Animal Care Aide Certificate at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, Canada is a certificate in Animal Science programme. The programme runs for 7 months, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,993 per total (CAD 2,993 per total for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Certificate
Field:Animal Science
Duration: 7 months
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 2,993 / total
International tuition: CAD 2,993 / total
Last checked September 2026 · Source: pdt.viu.ca ·
Program details
Overview
This non-credit certificate introduces students to entry-level animal care work through eight courses covering anatomy and physiology of animals, radiology, laboratory procedures, complementary medicine, workplace communication, medical nursing, surgical procedures, and office procedures, plus two field trips and 20 hours of work experience at a veterinary hospital or clinic. The program runs part-time over seven months across two semesters, delivered mainly face-to-face at the Nanaimo campus on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with some online components and two Sunday field trips. Admission requires Grade 12 or equivalent, a minimum age of 17, at least a C in English 11 and Math 11, with Biology 11 recommended. The certificate suits people entering the animal care field for the first time as well as current staff or volunteers seeking formal credentials, and it is intended to prepare graduates for roles at veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, recovery centres, pet stores, zoos, kennels, and farms.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Vancouver Island University admits Animal Care Aide Certificate applicants who have Grade 12 graduation or an equivalent, or who qualify under VIU's Trades and Applied Technology mature-student category. The programme requires a minimum "C" in English 11 or an equivalent, and a minimum "C" in Math 11 (any of the Principles, Applications, Foundations, or Pre-Calculus streams); Biology 11 or 12 is recommended but not mandatory. Applicants must be at least 17 years of age. No IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo or CAEL score is published for this programme, consistent with VIU's domestic Trades and Applied Technology admission route, which has no central English-test table. Applicants who do not meet the Math or English prerequisite are told to contact the programme office to discuss a self-assessment option rather than being refused outright. No criminal record check, immunisation requirement, or mandatory interview is stated for this programme.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic (Canadian) applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC; Vancouver Island University sets no institution-wide equal-consideration date, and its admissions FAQ states deadlines vary by programme, with applications for most academic programmes opening 1 October in the year before a September start. VIU publishes no general closing date for that window; applicants are directed to each programme's own page for its own deadline. International applicants use the same portal; VIU publishes no international-specific institution-wide date either, and several health programmes (Practical Nursing, Nursing Unit Assistant) are stated as not currently open to international students. Each programme's own page carries its own Start Date, Deadlines, and Additional Application Details table for the 2026-27 cycle, and admission for programmes without a stated window is treated as ongoing/rolling until the intake fills. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
