Heritage College offers Diploma in Techniques d’éducation à l’enfance, a diploma in Early Childhood Education programme in Gatineau, Canada. The programme runs for 3 years. Teaching is in French. Tuition for international students is CAD 15,150 per year (CAD 3,740 per year for local students).
Early Childhood Education at Cégep Heritage College prepares students in best practices for child development and early learning strategies, planning and implementing early learning opportunities, hands-on approaches to guiding and supporting young children, and critical thinking and ethical approaches to work with children and families. Students take part in community-based fieldwork placements in settings such as licensed childcare centres, specialized preschool programs, family resource centres, toy-lending libraries, junior and senior kindergartens, before- and after-school programs, and programs supporting children with special needs, working alongside experienced early childhood professionals. The page describes a dual-track diploma pathway letting graduates continue to university studies in areas such as psychology, child and youth studies, social work, gender studies and education, with many Canadian universities granting advanced standing or course credit that can shorten a subsequent bachelor's degree. Career and employment opportunities for graduates are described as diverse, reflecting demand in the early learning sector. The program suits students who want to work directly with young children and families in community and educational settings, whether heading into the workforce or continuing into related university programs.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission follows Heritage College's general requirements for Quebec applicants: the Quebec Diploma of Secondary Studies (DES), including Secondary 4 Science or Physical Science, Secondary 4 Mathematics, Secondary 4 History, Secondary 5 Language of Instruction and Secondary 5 Second Language. The college's admission table lists no further course prerequisite specific to the Early Childhood Education programme (Ministry code 322.A1). No separate English or French proficiency test is required of Quebec DES holders, since the language of instruction is already certified through the diploma. Out-of-province and international applicants must instead meet the college's separate published requirements for those categories.
Application Details
Start Date:Fall
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through SRAM: the Winter 2027 intake opened 15 September 2026, with a round-1 deadline of 1 November 2026 and a round-2 deadline of 25 November 2026; Fall 2027 round dates had not been posted as of September 2026, though the college's own page shows a recurring pattern of applications opening in mid-January and round 1 closing 1 March. International applicants apply through the same SRAM service: the Fall 2027 window opened 15 March 2026 and closes 14 March 2027, after which no international candidate can be admitted; the equivalent Winter deadline for the current cycle (31 May 2026, for Winter 2027 entry) has already passed. Admission runs in fixed rounds rather than staying open indefinitely, though later rounds absorb remaining seats. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
