Offered by Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, Canada, Diploma in Respiratory Therapy is a diploma in Health Sciences programme. The programme runs for 3 years. It carries 96.0 credits. Tuition for international students is CAD 606 per credit (CAD 187 per credit for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Health Sciences
Duration: 3 years
Credits: 96.0
Local tuition: CAD 187 / credit
International tuition: CAD 606 / credit
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This three-year diploma trains students to assess, treat, and manage patients with cardio-respiratory conditions across a range of clinical settings. Instruction is delivered in a blended format, combining in-person classes at SAIT's Main Campus with online coursework, and makes use of simulation training through SAIT's Centre for Advanced Patient Care Simulation so students can practice on scenarios that mimic real patient responses before working with patients directly. The curriculum covers life-saving procedures, ventilator management, oxygen and aerosol therapies, patient evaluation, pulmonary function testing, and blood gas analysis. A significant practicum component places students in adult, pediatric, and neonatal intensive care units, emergency departments, anesthesia, general wards, home care, and pulmonary function and blood gas labs, with shifts that can fall overnight or on weekends; by the third year, most instructional time takes place in these workplace settings rather than the classroom. The standard length is three years, with up to seven years allowed to complete all requirements. Because of the clinical demands, the program suits candidates comfortable with extended and irregular hours, physically demanding shifts, and exposure to blood and tissue, alongside strong communication and problem-solving skills. Graduates can work in acute and community care settings or diagnostic labs, with further options in education, research, administration, or management as they gain experience.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Domestic applicants need at least 70% in Math 30-1 or 75% in Math 30-2, at least 70% in English Language Arts 30-1, at least 70% in Chemistry 30, and at least 70% in Biology 30, plus a mark of at least 50% on the School of Health and Public Safety's entrance testing (a CASPer situational-judgment assessment and a profession-specific entrance assessment). SAIT accepts recognised high school course equivalents for applicants educated outside Alberta, and applicants educated outside Canada must provide an international document assessment showing they meet the same standard. All applicants, including those educated in Canada, must demonstrate English language proficiency before admission (SAIT admissions, English Proficiency). SAIT's institution-wide scale accepts IELTS Academic at 6.0 in each skill, TOEFL iBT at a total score of 4.5 with a 4.5 minimum per section, PTE Academic at 53, the Duolingo English Test at 115 overall with 95 minimum per sub-score, and CAEL at 60 overall with 60 in each skill, among other accepted tests. Applications go through SAIT's online portal with the standard non-refundable fee (CAD 120 domestic, CAD 175 international); international applicants should confirm the program's own international-applicant and Post-Graduation Work Permit status.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Allied-health program with an earlier, entrance-testing-linked deadline than SAIT's general Fall 2027 close of 30 June 2027; SAIT had not yet posted the specific 2027 testing-cycle date at fetch time -- check the Health & Public Safety Entrance Testing page before the general deadline.
