Cert in Animal Care at Durham College in Oshawa, Canada is a certificate in Animal Science programme. The programme runs for 2 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 3,212 per year for local students.
The certificate develops the communication skill needed to work effectively with pet owners, including explaining an animal's needs or health status in terms an owner can understand and act on. Students learn to build client trust as an animal care attendant and to take part in medical discussions with veterinary professionals, along with communicating about parasite prevention, nutrition and behaviour, and handling sensitive subjects, such as an animal's illness or its final days, with compassion and professional care.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Mature Student Status, plus Grade 12 English (C or U) and Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U); no minimum admission average is stated. English-language proficiency follows Durham College's institution-wide policy for certificate, diploma, advanced-diploma and graduate-certificate programs: IELTS Academic 6.0 with no band below 5.5, PTE Academic 53 overall with no section below 49, CAEL 60 overall with no section below 60, or Duolingo English Test 110 or higher; a Grade 12 English credit, post-secondary English course, GED, CAEC or a successful pre-admission assessment also satisfies it, and Durham offers pre-admission assessment testing to domestic applicants aged 19 or over who lack a required credit. From September 2026 the program is delivered at the Oshawa campus.
Application Details
Start Date:Two intakes a year - September and January. Current cycle class starts: 8 September 2026 and 11 January 2027.
Application Deadline:Domestic (apply at ontariocolleges.ca): equal-consideration date 1 February 2026 for September 2026 entry and 1 October 2026 for January 2027 entry - Durham's standing rule is 1 February for a September start and 1 October for a January start. Applications completed after the equal-consideration date are still accepted and assessed while seats remain. International: apply through Durham College's own international application, not ontariocolleges.ca; Durham publishes no general international closing date and directs applicants to the Intakes and Availability table on the program page.
