Lakeland College offers Diploma in Early Childhood Education, a diploma in Early Childhood Education programme in Vermilion, Canada. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 16,330 per year (CAD 5,988 per year for local students).
Offered face-to-face at Lakeland College's Vermilion campus, this program leads to both a certificate and a two-year diploma in early childhood education, with Alberta recognizing graduates at progressively higher levels as they complete each program stage. Students learn to observe children and design experiences based on their interests and developmental needs, create inclusive learning environments including outdoor exploration in a natural playscape, build relationships with families, and manage early learning programs. Every semester includes a field placement, and the third placement is distinctive in requiring students to set up and host a play program for the community. A clear criminal record check with a vulnerable sector check is mandatory for coursework and field placements, and applicants must be at least 18 to obtain one. Admission requires a high school diploma with at least 50 percent in English 30-1 or 65 percent in English 30-2, plus proof of English language proficiency where required. The program suits students who want to work with children from infancy through school age in early learning and childcare settings, offering a staged path from certificate-level competency to full diploma qualification.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires a high school diploma with a minimum of 50% in English 30-1 or 65% in English 30-2. Applicants must also meet Lakeland's general English language proficiency requirement, satisfied through IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with 6.0 on every band, TOEFL iBT 78 overall with 19 per section, PTE Academic 53 overall with 50 per skill, Duolingo 100 overall with 95 per sub-score, CAEL 60 overall with 55 per band, or MET 58 on all bands. Before field placement, students must hold a clear criminal record check with a vulnerable sector check, obtained within three months of program start and submitted by August 15; applicants must be at least 18 to obtain this check. Placement also requires a minimum 2.0 GPA, a current First Aid in Childcare certificate and a Child Intervention Record Check where applicable, and demonstrated emotional maturity and readiness to relocate. Applicants educated outside Alberta should confirm provincial equivalents, and those without standard credentials may qualify through special admissions.
Application Details
Start Date:Fall and Winter
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants to Lakeland College apply through ApplyAlberta, which opens on a fixed recurring schedule — the first Wednesday of October (for Fall), May (for Winter), and August (for Spring) of the year before the term, with Fall 2027 having opened the first Wednesday of October 2026 — and applications for most programs stay open on a rolling basis until one business day before the program starts, subject to program-specific exclusions and waitlists. International applicants use a separate process and Lakeland states their deadlines close earlier than domestic to allow time for visa processing, but publishes no specific international closing date; it instead recommends starting at least a year ahead of the intended start date. Lakeland does not publish a fixed equal-consideration date for either group. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
