Cert in Veterinary Assistant is a certificate in Animal Science programme offered by St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Canada. The programme runs for 1 year, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 17,428 per total (CAD 2,885 per total for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Certificate
Field:Animal Science
Duration: 1 year
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 2,885 / total
International tuition: CAD 17,428 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This is a one-year hands-on program focusing on the skills required to work in careers involving animal care. Students spend a large portion of their time working with animals. Students develop safe handling skills and learn how to perform physical examinations and treatments. The students operate the SLC "Scruffy Dog Salon” where they groom dogs under the supervision of experienced groomers. Lab time is also spent learning surgical support techniques and basic clinical laboratory procedures which aid in the diagnosis and treatment of disease in domestic animals. The program is structured around four areas:
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma with the majority of Grade 11 and 12 courses at the College, University or Mixed level, including Grade 12 English at the C or M level and Grade 11 Math at the C, U or M level; applicants missing a prerequisite can take the free Career/College Prep program (Ontario residents 19 or older). International transcripts are assessed via the college's transcript-evaluation page, and OSSD-equivalent credentials are listed on St. Lawrence College's admission-requirements page. That page also sets the English-language standard for this Certificate-level programme: IELTS Academic overall 6.0 with no band below 5.5, TOEFL iBT 78 (4.0 overall for tests from 21 January 2026), TOEFL Computer-based 213, CAEL overall 60, Duolingo overall 110 with no sub-score below 85, PTE Academic 55, or Cambridge English 173. Students must meet immunization and health clearance requirements and supply their own scrubs, safety glasses, and closed footwear for placement.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca: for programmes starting September 2027 the application opens 26 September 2026, the equal-consideration date is 1 February 2027, and later applications are assessed first-come, first-served while seats remain; St. Lawrence College names Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Communicative Disorders Assistant, Medical Laboratory Science and Practical Nursing as highly competitive, requiring transcripts and proof of enrolment by the same 1 February date to be ranked. International applicants apply through SLC's own International Application Service and are assessed on a rolling basis; the college publishes no fixed international closing date, and each Letter of Acceptance carries its own accept-and-pay deadline. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
