Centennial College

Centennial College is Ontario's first public college, founded in Toronto in 1966, and one of Canada's most popular — and most multicultural — study destinations for international students. It offers hands-on programs across business, health, technology, transportation, aviation, hospitality and media at multiple campuses in the Greater Toronto Area. This guide answers every major question students search before applying: campuses (including the big 2026 change), courses, fees, IELTS and admission requirements, PGWP eligibility, scholarships, intakes and the DLI number.

About Centennial College

Centennial College — formally Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology — holds a special place in Canadian education: it was Ontario's very first public college. Founded in May 1966, it opened its doors that October to just 514 students in 16 career-focused programs. Six decades later, Centennial is a large, diverse institution serving tens of thousands of full-time and part-time learners across the Greater Toronto Area, with students drawn from more than 100 ethnocultural groups — making it one of the most multicultural colleges anywhere in Canada.

Centennial's identity is practical and career-first: hands-on labs, industry partnerships, co-op options and applied learning across business, health, engineering technology, transportation, aviation, hospitality, community services and media. It is also consistently ranked among Canada's Top 10 research colleges. Its teams compete as the Colts, and its colour is green.

Centennial College campuses and locations

Centennial's campuses are spread across Toronto's east and north — and 2026 brings an important change, so here is the accurate, current picture:

Progress Campus (main) — Scarborough

The flagship campus at 941 Progress Avenue, Scarborough is Centennial's largest, home to business, engineering technology, applied computing/IT, hospitality and culinary programs — including a student-run conference centre and hospitality facilities — plus an athletics and wellness centre and an on-campus residence. If your program is business, IT or hospitality, this is likely your campus.

Ashtonbee Campus — Scarborough

At 75 Ashtonbee Road, this campus is one of the largest transportation-technology training centres in North America — the home of Centennial's automotive, truck/coach, heavy equipment and motive-power programs, with workshop bays, labs and real vehicles to train on.

Morningside Campus — Scarborough

At 755 Morningside Avenue, Morningside focuses on health sciences and community services — nursing, paramedicine and allied health — in a modern, light-filled building with simulation labs and clinics, including joint programs delivered with the University of Toronto Scarborough.

Downsview Campus — North York (aerospace)

Beside Downsview Park at 65 Carl Hall Road, this striking campus occupies a repurposed de Havilland aircraft facility with about 138,000 square feet of space — including a hangar big enough for commercial jets. It's the home of Centennial's respected aviation technician and aerospace programs.

Story Arts Centre — East York (merging into Progress in 2026)

Centennial also operates smaller learning sites (such as Eglinton in midtown Toronto and Pickering, east of the city) for select programs and language training.

Is Centennial College public or private?

Centennial College is a fully public college — in fact, the oldest publicly funded college in Ontario — and a Designated Learning Institution (DLI #O19394700003), the status international students need for a Canadian study permit. All of its campuses are Centennial's own public campuses; unlike some Ontario colleges, Centennial's Toronto locations are not private-partner sites, which matters for PGWP eligibility (covered below).

What is Centennial College known for?

• Transportation & aviation — the Ashtonbee automotive/motive-power centre and the Downsview aerospace campus with its jet-sized hangar are genuinely distinctive in Canada.
• Health sciences — nursing, paramedicine and allied-health programs at Morningside, including joint degrees with the University of Toronto Scarborough.
• Business, IT & hospitality — large, career-focused schools at Progress Campus, with hands-on facilities including student-run hospitality operations.
• Media & design heritage — decades of respected communications, media and design training (moving to Progress in 2026).
• Diversity & support — one of Canada's most multicultural campuses with a large, established international-student community and services.
• Applied research — consistently ranked among Canada's Top 10 research colleges.

Courses and programs at Centennial College

Centennial offers certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, graduate certificates and select bachelor's degrees. Popular choices for international students include:

One essential caution for 2026: Centennial suspended a significant number of programs in 2025 (see the update below), so its live program list is smaller than older articles suggest. Always confirm your exact program is open to international students for your intended intake before you apply.

Admission requirements for international students

• Certificates & diplomas: completion of Class 12 (10+2) from a recognised board with competitive marks; several programs require named subjects (for example, Mathematics for technology and business-quantitative programs; Biology/Chemistry for health programs).
• Bachelor's degrees: Class 12 with strong marks in required senior-level subjects.
• Graduate certificates: a completed diploma or Bachelor's degree, usually in a related field.
• Health programs typically add immunisation, CPR/First Aid and police-check requirements before placements.

English language requirements (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, Duolingo)

As a general guide: most certificates and diplomas require around IELTS 6.0 (no band below 5.5), graduate certificates and degrees require around IELTS 6.5 (no band below 6.0), and some health programs set higher scores. Centennial also accepts PTE, TOEFL iBT and Duolingo equivalents, and offers English Language Learning (ELL) pathways for students who need to build their score first. Always confirm the exact requirement for your specific program.

