- Level
- 2-Year UG Diploma
- CIP code
- 51.0908
- Duration
- 3 year college diploma including a clinical placem
- Open intake
-
Off-shoreSep 2027
- Field
- Health and Medical Sciences
- Institution
- Public College
- Offer speed
- Fast Offer Speed5–7 days
Program overview
A diploma preparing registered respiratory therapists, covering cardiopulmonary physiology, mechanical ventilation, airway management, critical care practice and extensive supervised clinical placement.
College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy leads to a regulated healthcare profession working in intensive care and emergency settings, and clinical placement capacity limits the intake severely.
College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy is taught at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton. NAIT is a PUBLIC polytechnic, which matters here: at a public institution the Canadian field of study requirement applies only to non degree credentials, and College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy is a two year college diploma rather than a degree. Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility for College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy therefore depends on the programme sitting in an eligible field when you apply, and that list is revised. Confirm it in writing before you pay a deposit. The study permit application for College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy also requires an Alberta attestation letter.
Admission to College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy requires Grade 12 or Class 12 at 50 percent. The English requirement is IELTS 6.0 with 6.0 in every band, and tuition for College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy is recorded at CAD 28,050 a year with a CAD 150 application fee. No scholarship is recorded against College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy. College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy lists three September entry windows, in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Apply Study Visa manages the College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy application, the deposit, the letter of acceptance and the Canadian study permit as one process.
What it costs per year · indicative
Living cost is an estimate; tuition is the institute's published international fee. We confirm exact, current figures before you pay anything.
Do you qualify?
These are the published minimums. Whether your profile fits — with your marks, gap and budget — is exactly what a free counsellor check confirms.
Admission requirements
Who can apply (guide for international students):
- Education: Grade 12 or Class 12 at the percentage stated for this programme.
- English: IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with 6.0 in every band; TOEFL iBT 80 with at least 20 in every section; PTE Academic 58 overall with no component minimum; or the Duolingo English Test at 115.
- Application and deposit: An application fee of CAD 150 applies. Confirm the tuition deposit and its refundability in writing before any money is transferred.
- Scholarship: No scholarship is recorded against this programme. Budget the full tuition.
- Additional requirement: Registration as a respiratory therapist in Alberta is a separate regulatory process. Confirm clinical placement availability for international students before accepting an offer.
- Work permit: College Diploma - Respiratory Therapy is a two year college diploma rather than a degree, so the Canadian field of study test applies and Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility must be confirmed in writing for your intake before you commit. No spousal open work permit arises, because that needs a master programme of 16 months or longer and NAIT awards none. An Alberta attestation letter is required with the study permit application.
- Study permit: Apply Study Visa handles the Alberta attestation letter, the study permit application and the biometrics appointment with you.
English requirements
Documents you'll need typical · we confirm yours
- Valid passport (6+ months validity)
- Class 10 & 12 marksheets and certificates
- English test scorecard (IELTS / PTE / TOEFL) or MOI certificate
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Financial proof — bank statement / loan sanction + GIC
- Passport-size photographs
- Study-gap affidavit or work-experience letter (if applicable)
Getting documents right is the #1 reason applications succeed or get refused — our team checks every file before submission.
Career opportunities
Typical destinations for graduates:
- Registered Respiratory Therapist: subject to Alberta registration
- Critical Care Therapist: intensive care units
- Anaesthesia Assistant: after further training
- Pulmonary Function Technologist: diagnostic settings
- Clinical Educator: after experience
- Further Study: advanced respiratory care
Reality check: registration with the Alberta regulator is required to practise and is decided separately from graduation, and clinical placements for international students are limited.
About Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
- Type
- College
- Ownership
- Public
- Rating
- ★ 4.5
- Established
- 1962
- Reference No.
- O18713200642
