Early Childhood Education Diploma Program (ECE)

The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Diploma program prepares Canadian and International students to work as Early Childhood Educators in Canada upon graduation.

Applicants may have had previous experience providing childcare, possibly professionally or perhaps caring for a relative. Many applicants will know that this work can be both physically and emotionally demanding and requires dedication to those children in their care. To meet program eligibility requirements, applicants are between the ages of 19 and 53 years of age.

The program requires both academic study and practical training through work placements. Applicants will need:

• A High School diploma or academic documents and translations that demonstrate an international grade 12 or higher.
• Two references documenting 25 hours of experience working with children and detailing the applicant’s emotional maturity and suitability for this field.
• Attend and successfully pass a pre-screening interview. 
• Child Abuse Registry Check.
• Criminal Record Check (translated if necessary) and valid within 6 months.
• COVID vaccination status on file.
• Copy of passport.

If you are an International student applicant, you also require:

• A Study Permit visa and Co-op visa.
• Proof of English language proficiency (IELTS academic 6.0 with no band below 6.0 or equivalent).
• A Canadian Criminal Record Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search if you have been residing in Canada for more than 6 months.
• A Criminal Record Check from your home country if you are residing outside of Canada. 

If you aren’t sure that your background is right for the program, we encourage you to chat with our Admissions team before submitting your application so that we can provide you with guidance.

The most accurate and updated information regarding program fees for our 50-week Early Childhood Education (ECE) Diploma program can be found on our program fees page.

Salaries in Nova Scotia for Early Childhood Educators are extremely good. Latest surveys show that on average, ECEs are paid somewhere around $49,000 / year (Canadian Dollars) every year. This means that you should be able to comfortably support yourself and your family once you start work, as well as recover the cost of any investment in program fees very quickly.

There are a number of scholarships available for domestic and international students. Please read the full details found in the “I want to know about available scholarships” section.

Bursaries Available for Domestic Students

The Government of Nova Scotia is currently offering bursaries of up to $5,000 CAD for domestic students* that are enrolled in full-time studies at approved Nova Scotia post-secondary institutions in 2024-2025! 

• Studying full-time and remain in good academic standing.
• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Nova Scotia* (temporary foreign workers, international students, or any other person in Canada on a temporary resident visa do not qualify).

• Payments will be issued to the training institution (Oxford International College Halifax) on behalf of successful applicants in the fall and winter semesters. Training institutions will apply the bursary to each successful student’s account.
• Priority for funding will be given to students from equity-deserving groups. 
• The following students are not eligible to apply:
  – Students currently enrolled in an ECE Diploma already funded by EECD.
  – Students who are currently receiving other EECD funding (e.g., staff receiving continuing education funding for part-time studies).

Scholarships Available for International Students

There are a number of scholarships available for international students. Please contact your agent or local Oxford International representative for more information. 

Halifax is a vibrant and growing city with a variety of accommodation options.

With a large number of students, there’s a great choice of accommodation in Halifax designed to fit the unique needs of students. But the large student population also means that the best accommodation can get booked fast. So it’s important to start looking at least two months in advance of a program start date.

Many students choose the college’s homestay program. This offers a room with a hosting family and meals. At just $1040 CAD a month, this is a great solution for students who are traveling to Canada by themselves, rather than bringing their family with them.

Students wanting their own space, or who are bringing a family with them, could look at furnished and unfurnished rental apartments, available at a range of prices. Typically, they might rent privately from well-known names such as Air B&B (Airbnb.ca) or Kijiji (kijiji.ca). They may also consider furnished and serviced apartments from a provider like Premier Suites Halifax (premiersuites.com).

Getting your visa sorted is an important part of your journey to Halifax. 

The Canadian Government sets the rules for visa applications, acceptance, and costs. Because you’ll need to be in Canada at the start of your program, you should apply for a visa to study as soon as you can. Your family will probably need tourist visas if they want to travel to Canada with you. 

Your visa determines when you can enter the country, how long you can stay after you graduate, and how many hours you can work while you are in Canada. To support your visa application, we will issue you a formal letter of admission and a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) showing that you intend to join our Early Childhood Education Diploma program. Oxford International College Halifax (formerly East Coast International College) is recognised as a Designated Learning Institute (DLI), and you may need to quote our DLI number of O267638647882 on your visa application. 

