Offered by Durham College in Oshawa, Canada, Diploma in Paramedic - Compressed is a diploma in Health Sciences programme. The programme runs for 4 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 7,865 per year for local students.
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Health Sciences
Duration: 4 semesters
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 7,865 / year
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Paramedic program at Durham College offers an immersive, supportive, and future-focused learning experience designed to prepare students for the evolving realities of paramedicine. From the start, students benefit from low lab facilitator-to-student ratios, allowing for individualized instruction, hands-on skill development, and meaningful mentorship. Learning takes place in state-of-the-art facilities, including a living lab and fully equipped paramedic training spaces, with access to high-fidelity equipment. Students are taught by experienced paramedics actively working in primary, advanced, and critical care roles. As well as though contributing through base hospital operations and health systems leadership. This ensures the curriculum reflects real-world practice and emerging system changes, including expanded patient disposition options, community paramedicine, and integrated care models. Guaranteed clinical and on-ambulance field placements provide confidence and continuity as students transition from the classroom to practice.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Mature Student Status, Grade 12 English at the C or U level, Grade 12 Mathematics at C, M or U, and Grade 11 or 12 Biology and Chemistry each at C, M or U. As a compressed programme it is designated highly competitive: qualified applicants are ranked on the average of their four senior-level prerequisite subjects, with seats offered first to Ontario residents. The page states no language-test scores of its own; because this is a compressed programme, English-language proficiency follows Durham College's institution-wide requirement for graduate certificates, bachelor degrees and compressed or fast-track programs: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall with no section below 4.5, PTE Academic 60 with no section below 57, CAEL 70 with no section below 70, or Duolingo English Test 120. Before clinical placement, admitted students must pass a Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening, hold current CPR (Level C) and standard first-aid certification, and submit an immunisation and communicable-disease screening form; a Class G driver's licence is required by the end of year one and a Class F licence, backed by an Ontario Ministry of Transportation medical report, by the start of semester three.
Application Details
Start Date:September, January and May
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca: for September 2026 entry the equal-consideration date is 1 February 2026 and offers must be confirmed by 1 May 2026; January 2027 entry has an equal-consideration date of 1 October 2026 (confirm by 1 November 2026); May 2027 entry has an equal-consideration date of 1 February 2027 (confirm by 1 March 2027) - applications after these dates are still assessed while seats remain, including for programs Durham lists as highly competitive (Paramedic, Practical Nursing, Dental Hygiene and similar), which share the same cycle rather than a distinct deadline. International applicants apply directly to Durham, not through ontariocolleges.ca, and are assessed on a rolling basis against each program's published intake availability; Durham publishes no fixed international closing date. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
