Sheridan College’s Trafalgar Campus in Oakville is the college’s largest and best known location, and for Indian students it is probably the most misunderstood campus in Ontario.
It runs 74 programmes for international students, more than any other Sheridan campus. It is home to the Faculty of Animation, Arts and Design, which is Canada’s largest arts school. It houses Theatre Sheridan, motion capture stages, and the Canadian Music Theatre Project, the incubator where the Broadway musical Come From Away began. Sheridan taught the first computer animation course in the country and is still spoken of internationally in the same breath as the major animation schools.
None of that reputation determines whether you can work in Canada afterwards, and this is where most applicants go wrong.
Exactly half the catalogue qualifies for a post-graduation work permit. Thirty seven programmes do, and thirty seven do not. Sheridan’s most famous creative credentials sit on the wrong side of that line: Visual Effects, Computer Animation, Advanced Television and Film, Digital Creature Animation and Music Scoring are all absent from the college’s own PGWP-aligned list. Meanwhile every one of the 21 bachelor degrees and the single master degree is exempt from the rule entirely, whatever the subject.
Then there are the bundles. Sheridan offers 22 graduate certificate bundles at this campus, two certificates taken consecutively, which look like a clever way to turn a one year permit into a three year one. Twenty one of them are built on Visual Effects or Computer Animation, and because neither of those is aligned, the arithmetic does not work. Stacking two ineligible programmes does not produce an eligible one.
We checked all 74 programmes against the CIP code Sheridan publishes for each. Every other page about this campus talks about the animation reputation and the fees. This one tells you which programmes actually lead where you want to go.
🎓 Quick Fact: The Master of Animation, Games, and Immersive Experiences is a two year master degree with an industry internship. It is the only programme across all three Sheridan campuses that can support a spousal open work permit, because Canada restricts those to master degrees of sixteen months or longer.
What this guide covers
- About Trafalgar Campus
- The 37 and 37 split
- Why the famous creative certificates fail
- The 22 bundles explained
- The 21 degrees and one master
- The only spousal work permit route
- Which programmes do qualify
- All 74 programmes by level
- Admission requirements
- English requirements
- The second language test nobody mentions
- Fees and the degree price ladder
- Scholarships
- Cost of living and housing
- Intakes and deadlines
- What other Trafalgar pages get wrong
- How to apply
- Is Trafalgar right for you?
- FAQs
1. About Sheridan College Trafalgar Campus
Sheridan is a public Ontario college founded in 1967. Trafalgar sits in Oakville, roughly 40 kilometres west of downtown Toronto, with GO Transit’s Lakeshore West line connecting the campus to Union Station in about forty minutes.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Institution | Sheridan College, a public college, founded 1967 |
| Campus | 1430 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario |
| Home to | Faculty of Animation, Arts and Design, Canada’s largest arts school |
| Notable facilities | Theatre Sheridan, motion capture stages, SIRT Centre, Canadian Music Theatre Project |
| Programmes for international students | 74, the largest Sheridan catalogue |
| PGWP eligible | 37 of 74. An exact half |
| Degrees | 21 bachelor degrees plus 1 master, all eligible |
| Tuition | CAD 7,534 to 33,338, the widest range of any campus here |
| Application fee | CAD 100 on every programme |
| GMAT or GRE | Not required anywhere |
2. The 37 and 37 Split
Since 1 November 2024, graduates of programmes below bachelor level need an eligible field of study for a post-graduation work permit, decided by CIP code. IRCC has frozen the list for 2026.
| Group | Total | Eligible |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor degrees | 21 | All 21, exempt |
| Master degree | 1 | Yes, exempt |
| Graduate certificates | 33, of which 22 are bundles | Only 6 |
| Diplomas | 9 | 5 |
| Advanced diplomas | 5 | 4 |
| Certificates | 4 | 0 |
| English for Academic Purposes | 1 | None. Language training never qualifies |
3. Why Sheridan’s Famous Creative Certificates Fail
This is counterintuitive enough that it needs stating plainly. Sheridan’s international reputation rests on animation and screen work. At certificate level, that reputation carries no weight with IRCC.
| Graduate certificate | Fee | Work permit |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Television and Film | CAD 31,520 | Not aligned |
| Music Scoring for Screen and Stage | CAD 29,323 | Not aligned |
| Computer Animation | CAD 24,309 | Not aligned |
| Visual Effects | CAD 22,919 | Not aligned |
| Digital Creature Animation | CAD 22,470 | Not aligned |
If your goal is the craft itself and you intend to return to India or work internationally, none of this matters and the teaching is genuinely excellent. If your goal includes staying in Canada, the degree route is the one that works.
