SRP | Canam Outreach

Diploma in Recreation Therapy

Niagara College - Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus

Canada,Ontario

0 Shortlist

24 Months

Duration

CAD 20,367/year

Tuition Fee

CAD 150 FREE

Application Fee

Apply Date

Canada, Ontario

Type: College

Location Type: Urban

Founded: 1967

Total Students: 10,500 +

Campus Detail

Main Campus Address

135 Taylor Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0, Canada

Overview
Key Facts
Fees & Funding
Admission Requirements
Additional Info
Scholarships
Student Visa
Work Permit

Diploma in Recreation Therapy

Program Overview

Are you interested in a career where you support individuals in enjoying an improved quality of life?
As a recreation therapy professional, you will use meaningful recreation and leisure education, counselling and experiences to promote, restore, rehabilitate, and/or maintain quality of life and well-being. Therapeutic recreation supports the development of strengths while addressing social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cognitive needs.

Program Highlights:

Receive specialized training and certifications designed to meet the needs of an aging population including:
- Communication Tips and Tools for Dementia
- DementiAbility Methods Certificate
- Nordic Pole Walking Instructor Certification
Earn a Level 1 Inclusion Certificate from Variety Village.
Gain over 430 hours of practical field placement experience, supported by a field placement officer.
Benefit from Therapeutic Recreation Ontario student membership.
Become eligible for your R/TRO designation upon graduation.
Opportunity to receive certification for Foundations of Indigenous Cultural Safety in Healthcare.

Detailed Program Facts

Program Level

UG Certificate / Diploma

Application Processing Days

14 Days

Program Intensity

Full-Time

Duration of Program

24 Months

Program Intakes

Intake Month/Year		Intake Status
sep 2026		Closed
jan 2027		Not Available

Application Fee

Application Fee: CAD 150 FREE

Tuition Fee

CAD 20,367 per year

*Note: The fee is approximate and is subject to change

Living Cost in Niagara College - Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus

CAD 11,000 per year

*Note: The fee is approximate and is subject to change

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Check program website for more information about funding options.

English Test Requirements

IELTS
- Minimum Overall Score - 6.0 - 5.5 - With No Band Less Than
TOEFL
- Minimum Overall Score - 80.0 Minimum Writing - 20.0 Minimum Speaking - 20.0
PTE
- Minimum Overall Score - 58.0
DUOLINGO
- Minimum Overall Score - 105.0

Minimum Level of Education Required: To be accepted into this program, applicants must have Grade 12 / High School Diploma or equivalent including the following required course(s):
- English – any Grade 12 (C) or (U), or equivalent.
Recommended:
- Related volunteer and or cooperative/work experience
- Leadership and Peer Support – Grade 11 (O)
- Dynamics of Human Relationships – Grade 11 (O)
- Human Development Throughout the Lifespan – Grade 12 (C) or (U)
- Challenge and Change in Society – Grade 12 (U)
- Recreation and Healthy Active Living – Grade 12 (C) or (U)

Minimum CGPA Required: 50.00 %

Additional Information

Career Opportunities

Acute, chronic care or other specialized hospital
Children’s treatment centre
Community or private agency supporting people with illness or disability
Facility or agency for individuals with mental health or intellectual disabilities
Long-term care facility, adult day program, or retirement home
Municipal recreation department
Rehabilitation facility

Scholarships

Entrance-Level Scholarship – 2027 Intake

Niagara College will be launching a new Entrance-Level Scholarship for students commencing their studies in the 2027 intake very soon!

Scholarship Value	Up to CAD 4,000 awarded in Semester 1
Eligibility	No separate scholarship application is required. Eligible students will automatically be considered for the scholarship upon meeting the admission requirements.
Important Update	For students who have already received their Offer of Admission (OOA), Letter of Acceptance (LOA), and tuition invoices for the January 2027 intake, updated documents will be issued to reflect the applicable scholarship adjustment.

Scholarships & Bursaries for International Students

Niagara College offers a wide range of scholarships and bursaries to help new students kickstart their journey. At the same time, current students can continue to benefit from ongoing financial support throughout their studies.

