- Level
- 2-Year UG Diploma
- CIP code
- 51.2309
- Duration
- 2 year college diploma with practicum
- Field
- Health and Medical Sciences
- Institution
- Public College
- Offer speed
- Superfast Offer Speed2–3 days
Program overview
A two year Ontario College Diploma covering therapeutic recreation, assessment and program planning, aging and disability, activity adaptation and supervised practicum.
Recreation therapy is on the PGWP list under a health code, but it runs a single September intake each year.
The recreation therapy diploma is taught at Mohawk College’s Fennell campus on the Hamilton Mountain, the main campus of a public Ontario college founded in 1966. Because the recreation therapy diploma sits below degree level, its work permit value rests on its field of study. Mohawk lists the recreation therapy diploma on its PGWP list under CIP 51.2309, and a programme of two years or more supports a permit of up to three years. IRCC froze its eligible field of study list for 2026, yet the officer still decides each file, so check 51.2309 against the live list before paying for the recreation therapy diploma. Ontario also requires a provincial attestation letter before the recreation therapy diploma can support a study permit.
Entry to the recreation therapy diploma needs Grade 12 or equivalent at 50 percent or above. The English requirement is IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, and tuition for the recreation therapy diploma is recorded at CAD 14,082. Mohawk charges a CAD 100 application fee and asks for the full first semester of tuition before it issues the acceptance and attestation letters for the recreation therapy diploma. The recreation therapy diploma lists two entry windows, both September starts, beginning in September 2027. Apply Study Visa handles the application for the recreation therapy diploma, the first semester payment, 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 83 with no section minimum; PTE Academic 50 with no band below 43; or the Duolingo English Test at 110 with no band below 100.
- Application and payment: Mohawk charges a non-refundable CAD 100 application fee. Full first semester tuition must be paid before Mohawk issues the letter of acceptance and the provincial attestation letter. If your study permit is refused, Mohawk refunds tuition paid less a CAD 250 administrative fee, provided you apply within 60 days of the programme start date and upload the refusal letter.
- Scholarship: No entrance scholarship is recorded against this programme. Mohawk runs awards and bursaries for enrolled students, but they are competitive and not guaranteed, so budget the full tuition.
- Additional requirement: A police check and communicable disease screening are required before placement, and an unpardoned criminal conviction can block entry to placement.
- Work rights: Mohawk lists this programme as PGWP eligible under CIP 51.2309, 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 open work permit for a spouse or partner, since IRCC now limits those to master, doctoral and select professional programmes.
- 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:
- Recreation Therapist Assistant: long term care
- Activation Coordinator: retirement homes
- Therapeutic Recreation Worker: hospitals
- Community Recreation Programmer: municipal recreation
- Adapted Recreation Worker: disability services
- Recreation Therapy Lead: after experience
Reality check: Long term care growth across Ontario keeps demand steady for recreation and activation staff.
About Mohawk College - Fennell
- Type
- College
- Ownership
- Public
- Rating
- ★ 4.5
- Established
- 1966
- Reference No.
- O19376045902
