over enrolment suspensions outside St. Lawrence College affiliate Alpha College of Business and Technology, the school says most students are now signed up for classes.

In a statement, St. Lawrence College President and CEO Glenn Vollebregt said the main concern from students about not being enrolled for the spring semester was "addressed over the weekend," and now most students have received their timetables for classes.

"We respect that education is an important pathway for people to take, in making a new life in Canada, and that Ontario needs the incredible talent international students bring to careers colleges prepare them to fill," Vollebregt said.

The statement does note that there are still some cases where students have missed fee deadlines, have details to sort out regarding their study permits, or didn't complete a required class in their previous semester, which might impact their ability to enrol in classes.

"Alpha College continues to work with individual students in that situation, on options available to them," Vollebregt said.

Hundreds of international students who paid the college upwards of $15,000 in tuition found their enrolment had been unilaterally suspended — placing their study permits in jeopardy, students told CBC News earlier this week.

In a statement Tuesday, the World Sikh Organization called the college's actions "unreasonable," saying they have "a severe impact on the lives of these students, both in India and Canada, including financial hardship and mental and emotional stress."