Offered by Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto, Canada, Diploma in Social Service Worker - Immigrants and Refugees (Hybrid) is a diploma in Social Sciences & Education programme. The programme runs for 4 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 7,892 per semester (CAD 1,359 per semester for local students).
Knowledge and skills for social service work are built with particular attention to settlement counselling and case management for those newly arrived in Canada or moving through the settlement process. A strong emphasis falls on community development done together with community members, through co-creation and co-design, to spot and respond to gaps in service. Students also develop advocacy skills to represent client needs, build proposal-writing and fundraising ability to secure resources, and take part in planning, developing and evaluating support programs, with success measured by growth, a willingness to question personal beliefs, and progress toward social justice, human dignity and equality.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or the equivalent, or admission as a mature applicant, together with Grade 12 English at the C or U level (or equivalent). The page does not publish a standardized English test score. Canadian citizens and permanent residents may satisfy the English requirement through successful completion of Seneca's own pre-admission test. International applicants must instead meet Seneca's institution-wide English requirements, which are not detailed on this programme page. After admission and before starting field placement, applicants must obtain a Police Vulnerable Sector Check.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants (Canadian citizens and permanent residents) apply through OntarioColleges.ca. For the September 2027 intake, OCAS opens for applications on 1 October 2026, the equal-consideration date is 1 February 2027, first offers go out from 1 November 2026, and the earliest confirmation deadline is 1 May 2027 with a CAD 200 deposit due the second Wednesday of June 2027. The January 2027 and May 2027 intakes opened on 1 October 2025 and carry no equal-consideration date, with earliest confirmation deadlines of 1 November 2025 and 1 March 2027. International applicants apply directly to Seneca, are assessed on a rolling basis with no fixed closing date, and are admitted up to the first day of classes or until a program fills, whichever comes first. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
