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Paramedic

Algonquin College · Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ★ 4.7
✓ PGWP eligible ✓ No interview ✓ Loan friendly
Level
2-Year UG Diploma
CIP code
51.0904
Duration
2 year college diploma after 14 week ICHS
Open intake
Off-shoreJan 2027
Field
Fire Science and Emergency Management
Institution
Public College
Offer speed
Fast Offer Speed5–7 days
Next deadline
2027-01-01

Program overview

A two year Ontario College Diploma at Algonquin covering emergency patient care, pharmacology, trauma and medical emergencies, ambulance operations and clinical and field placements.

Applicants to the paramedic diploma from outside Canada complete the ICHS preparatory certificate first. Fall 2027 is closed, so January 2027 is the only open start.

Algonquin College, a public Ontario college founded in 1967, delivers the paramedic diploma at its main Ottawa campus on Woodroffe Avenue. Algonquin lists the paramedic diploma on its PGWP list under CIP 51.0904, and because it runs two years or more it can support a permit of up to three years. Algonquin notes that eligibility is fixed when you apply for your study permit, so applying while 51.0904 is on the frozen 2026 list protects your position for the paramedic diploma. A provincial attestation letter from Ontario is needed before the paramedic diploma can support a study permit application.

Applicants to the paramedic diploma need Grade 12 or equivalent with a minimum of 70 percent. The English requirement is IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, and tuition for the paramedic diploma is recorded at CAD 18,396 for the year. Algonquin charges a CAD 135 application fee, and if your study permit is refused it keeps only CAD 250 of the fees paid for the paramedic diploma, provided the refusal letter reaches it within ten days. For 2027 the paramedic diploma is open to international students only in January 2027, so a missed deadline means a long wait. Apply Study Visa manages the application for the paramedic diploma, the payment to Algonquin, the attestation letter and your study permit as one process.

What it costs per year · indicative

Tuition feeC$18,396₹11,22,156
Living cost (est.)C$23,448
Application feeC$135
Total / yearC$41,844₹25,52,484/yr

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?

Minimum education
Class 12th
Minimum marks
70%
Study gap accepted
Up to 2 yrs
Backlogs accepted
Up to 8
Maths in 12th
Required

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 88 with 22 in each section, or 4.5 in each section on the new scale for tests taken after 21 January 2026; or the Duolingo English Test at 120 with 120 in Literacy and no subscore below 105. PTE Academic is not listed among the tests Algonquin accepts, so do not book it for this programme.
  • Application and payment: Algonquin charges a CAD 135 application fee. Pay the required fees by the deadline on your admissions letter to secure your seat and attestation letter. If your study permit is refused, Algonquin refunds all but a CAD 250 administrative fee, provided the refusal letter is dated after your latest acceptance letter and reaches the college within ten days. Other withdrawals before the start carry a CAD 2,200 penalty.
  • Scholarship: No entrance scholarship is recorded against this programme. Algonquin offers awards to international students based on grades once enrolled, so budget the full tuition.
  • Additional requirement: International applicants must first complete Introduction to Canadian Healthcare Studies (ICHS), a 14 week preparatory certificate at Algonquin, before starting this programme. Budget the extra term and its fees. Grade 12 English and mathematics are expected, and some programmes set subject minimums above the overall percentage.
  • Work rights: Algonquin lists this programme as PGWP eligible under CIP 51.0904, 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

IELTS
6.5 overall
R 6L 6W 6S 6
TOEFL
88 iBT
R 22L 22W 22S 22
Duolingo
120 overall
R 105L 105W 105S 105

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:

  • Primary Care Paramedic: after certification
  • Emergency Medical Responder: industrial sites
  • Patient Transfer Attendant: transfer services
  • Emergency Department Technician: hospitals
  • Community Paramedic: after experience
  • Advanced Care Paramedic: after further study

Reality check: Most Ontario paramedic services hire through municipalities, and some ask for permanent residence, so check the services you would target.

About Algonquin College

Type
College
Ownership
Public
Rating
★ 4.7
Established
1967
Reference No.
O19358971022

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C$18,396 tuition / yr
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