- Level
- 2-Year UG Diploma
- CIP code
- 51.2309
- Duration
- 2 year college diploma (4 semesters)
- Field
- Public Health and Wellness
- Institution
- Public College
- Offer speed
- Fast Offer Speed5–7 days
Program overview
The recreation therapy diploma is a four semester Ontario College Diploma covering therapeutic recreation, assessment, activity programming, aging and disability, leadership and field placements.
The two year diploma prepares you for Therapeutic Recreation Ontario membership.
The recreation therapy diploma is taught at Durham College’s Oshawa campus on Simcoe Street North, which it shares with Ontario Tech University, at a public Ontario college founded in 1967. Durham 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, but officers still assess every file, so check CIP 51.2309 against the live list before you pay 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 6.0 with no band below 5.5, and first year tuition for the recreation therapy diploma is recorded at CAD 15,489. Durham charges a CAD 100 application fee and issues the attestation letter once first semester fees for the recreation therapy diploma are paid. For 2027 the recreation therapy diploma takes international students only in September 2027, so apply early and keep the deadline in view. 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 from a recognised institution, at 50 percent or above.
- English (meet any one): IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band below 5.5; TOEFL iBT 80 with no section below 20, or 4 overall with no section below 4 on the new scale for tests taken from 21 January 2026; PTE Academic 53 with no section below 49; CAEL 60 with no section below 60; or the Duolingo English Test at 105.
- Application and payment: Durham charges a non-refundable CAD 100 application fee. First semester fees must be paid before Durham releases the provincial attestation letter needed for the study permit.
- Scholarship: Durham’s global entrance scholarship credits CAD 2,000 to your student account when you accept the offer, with a further CAD 1,000 in year two for programmes of two years or more. It is confirmed for intakes up to January 2027, and Durham renews it each cycle, so check the terms for your intake.
- Additional requirement: A police record check with vulnerable sector screening, immunisations, mask fit testing and CPR are required before placement.
- Work rights: Durham lists this programme as PGWP eligible under CIP 51.2309, supporting a work permit of up to three years. 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: long term care
- Activity Coordinator: retirement homes
- Recreation Programmer: municipalities
- Therapeutic Recreation Assistant: hospitals
- Community Inclusion Worker: agencies
- Recreation Manager: after experience
Reality check: Long term care is the largest employer, so expect work with older adults.
About Durham College
- Type
- College
- Ownership
- Public
- Rating
- ★ 4.6
- Established
- 1967
- Reference No.
- O19361081012
