Diploma in Developmental Services Worker is a diploma in Social & Cultural Studies programme offered by Fanshawe College in London, Canada. The programme runs for 60 weeks, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 35,398 per total (CAD 7,193 per total for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Social & Cultural Studies
Duration: 60 weeks
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 7,193 / total
International tuition: CAD 35,398 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Fanshawe DSW program graduates are in high demand. The majority of grads - if not all - find fulfilling employment within 6 months as direct support professionals, case managers/service coordinators or as educational assistants at a school board.The Developmental Services Worker two-year diploma program prepares its graduates to be specialists in supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities. Inherent to the role of a DSW is the ability to collaborate and build relationships with people with developmental disabilities and their families and to work with colleagues and members of inter-professional teams to facilitate a seamless network of support for people. Courses focus on disabilities, person-directed supports, inclusion and community resources, dual diagnosis, interpersonal skills, counselling, health, pharmacology, development, teaching and intervention strategies.Field placements in community agencies and/or schools are part of the curriculum. Students on field placement are required to work evening shifts and cover any costs associated with preparation for fieldwork. Graduates from this program wanting to transfer to another Community Studies program at Fanshawe College, may qualify for some internal credits that have already been achieved.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent, or admission as a mature applicant, with Grade 12 English (C or U); applicants short of this standard may pursue academic upgrading or the Human Services Foundation preparatory program. International applicants must present one of: TOEFL iBT overall 4.5 with no band below 4 (79 under the pre-2026 scale); IELTS Academic overall 6.0 with no band below 5.5; CAEL overall 60 with no band below 50; PTE Academic 53 with no band below 45; Cambridge English 169 overall with no skill below 162; or Duolingo overall 105 with no component below 95. Admitted students must also complete First Aid and CPR certification and a Police Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening, and are required to have a laptop with webcam, microphone, and MS Office.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca: for Fall 2027 entry, applications open in early October 2026 and the equal-consideration date is 1 February 2027, after which later applications are assessed on a first-come basis until seats fill; non-competitive programs begin receiving offers from 1 November 2026, competitive-program offers go out by 30 March 2027, and 1 May 2027 is the usual deadline to accept an offer. International applicants apply directly to Fanshawe (CAD 100 fee) and face fixed document deadlines rather than a single closing date: for the current intakes, study-permit and conditions-met documents are due 10/15 August 2026 (Fall), 9/15 December 2026 (Winter) and 5/15 April 2027 (Summer); missing a deadline can mean deferral to the next intake. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
