Overview

Career colleges offer certificate and diploma programs in fields such as:

  • business
  • health services
  • human resources
  • applied arts
  • information technology
  • electronics
  • services
  • trades

They often appeal to people who:

  • need specific job skills to join the workforce
  • want to add to their skills to become more competitive in the job market

Career colleges often work with small groups of students and offer:

  • flexible learning schedules
  • enrolment at many different times during the year

How the ministry regulates career colleges

In Ontario, career colleges that offer vocational programs must, by law, be registered under the  Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005. The Superintendent of Career Colleges registers and oversees these institutions.

Before offering the programs to students, the superintendent requires organizations to be pre-screened for eligibility and to register as a career college.

Once registered, operators of career colleges must:

Read guidance for career college operators.

Notices and orders

The superintendent can issue compliance notices and orders to unregistered institutions and to those not operating their business in accordance with the law.

Search notices and orders.

Guidance for students

Learn about:

Steps to take before you sign a student contract

Career colleges offer their customers (students) vocational training for a fee.

Follow these steps to help protect your educational investment when choosing your program and provider:

1. Find out if the career college is registered and the vocational program you want to take is approved under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005

Note: If you enrol in an unregistered institution, or an unapproved vocational program, the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005 may not protect you.

2. Make sure that you do the following:

  • Speak with employers in the field to confirm they consider graduates from the career college you plan to attend.
  • Visit the college to see the facilities and equipment.
  • Understand the total cost of enrolling in the program, including the application fee, tuition, books, equipment, transportation, living costs, etc.
  • Meet the admission requirements of the program you registered for.
  • Review an enrolment contract with a representative of the college and ask any questions before you sign it.

3. It can be helpful for your decision to review the following:

  • Graduation and satisfaction rates compiled from surveys of students who graduated from career colleges in Ontario.

4. Read the Statement of Students' Rights and Responsibilities.

This important information outlines:

  • what to expect from a career college
  • what you need to do when you sign up for a program offered by a career college

Guidance for career college operators

Learn about:

Superintendent’s policy directives

The Superintendent of Career Colleges issues performance and training standards for the operation of career colleges and delivery of vocational programs in Ontario.

Read the policy directives for operators of career colleges from the Superintendent of Career Colleges.

Training Completion Assurance Fund

Learn about the Training Completion Assurance Fund (TCAF) which helps students finish their training if a career college closes.

Financial requirements and regulations for operators include:

Communicating with the ministry

Career colleges must use the Program Approval and Registration Information System (PARIS) to stay in touch with the ministry. Every career college must keep their contact e-mail in PARIS up-to-date.

Career college operators

Register for a log in to PARIS 
 

Students

Register for a student log in to PARIS

You can submit and get updates on your communications with the ministry.