At St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Canada, HD in Computer Programming and Analysis is offered as a higher diploma in Computer Sciences programme. The programme runs for 3 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 17,428 per year (CAD 2,776 per year for local students).
Following an experiential-learning model that mirrors workplace software development, students work in project teams to design, develop and test larger-scale applications, gaining real-world experience through a work placement in the third year. The three-year program builds skills in application development, critical thinking, software design, problem-solving and basic programming practice, writing programs across mainframe, mobile, web and desktop platforms.
Programming languages taught include C#, C++, PHP, MySQL, JavaScript and Java, together with the skills to learn further languages, and the curriculum includes mainframe coursework in COBOL, CICS, JCL and TSO.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: St. Lawrence College's Computer Programming and Analysis advanced diploma requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) with the majority of Grade 11 and 12 courses at the C, U or M level, including Grade 12 English at the C or U level and Grade 11 Math at the C or U level. Applicants with transcripts from outside Canada are directed to the college's transcript-evaluation process, and those missing a prerequisite may enroll in the college's Career/College Prep program. International students must obtain a co-op work permit and are encouraged to apply early; a special May intake is offered for international students only. The program page does not state its own language-proficiency scores; applicants whose first language is not English are assessed against St. Lawrence College's institution-wide scale for Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs: IELTS Academic 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5), TOEFL iBT 4 overall (78 under the pre-January-2026 scale), PTE Academic 55, CAEL 60, or Duolingo 110 (no sub-score below 85).
Application Details
Start Date:January and September
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.
