Offered by Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, Canada, Diploma in Respiratory Therapy is a diploma in Health Sciences programme. The programme runs for 3 years, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 935 per credit (CAD 207 per credit for local students).
Respiratory Therapy is a three-year diploma program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology that prepares students to diagnose, treat, rehabilitate, and educate patients living with heart and lung disorders. Graduates are trained to work with patients across all age groups in hospital and other healthcare settings. The program includes a work experience placement component and is delivered full-time on the institute's Edmonton campus. It suits students interested in direct, patient-facing clinical care within a specialized area of respiratory and cardiopulmonary health, rather than a general nursing or allied health credential. Given its three-year length, the program provides more extended clinical and theoretical preparation than the institute's typical two-year health diploma programs. The official program page does not specify the exact number or duration of clinical placements, admission prerequisites, or further certification requirements beyond describing the work experience placement as part of the curriculum.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Entry requires 63% in each of Grade 12 Language Arts (English 30-2), Grade 12 Mathematics (Math 30-2), Grade 12 Biology (Biology 30) and Grade 12 Chemistry (Chemistry 30), plus NAIT's institution-wide English Language Proficiency requirement (IELTS Academic 6.0 in each section, TOEFL iBT 4.0 overall with 4.0 in each section, PTE Academic 58, or Duolingo 115 overall with no sub-score under 100, among other listed tests). Admission is competitive and includes an online interview; applicants who meet the minimum requirements and submit all documents are invited to interview, with the first round in early October and the highest-scoring applicants admitted first. Once enrolled, students must provide current BLS (CPR) certification before clinical training, immunization records, and a Police Information Check with vulnerable-sector search, plus N95 respirator fit testing. Graduates whose first language is not English must separately satisfy the College and Association of Respiratory Therapy of Alberta's own language requirement before they can be licensed to practise.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:NAIT does not publish fixed closing dates: domestic applications for Fall 2027 entry open 1 October 2026, Winter 2027 entry opens 1 March 2026, and Spring 2027 entry opens 1 June 2026, each staying open at least one month and then continuing until the program and waitlist are full or, where seats remain, until the term begins. International applicants follow the same rule but open earlier -- 1 August 2026 for Fall, 1 January 2026 for Winter, and 1 April 2026 for Spring. NAIT names no external application service; students apply directly at nait.ca. Admission is effectively rolling, and NAIT advises applying as early as possible since program status can change quickly with demand. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