Tuition fees for international students

International tuition varies by program. As a broad, recent guide: most diplomas cost roughly CAD $16,000–$18,500 per year, bachelor's degrees roughly CAD $20,500–$22,000, and some specialised programs (such as aviation) run higher — up to the mid-$20,000s. Budget also for books, kits, uniforms and mandatory health insurance. Fees are updated each year, so confirm the exact, current tuition for your program on Centennial's official site or your offer letter before paying.

Cost of living

Centennial's campuses are in Toronto — Canada's largest city — so living costs are higher than smaller college towns: budget roughly CAD $18,000–$24,000 per year (about $1,500–$2,000 per month) depending on housing choices. Scarborough, where most campuses sit, is generally more affordable than downtown Toronto and has one of Canada's largest South Asian communities, which many Indian students find makes settling in easier. Progress Campus offers an on-campus residence, and the college provides off-campus housing support. The upside of Toronto: unmatched part-time work options and graduate job opportunities.

Scholarships at Centennial College

Centennial offers meaningful, well-structured support for new international students:

Awards are limited and typically first-come, first-served, and eligibility rules apply (for example, one scholarship type per student). Confirm current amounts, intakes covered and conditions on Centennial's official scholarships page before applying — and apply early.

Intakes and application deadlines

Centennial generally offers Fall (September), Winter (January) and Spring/Summer (May) intakes, though not every program runs in every term. Popular programs at this well-known Toronto college fill quickly — often months in advance — so apply as soon as applications open. A safe rule of thumb is to apply 4–8 months before your intended start to allow time for your offer, deposit, Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) and study-permit processing.

PGWP eligibility at Centennial College

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) lets eligible graduates work in Canada for up to three years. Because Centennial's campuses are all its own public campuses, its programs start from a strong position — but the 2024 federal rules still apply:

• Diplomas & certificates: since 1 November 2024, graduates of most college diploma and certificate programs qualify only if the program's field of study — its 6-digit CIP code — is on IRCC's eligible list (healthcare, STEM, trades, education and select fields). Not every Centennial program qualifies, so check your specific program's CIP code before applying.
• Bachelor's degrees: graduates of degree programs are exempt from the field-of-study restriction — a real advantage of Centennial's select degree offerings, including its joint degrees with the University of Toronto Scarborough.

A 2025–26 update worth knowing

Like every Ontario college, Centennial has been adjusting to the federal cap on international study permits. The honest picture: in January 2025 it suspended 49 programs (roughly 28% of its previous 177), made further adjustments for Fall 2025, reduced staff, and announced that the Story Arts Centre will merge into Progress Campus by summer 2026, with new international enrolments down sharply. None of this changes Centennial's standing as a large, established public DLI — its core schools remain strong — but it makes one step essential: confirm your specific program is still offered, at which campus, and open to international students for your intake before you apply or pay anything.

Student life, housing and support

Centennial offers one of Canada's most internationally diverse student experiences — over 100 nationalities, active clubs and cultural associations, Colts varsity athletics, and well-developed international-student services (orientation, advising, immigration support and career services). Progress Campus has an on-campus residence, a large athletics and wellness centre and food services; every campus is on Toronto transit (TTC), making the whole city accessible. For Indian students especially, Scarborough's established community, groceries, food and temples make the transition genuinely easier than in most Canadian cities.

How to apply to Centennial College

You can apply to Centennial College quickly and safely through our portal — our team checks everything before your application ever reaches the college, so nothing gets refused for a simple mistake:

1. Find your program — use our Program Search to browse Centennial College's programs and choose the one that fits your goals, budget and intake.
2. Check your eligibility — run our quick Eligibility Check for your chosen program (marks, subjects, English scores, gaps and backlogs) so you only apply where you genuinely qualify.
3. Fill in the application form — if you're eligible, complete the online application form and upload your documents (transcripts, passport, English test and any program-specific items).
4. Expert review — our team gives your application a final check. If anything is missing or incorrect, we help you fix it first.
5. Submission & application fee — once everything is correct, we submit your application to Centennial College and you pay the college's application fee.

After the college issues your Letter of Acceptance, pay the tuition deposit to receive your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), then apply for your study permit with your LOA, PAL, proof of funds and Centennial's DLI number O19394700003 — our counsellors guide you through every step.

So, is Centennial College a good choice?

For international students who want a large, established, genuinely multicultural public college in Toronto — with standout facilities in transportation, aviation, health and hospitality, strong scholarships, and the job market of Canada's biggest city — Centennial College remains one of the most credible college options in the country. The essentials to get right in 2026: confirm your program survived the recent suspensions and note its campus (media/design programs move to Progress), check your program's CIP code if you're counting on a PGWP, budget realistically for Toronto living costs, and apply early because seats are more limited than in past years.

Quick facts

Frequently asked questions