Offered by Conestoga College in Kitchener, Canada, Cert in Pet Grooming is a certificate in Animal Science programme. The programme runs for 1 year, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 7,738 per semester (CAD 1,387 per semester for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Certificate
Field:Animal Science
Duration: 1 year
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 1,387 / semester
International tuition: CAD 7,738 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Pet Grooming is a one-year Ontario College Certificate delivered in hybrid format at Conestoga's Kitchener - Doon campus. The hands-on program teaches grooming techniques, animal care and business skills: students learn to safely handle and groom cats and dogs, perform specialized cuts and maintain animal health and hygiene. A standout feature is the Conestoga Grooming Clinic, where students gain real-world experience in a professional setting before heading into salon, veterinary clinic or self-employed grooming careers.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, or mature student status for applicants 19 years of age or older, or an ACE (Academic and Career Entrance) Certificate or CAEC (Canadian Adult Education Certificate). All international applicants, regardless of language of instruction, must demonstrate English language proficiency with a completed IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE test; the program page does not state its own thresholds, so the scores below are Conestoga's published certificate-level minimums for these three tests. Applicants must provide proof of pre-exposure rabies and tetanus vaccination before the program starts (roughly $800), be capable of physical activity with good manual dexterity, standing for long periods, and lifting 25 kg, and have flexible availability for shift work including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Prior experience working with animals is recommended.
Application Details
Start Date:September and May
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca (college code CONS): for the Fall 2027 intake the online application opens 26 September 2026, the equal consideration date is 1 February 2027, offers may be issued from 1 November 2026, and accepted offers must be confirmed by 1 May 2027; most oversubscribed programs stop accepting applications after 1 February 2027, though many programs remain open afterward. Conestoga does not publish a separate equal-consideration date for its January intake. International applicants apply directly to Conestoga and are assessed on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis until each program fills; no fixed international closing date is published. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
