Early Learning and Child Care Certificate is a certificate in Early Childhood Education programme taught at Northern Lakes College in Slave Lake, Canada. The programme runs for 38 weeks, delivered fully online. Tuition for international students is CAD 14,901 per total (CAD 4,967 per total for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Certificate
Field:Early Childhood Education
Duration: 38 weeks
Delivery: Online
Local tuition: CAD 4,967 / total
International tuition: CAD 14,901 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Early Learning and Child Care Certificate is offered by Northern Lakes College as a 38-week program delivered entirely online through the Bongo and Brightspace platforms. It prepares students to work with children from birth to 12 years of age in settings such as daycares, preschools, after-school programs, and private day homes, including children with exceptionalities. Admission requires a credit in English 30-1, or 60% in English 30-2 (or an equivalent), along with basic computer skills and a reliable high-speed internet connection; depending on the practicum placement, a Police Information Check and an Alberta Children's Services record check may also be required. Graduates are qualified for entry-level roles in childcare facilities across the settings the program covers. The certificate is also a recognized pathway into Northern Lakes College's Early Learning and Child Care Diploma, letting students continue their studies at a more advanced level. The program suits individuals who want to begin working with young children and are comfortable studying in a fully online format rather than attending an in-person campus.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry requires credit in English 30-1, 60% in English 30-2, or credit in ENGL0190; transcripts and documents from other provinces or certificate-granting bodies are reviewed case by case. Applicants who do not meet this academic prerequisite may still be admitted by completing an ACCUPLACER assessment. The college does not publish a standardized English-language test score (IELTS, TOEFL, or similar) for this certificate; the English course requirement above serves as the language standard. Because practicum placements are part of the programme, agencies may require an up-to-date Police Information Check with a Vulnerable Sector Check and an Alberta Children's Services Intervention Record Check, and the college notes that an applicant unable to obtain clear checks may be prevented from completing programme requirements. As the certificate is delivered online through Bongo and Brightspace, applicants also need basic computer skills and a reliable high-speed internet connection.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Northern Lakes College does not publish a fixed closing date for domestic applicants: programme pages state that late applications are accepted if seats remain, so effectively admission is rolling, apply early. The exception is a small group of oversubscribed programmes -- Addictions Counselling, Advanced Care Paramedic, Practical Nurse, Primary Care Paramedic and Social Work -- where an accepted domestic applicant must pay a $300 tuition deposit by 1 May to hold the seat for the September intake. International applicants face fixed term deadlines instead: 1 May for Fall, 15 October for Winter and 1 January for Spring, with guidance to apply at least four months ahead of the start date; as of September 2026 the Fall 2026 international deadline has passed and the college is accepting Winter 2027 international applications up to 15 October 2026. So domestic admission is rolling until seats fill, while international admission runs to fixed, non-rolling term deadlines. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