4. The 22 Bundles Explained
A bundle is two graduate certificates taken one after the other, making a two year study period. Two years normally supports a three year work permit where one year supports only one. That is why bundles are popular.
| Bundle built on | How many | Status of that base certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Animation | 11 | Not on the aligned list |
| Visual Effects | 10 | Not on the aligned list |
| Interactive Media Management | 1 | Aligned, CIP 09.0702 |
Several bundles also move you between campuses, pairing a Trafalgar creative certificate with a Davis or Hazel McCallion business one. Check the delivery location of both halves before you arrange housing.
5. The 21 Degrees and One Master
Sheridan states that all bachelor and master programmes are PGWP-aligned with no field of study restriction. At a campus where half the catalogue fails, that makes the degrees decisive.
| Family | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Craft and Design | Glass, Ceramics, Textiles, Furniture, Industrial Design, Interdisciplinary |
| Computer Science | Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, Data Engineering, Game Engineering, Mobile Computing |
| Screen and performance | Animation, 3D Animation and Emerging Technologies, Film and Television, Music Theatre Performance |
| Design and technology | Illustration, Game Design, Interaction Design, Experiential Design, Cyber Security |
6. The Only Spousal Work Permit Route
If bringing your spouse to Canada on an open work permit is central to your plan, this is the single programme in Sheridan’s entire catalogue worth examining. IRCC assesses the spousal permit separately from your own, so confirm the position before relying on it.
7. Which Non Degree Programmes Qualify
| Area | Programmes |
|---|---|
| Computing | Computer Programming, Computer Systems Technology in both streams, Internet Communications Technology, Game Development Advanced Programming, Artificial Intelligence Development, IT Project Management |
| Education and social | Early Childhood Education and its intensive route, Educational Support, Social Service Worker, Child and Youth Care |
| Digital media | Interactive Media Management, Digital Product Design |
8. All 74 Programmes by Level
| Level | Count | Entry from |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate certificates | 33, including 22 bundles | A completed diploma or degree |
| Bachelor degrees | 21 | Grade 12 at 65 percent |
| Diplomas, two year | 9 | Grade 12 |
| Advanced diplomas, three year | 5 | Grade 12 |
| Certificates, one year | 4 | Grade 12 |
| Master degree | 1 | A completed diploma or degree at 70 percent |
| English for Academic Purposes | 1 | No English test required |
Browse every programme with its fee and CIP position on our Sheridan Trafalgar programmes and fees page.
9. Admission Requirements for Indian Students
| You need | Programmes | Which |
|---|---|---|
| 50 percent | 51 | Diplomas, certificates and most graduate certificates and bundles |
| 65 percent | 21 | Every bachelor degree |
| 70 percent | 1 | The master degree |
| 63 percent | 1 | Music Scoring, the only programme using this figure |
10. English Language Requirements
| Band | Programmes | IELTS | TOEFL | PTE | Duolingo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Higher | 55 | 6.5, none below 6.0 | 88 | 60 | 115 |
| Standard | 18 | 6.0, none below 5.5 | 80 | 58 | 105 |
| No test | 1 | The English for Academic Purposes programme | |||
Only two bands, and every programme accepts all four major tests. The higher band covers all degrees and graduate certificates; the standard band covers most diplomas.
