Offered by Fanshawe College in London, Canada, Diploma in Developmental Services Worker (Accelerated) is a diploma in Social & Cultural Studies programme. The programme runs for 12 months, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 6,634 per total for local students.
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Social & Cultural Studies
Duration: 12 months
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 6,634 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
With the accelerated option of the Developmental Services Worker program, you’ll go from student to career in just 12 months. If you believe that having a positive and direct impact on the lives of people with developmental disabilities is a career worth pursuing, and are looking for personal and professional satisfaction on a daily basis, Fanshawe’s Developmental Services Worker (DSW) program will guide you toward your goals.You’ll become a specialist in working with children and adults with developmental disabilities. Your courses will be dynamic with a focus on:
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 with a conditional offer once proof of enrolment is provided. Prior coursework in mathematics, biology, chemistry, or human development is recommended but not mandatory for this accelerated intake. 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; or Duolingo overall 105 with no component below 95. Admitted students must also hold Standard First Aid and Basic Rescuer (Level C CPR) certification, evidence of good health, a Police Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening, and a signed Placement Agreement.
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.