Scholarships	Amount	Requirements	Deadline
English for Academic Preparation (EAP) to Postsecondary Scholarship	$2,500–$5,000	Open to students who complete Level 5 of Niagara College’s EAP Program and are entering an academic postsecondary program at Niagara College. Award Amounts: Cannot be combined with Regional Global Scholar Scholarship or Niagara College Degree Bursary $2,500 scholarship toward Term 1 of an academic program at Niagara College. An additional $2,500 is awarded in Term 2, contingent upon achieving a minimum average of 80% in Term 1	No application is required; the bursary is automatically applied to the student’s account after Day 10 of the term start.
English for Academic Preparation (EAP) Bursary	$750–$1,500	$1,500 for the four-month offering. $750 for the two-month offering. Cannot be combined with Regional Global Scholar Scholarship	No application is required; the bursary is automatically applied to the student’s account after Day 10 of the term start.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Online to Postsecondary Scholarship	$2,500–$5,000	$2,500 awarded toward Term 1 of the academic program. An additional $2,500 was awarded in Term 2 for achieving an 80% average in Term 1. Cannot be combined with Regional Global Scholar Scholarship or Niagara College Degree Bursary	No application required; the scholarship is automatically applied to the student’s account after Day 10 of the term start.
Language Ready Scholarship	CAD $1,000	Open to new international students starting their first full-time academic postsecondary program at Niagara College. Applicable to applicants from countries where English is not the first language and who must meet language proficiency requirements for admission. Must provide proof of language proficiency at the time of application to Niagara College. Requires a score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 9 or equivalent (other accepted tests): International English Language Testing System (IELTS) including Indicator Test: 7.0 Internet-based (IBT) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) including Special Home Edition Test: 94 minimum overall, 23 in writing and speaking Pearson Test of English (PTE): 66 overall, no individual skill below 66 Cambridge: 185 overall Duolingo: 130 minimum overall, no score below 110 Canadian Academic English Language Test (CAEL) including CAEL Online Proficiency Test: minimum 70 Not applicable to students who meet proficiency requirements through: English curriculum The English for Academic Preparation program, or Partner schools For a list of accepted tests, visit: international.niagaracollege.ca/how-to-apply-archive/language-proficiency/. Students must apply for the scholarship using the designated form before the start of the program.	Application form must be submitted before the first day of class in the student’s first semester at Niagara College.
Niagara College Degree Bursary	$2,500 – $20,000	$2,500 per academic term (across eight terms), excluding the co-op term, to a maximum of $20,000 per student For students enrolled full-time in a degree program beginning in Fall 2026, Winter 2027 or Spring 2027. No bursary is awarded during co-op terms. Cannot be combined with the Regional Global Scholar Scholarship, the EAP to Postsecondary Scholarship, or the ESL Online to Postsecondary Scholarship. Good Academic Standing for scholarship renewal is defined as a minimum 65% term GPA and a passing grade in all courses in the immediately preceding academic term.	No application is required; the bursary is automatically applied to the student’s account after Day 10 of the term start. This bursary is automatically renewable each term, contingent upon the student maintaining the mentioned academic requirements.
Niagara College Trailblazer Bursary	CAD $1,500	Open to new international students starting their first full-time academic postsecondary program at Niagara College Winter 2026, Spring 2026, or Fall 2026 from the following regions: India and Nepal. Students must apply to Niagara College on or before April 30, 2026. Students can receive this award only once during their studies at Niagara College.?	No application is required; the scholarship is automatically applied to the student’s account after Day 10 of the term start. The bursary will be reflected on their LOA and final invoice.
Regional Global Scholar Scholarship	$2,000–$3,000	An initial award of $2,000 is provided in Term 1. An additional $1,000 is awarded in Term 2, contingent upon achieving a minimum 80% average in Term 1. Students must apply for the scholarship using the designated form before the start of the program. Not applicable to students enrolling in a second program. Cannot be combined with EAP to Postsecondary Scholarship, ESL Online to Postsecondary Scholarship, EAP Bursary, or Niagara College Degree Bursary	The application form must be submitted before the first day of class in the student’s first semester at Niagara College.
Second Program Scholarship	$1,000–$2,000	An initial award of $1,000 is provided in Term 1. An additional $1,000 is awarded in Term 2, contingent upon achieving a minimum 80% average in Term 1. Cannot be combined with the Regional Global Scholar Scholarship or Language Ready Scholarship.	The application form must be submitted before the first day of class in the student’s first semester at Niagara College.

Student Visa For Canada

Any student who wishes to study in Canada requires a student visa. Some of the essential information for the application process is given below.

When Should I Apply?

4 to 6 months

Ideally, one should apply for the study permit at least 4 to 6 months before the commencement of your course/program.

Bank Account

No Need!

There is no need for a blocked bank account to apply for a student visa to Canada.

Duration of visa

Course Duration + 3 Months

The student visa is valid for the entire period of your course plus three months.