11. The Second Language Test Nobody Mentions
12. Sheridan Trafalgar Fees 2026
| Annual tuition (CAD) | Typically |
|---|---|
| 7,534 | The cheapest by far. English for Academic Purposes |
| 16,206 | 14 programmes, including four degrees |
| 22,201 | All five computer science specialisms |
| 22,919 | The most common figure, across 22 rows, nearly all of them bundles |
| 30,145 to 31,520 | Animation degrees and the television certificate |
| 33,338 | The dearest at any Sheridan campus. Music Theatre Performance |
13. Scholarships
Sheridan offers an International Entrance Scholarship to new full time international students. Awards range from CAD 1,000 to CAD 3,000 and are applied against tuition on your student account.
14. Cost of Living and Housing
| Item | Approximate cost (CAD) |
|---|---|
| On campus residence, Sheridan Suites | 8,500 to 11,000 per academic year, not guaranteed |
| Shared room off campus | 800 to 1,100 a month |
| Food and groceries | 350 to 500 a month |
| Transit, phone and miscellaneous | 200 to 350 a month |
| Realistic annual total off campus | 16,200 to 23,400 |
Oakville is an affluent lakeside town and rents reflect that. Sheridan Suites at Trafalgar and the Davis residence together offer around 1,000 beds across the whole college, which is nowhere near enough for demand, and international students are not guaranteed a place.
15. Intakes and Deadlines
| Intake | Programmes offering it |
|---|---|
| September | 72 of 74, overwhelmingly the main intake |
| January | 26 |
| May | 10 |
| November and June | The master degree only |
Across 229 recorded entry windows, September dominates far more than at Sheridan’s other campuses. Miss it on a programme without a January option and you wait a full year, so apply six to nine months ahead, earlier if a portfolio or audition is required.
16. What Other Trafalgar Pages Get Wrong
| Claim you will see | The actual position |
|---|---|
| Scholarship stated as a flat CAD 3,000 | The award ranges from CAD 1,000 to 3,000 and is confirmed with your Letter of Acceptance. It is not a guaranteed 3,000 |
| Sheridan described as a university | Sheridan is a public college. It grants some degrees, but the distinction matters for credential assessment |
| Student numbers of 9,500 and 8,225, and 45 programmes | Three sources, three figures. We count 74 programmes open to international applicants at this campus alone |
| “Acceptance rate is 65 percent” | Ontario colleges do not publish acceptance rates. Admission is by programme, and creative programmes are decided substantially on portfolio |
| Nothing about which programmes fail the field of study test | 37 of 74 are ineligible, including 21 of the 22 bundles and every one of the famous creative certificates. No competing page names a single one |
17. How to Apply to Sheridan Trafalgar
Applying through the Apply Study Visa portal is free. Sheridan charges CAD 100, payable regardless of outcome.
- Decide your endpoint first. If you intend to work in Canada afterwards, that removes 37 of the 74 programmes immediately.
- Do not buy a bundle for permit reasons. Twenty one of the twenty two are ineligible whatever the study length suggests.
- Consider the degree. Four of them cost CAD 16,206, less than most graduate certificates here, and all are exempt.
- Start the portfolio early. Creative programmes decide on portfolio and audition, with deadlines ahead of the academic ones.
- We get the CIP code in writing and check it against the current IRCC eligible list before you pay a deposit.
The three costly mistakes here are buying a bundle expecting a three year permit, choosing a famous creative certificate assuming the reputation carries eligibility, and missing a portfolio deadline that falls months before the academic one. Check your eligibility free, or read our Canada study permit guide.
🛂 Planning a Canadian study permit? The team at ApplyStudyVisa.com handles the full sequence from transcript assessment and offer through the attestation letter, GIC, biometrics and permit decision. Contact our Ludhiana office for a free assessment.
18. Is Sheridan Trafalgar Good for Indian Students?
For the right programme it is outstanding. This is Canada’s largest arts school, with facilities and industry connections that genuinely matter in animation, screen and design. Twenty one degrees plus a master are all PGWP eligible, several degrees cost only CAD 16,206, and the campus sits inside the Toronto employment market.
The counterweight is that exactly half the catalogue leads to no work permit, and the half that fails contains precisely the programmes Sheridan is famous for.
It suits you if
- You can reach 65 percent and want a degree in animation, design, craft or computer science.
