- Level
- 2-Year UG Diploma
- CIP code
- 44.0000
- Duration
- 2 year college diploma including a field placement
- Field
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Institution
- Public College
- Offer speed
- Fast Offer Speed5–7 days
Program overview
A two year college diploma in social services, covering counselling skills, case management, social policy, group facilitation and supervised field placement in community agencies.
Two things stand out. This asks 70 percent, well above the 50 most Kingston programmes require, and it is the only programme here that refuses the Duolingo English Test.
College Diploma - Social Service Worker is taught at St. Lawrence College Kingston campus, a public Ontario college. The social service worker diploma sits below degree level, so a work permit depends on its field of study. St. Lawrence records the social service worker diploma under CIP 44.0000 and lists it among its PGWP-aligned programmes, which supports a permit of up to three years. IRCC alone decides, so verify 44.0000 against the current eligible list before paying for the social service worker diploma. Ontario also requires a provincial attestation letter before the social service worker diploma can support a study permit.
Entry to College Diploma - Social Service Worker is Grade 12 or equivalent at 70 percent or above. The English requirement is IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, and tuition for the social service worker diploma is recorded at CAD 17,428. St. Lawrence charges a CAD 100 application fee, and no scholarship is recorded against the social service worker diploma. The social service worker diploma lists two entry windows, the earliest in January 2027. Apply Study Visa manages your the social service worker diploma application, the deposit, the offer, the attestation letter 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 equivalent at the percentage stated for this programme.
- English (meet any one): IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0; TOEFL iBT 78; or PTE Academic 55. The Duolingo English Test is NOT accepted for this programme.
- Application and deposit: St. Lawrence charges a CAD 100 application fee. 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: The Duolingo English Test is NOT accepted for this programme. Social Service Worker is a protected title in Ontario requiring registration with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. St. Lawrence publishes its aligned list under a June 2025 heading and notes the IRCC codes were last updated in July 2025. That is older than the lists other Ontario colleges publish, so verify this CIP code against IRCC directly before paying any deposit.
- Work rights: St. Lawrence lists the social service worker diploma as PGWP-aligned under CIP 44.0000, supporting a work permit of up to three years. Verify the code against the IRCC list before paying. A PGWP also requires a language test at CLB 5 in all four abilities for college credentials, taken within two years of applying. This is separate from the English test you need for admission. No dependant work permit.
- Study permit: Apply Study Visa prepares the attestation letter request, the financial evidence and the Canadian study permit submission 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:
- Social Service Worker: subject to registration
- Case Worker: community agencies
- Youth Worker: youth services
- Settlement Worker: newcomer services
- Residential Counsellor: supported living
- Program Coordinator: after experience
Reality check: if Duolingo is your intended test this programme is closed to you regardless of score, so plan for IELTS, TOEFL or PTE instead.
About St. Lawrence College - Kingston
- Type
- College
- Ownership
- Public
- Rating
- ★ 4.7
- Established
- 1967
- Reference No.
- O19332845222