Time to Wait for Visa

35 Days

It takes time. It might take up to 35 days post your interview for the application process to complete and for you to finally receive your visa.

Appointment

Required

It varies from applicant to applicant, but one may have to take part in one or two visa appointments, namely a medical examination and a visa interview.

How you can apply

Application Process

An applicant can either apply online or offline by visiting a visa application centre and submitting their documents. After the analysis of your application, you might be called for an interview.

Fee

Visa Fee

The visa application fee for Canada is CAD 150.

Minimum Funds

833 CAD, 917 CAD

You require a minimum monthly amount to be deposited into your account to prove that you can sustain yourself while studying in Canada. If you are studying in Quebec, you need to have a monthly minimum of CAD 917, and if you are studying in a province except for Quebec, you need to have a minimum of CAD 833 per month.

Any other expenses

Required

You will have to pay a medical examination fee and a visa application service fee to the tune of CAD 15 if you visit a visa application centre to apply for your visa.

Medical Examination

Required

One has to undergo a series of medical examinations to be deemed fit for a student visa of Canada. The tests mostly include blood and urine tests, chest x-rays and other organ checkups.

Language Skills

Not Required

one doesn’t need to prove their language skills in applying for a Canadian Visa.

Disclaimer: The information provided about the work permit is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of the author or the publisher. The author and the publisher, therefore, disclaim any liability in connection to and with the use of this information.

Work Permit

PGWP

Students who wish to work in Canada require a work permit to do so. A student in Canada can work part-time during the course of his studies and full-time during holidays and semester breaks and post the completion of their course/program.

Rules for getting a part-time work visa in Canada

You can also work part-time on campus at your university.

Work Permit

Duration

Your part-time work permit will be valid for as long as you have a valid study permit.

Working Hours

20 Hours/Week

As a full-time student, you can work for a maximum of 20 hours a week. However, you can work full- time during holidays and breaks.

Documents Required

List

To apply for a work permit, you will need a study permit that mentions that you are allowed to work part-time on campus.

Social Insurance Number

Study Permit

You will need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to Service Canada. if you wish to work in Canada during the course of your studies. To apply for the same, you need a valid study permit, and you should be a full- time student at a recognized university.

You can work part-time off-campus if you are studying in the Quebec province.

Duration of Work Permit

Your part-time work permit will be valid for as long as you have a valid study permit.

Work Hours

As a full-time student, you can work for a maximum of 20 hours a week. However, you can work full- time during holidays and breaks.

Documents Required

To apply for a work permit, you will need a study permit that mentions that you are allowed to work part-time on campus.

Social Insurance Number

You will need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to Service Canada if you wish to work in Canada during the course of your studies. To apply for the same, you need a valid study permit, and you should be a full- time student at a recognized university.

Working after completing your course

In Canada, you will need a work permit to get a full-time job in Canada after finishing your studies. You chose a work permit like the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) if you wish to stay back in Canada and work full-time.

Visit Government of Canada Website for more detail

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

The Post- Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) allows you to work for three years in Canada if you have completed a two years degree or more.

Application

how can i apply

You can either apply online or download the form and mail the application along with the required documents. Pay your fee and then wait for the decision to come.

Application Documents Required

List

To apply for the work visa, you need a degree from a recognized and accredited Canadian University along with an intention to stay and work in Canada only temporarily.

When to Apply?

One can apply for the full-time work permit in the first three months post the completion of their course during which the study permit is still valid.

How long does it take?

90 days

You will have to wait for 90 days for the decision on your work permit.

Duration

3 Years

The work permit is valid for 3 years if you have completed a two years degree program or more.

Fees

CAD 255

The fee for the work permit is CAD 255 plus the holder fee and the work permit processing fee.

Monthly Wages

CAD 1,600

An applicant is guaranteed a minimum salary of CAD 1,600 per month while working in Canada. This amount though varies on the job and the province you are working in.

Work Hours

No Limit

There is no maximum limit, and you can work for as many hours as you want on the full-time work permit.

Required Documents

List

To apply for the work visa, you will need the following documents:

Forms: IMM 5710, IMM 5476 and IMM 5475;
Graduation Proof
Proof of payment of work permit fees
Copies of your travel and identification documents, passport pages and current immigration document.

Till a decision is made on your work visa, you can continue to work full time. All you need to have is your completed degree, should have applied for the permit before the expiry of your study permit and you should be allowed to work off-campus.

Information

Disclaimer

The information provided about the work permit is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of the author or the publisher. The author and the publisher, therefore, disclaim any liability in connection to and with the use of this information.