- You want the master degree, which is the only Sheridan route to a spousal open work permit.
- You want computing, early childhood education or social services, all aligned here.
- You are returning home after graduating, in which case the creative certificates are excellent and the permit question is irrelevant.
- You have a portfolio ready, or time to build one.
It does not suit you if
- You were planning a bundle to secure a three year work permit.
- You want Visual Effects, Computer Animation, Advanced Television and Film or Music Scoring and intend to stay in Canada.
- You need guaranteed on campus housing. Places are limited and not assured.
- You need a January or May start. Most programmes here are September only.
- You want health, trades or business. Those are at the Davis and Hazel McCallion campuses.
19. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Are Sheridan Trafalgar programmes PGWP eligible?
Half of them. 37 of 74 are eligible and 37 are not. All 21 bachelor degrees and the master degree are exempt from the field of study rule. Most graduate certificates at this campus are not.
Q: Are the Sheridan bundle programs PGWP eligible?
Twenty one of the twenty two are not. Every one of those is built on Visual Effects or Computer Animation, neither of which is on Sheridan’s aligned list. Stacking two certificates extends your study period but cannot make an ineligible field eligible.
Q: Is the Sheridan animation certificate PGWP eligible?
No. Neither the Computer Animation nor the Visual Effects graduate certificate appears on Sheridan’s aligned list. The Bachelor of Animation and the Bachelor of 3D Animation are both exempt, so the degree route is the one that works.
Q: Which Sheridan programme allows a spousal open work permit?
Only the Master of Animation, Games, and Immersive Experiences. It runs two years, clearing Canada’s sixteen month threshold. It is the only programme across all three Sheridan campuses that can support one, and IRCC assesses it separately.
Q: What are Sheridan Trafalgar fees for international students?
CAD 7,534 to 33,338 a year, the widest range at any Sheridan campus. The English programme is cheapest, Music Theatre Performance dearest, and the most common figure is 22,919 across 22 rows.
Q: How much is the Sheridan international scholarship?
It ranges from CAD 1,000 to CAD 3,000 and is confirmed with your Letter of Acceptance. You must remain full time each semester for the instalment to be issued. Pages quoting a flat 3,000 are giving you the top of the range.
Q: What marks do I need for Sheridan Trafalgar?
Fifty percent on 51 programmes and 65 percent on all 21 degrees. The master asks 70 percent and Music Scoring asks 63. Creative programmes also require a portfolio or audition.
Q: What IELTS score does Sheridan Trafalgar require?
Either 6.5 with no band below 6.0 on 55 programmes, or 6.0 with no band below 5.5 on 18. Every programme accepts IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Duolingo.
Q: Which is the cheapest degree at Sheridan Trafalgar?
Four share the lowest price at CAD 16,206: Illustration, and the Glass, Ceramics and Interdisciplinary streams of Craft and Design. All carry the same exemption as the CAD 33,338 Music Theatre degree.
Q: Does Sheridan Trafalgar have residence?
Yes, Sheridan Suites, but places are limited and not guaranteed for international students. Residence across Trafalgar and Davis together offers around 1,000 beds, costing roughly CAD 8,500 to 11,000 an academic year.
Q: How many intakes does Sheridan Trafalgar have?
September on 72 of 74 programmes, January on 26 and May on 10, across 229 entry windows. The master degree runs November and June instead.
Q: Does Apply Study Visa charge for Sheridan applications?
No. Counselling, application review and submission are free, including the CIP code check and the bundle eligibility check. Sheridan’s own CAD 100 fee still applies. We are paid by the institutions we work with, which is exactly why we will tell you plainly when a programme carries a risk.
✅ Confirm before you pay. Get the CIP code in writing and check it against the current IRCC list, since IRCC decides and not the college. If you are considering a bundle, confirm both halves separately. Check the portfolio or audition deadline, which often falls months before the academic one. Treat the scholarship as a range rather than a flat award. Plan for the CLB test before you graduate. Programme details cover all 74 Trafalgar programmes open to international applicants and were checked in September 2026. IRCC rules, tuition and living costs are revised regularly.
