Educational Assistant Diploma is a diploma in Education & Teaching programme offered by Portage College in Lac La Biche, Canada. The programme is delivered fully online. Tuition is CAD 4,340 per year for local students.
This diploma builds on the Educational Assistant Certificate, examining the historical and philosophical influences on current best practices in school-age educational programming and combining that theory with school-based practical experience. It is delivered fully online with live, instructor-led evening classes twice a week, and offers rolling start dates so students can begin once they have completed the certificate prerequisite. The ten-course curriculum addresses child exceptionalities, program and curriculum design in math and literacy, behavioural guidance, and family sociology, and includes two practicum placements arranged in school settings of the student's choice, supported by an integration seminar. The program suits certificate-holders who want deeper skills for supporting school-aged children with exceptionalities or diverse learning needs. Admission requires completion of the Educational Assistant Certificate, a criminal record check with vulnerable-sector clearance, and access to the college's online learning platform. Graduates qualify for Level 2 Early Childhood Educator certification under Alberta's child-care staff certification program.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission requires successful completion of the Educational Assistant Certificate from Portage College or from another provincial college; the programme page sets no separate high-school grade thresholds beyond this credential. For English-language proficiency, the page links to Portage College's general English Language Proficiency requirement, met by IELTS Academic 6.0 with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 79, PTE Academic 54, CAEL 60 with no component below 50, or Duolingo 105, or an approved exemption. Applicants must obtain a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Search before entry, and because the diploma is delivered online, students need a device that meets the college's published Moodle technical requirements. The programme runs open enrolment with five start dates across the academic year; applicants should meet the entrance requirements by the deadline tied to their chosen start date.
Application Details
Start Date:October, January, March, May and August
Application Deadline:Portage College sets no single institution-wide application deadline for domestic applicants, who apply through ApplyAlberta and are generally admitted on a rolling basis until seats fill or the program starts; individual program pages carry their own dates, e.g. the Business Administration Diploma - Management and Hairstyling Certificate close August 15, 2027 and the Indigenous Arts Diploma closes June 1, 2027, all for programs beginning around August 2027, while the Practical Nurse Diploma and Primary Care Paramedic remain 'open until seats are filled.' International applicants apply directly to Portage College with a $160 fee; deadlines are published per program rather than institution-wide, for example the University Studies Diploma's international deadlines of October 15, 2026 for Winter and February 15, 2027 for Spring, and Primary Care Paramedic does not accept international applicants at all. Portage does not publish a single equal-consideration date for either group. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