You should consult a qualified Canadian immigration consultant if you are not clear about what you must do when you apply for a visa. To assist you with this process, Oxford International has partnered with Encubate to provide visa and immigration support. Encubate offers expert visa and permit application support, along with complimentary immigration guidance, with a team of Regulated Immigration Consultants (RCICs). 

International students in Canada need a study permit to enroll in a program. 

You’ll need to have two permits for the Early Childhood Education Diploma program at Oxford International College Halifax. A Study permit covers your academic learning, and you’ll also need a Co-op Work permit so that you can take part in the regular work placements that are embedded into your program. These permits are in addition to any travel visa that you may have applied for to enter Canada. 

You must apply for your Study permit and your Co-op Work permit using your letter of admission and Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before you leave your home country. Because you need to have both permits before your program starts, make sure that you are issued with both a Study permit and a Co-op Work permit when you enter Canada at the border.

Oxford International College Halifax is recognised as a Designated Learning Institute (DLI), and you should quote our DLI number of O267638647882 when you apply for your permits.

Applicants are required to provide academic documents that demonstrate one of the following:

• Canadian Grade 12 Certificate, Diploma, or GED 
• International Grade 12 or higher with translations

Applicants should be between the ages of 19 and 53 to apply for the program.

Applicants need to provide two references that document 25 hours of experience working with children. This can be in paid or unpaid positions, such as babysitting. These two references also need to detail your emotional maturity and suitability for the Early Childhood Education field.

English language proficiency is required and needs to be demonstrated through one of the following:

• Academic IELTS 6.0 (no band below 6.0)
• Oxford ELLT Level 6 overall (no band below 6)
• The Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement Test (CLBPT) 7
• TOEFL IBT 78
• PTE minimum score of 55 (no band below 50)
• Completion of Oxford International College Halifax’s UCP Level 400

Alternatively, applicants who are able to demonstrate 2 years of full-time academic study in the following countries where the language of instruction was English are exempt from supplying an English proficiency exam for admission into the Early Childhood Education Diploma program:

Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Canada, England, Gambia, Ghana, Grand Cayman Islands, Grenada, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Marianas, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Virgin Islands, Wales, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Additional requirements:

• Attend a pre-screening interview
• Child Abuse Registry Check 
• Criminal Record Check (translated if necessary) and valid within 6 months 
• COVID vaccination status on file
• Copy of your passport 

For International applicants:

• Study Permit visa and Co-op visa 
• Canadian Criminal Record Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search if you have been residing in Canada for more than 6 months
• Criminal Record Check / Police Clearance Certificate from your home country if you are residing outside of Canada  
• A Vulnerable Sector Search once you enter in Canada

Well done! You’ve taken your first step towards a bright new future as a Early Childhood Educator in Canada.  

We’ll now look through your application and any supporting documents. We know that you are eager to hear back from us, so we’ll do this as quickly as we can. We need to make sure that we only make conditional offers to the right applicants because we want every student who starts to get the best from their program. 

We aim to let you know if you have been successful within seven days of receiving your application. 

Read your conditional offer letter carefully – and keep it safe! You’ll see what you need to do to start your program in Halifax. Please remember that it is your responsibility to meet any requirements or conditions shown in your conditional offer letter. 

We’ve tried to be clear about the start date that we’ve offered to you, what fees you need to pay, and any additional conditions that you need to meet before you enroll. But if we haven’t been clear enough, or you don’t think that you’ll be able to meet the deadlines, get in touch with us. We’ll always try to help. 

We now need you to pay your Application Fee. Please check the program fees page for details on the cost. Make sure that you are prepared to meet all the requirements shown in your conditional offer letter before you pay your Application Fee. 

After you have paid your Application Fee, you’ll need to book an interview with one of the admissions team as soon as you can. This is so that we can make sure that you are suitable to start the program – and it’s a great chance to ask any questions that you might have. Your conditional offer letter will explain how to book this interview. 

Congratulations! You’ve now met one of the major requirements shown on your conditional offer letter. Only those applicants who are a good fit for the Early Childhood Education Diploma program pass their admissions interview. You can be proud that you are one of these successful applicants and look forward to starting your program. 

You will be given instructions on how to pay your tuition deposit by a specific date. This deposit is to secure your place in the Early Childhood Eduaction Diploma program. We will deduct the value of any deposit you pay against the total cost of your program fees. 

It’s official – you’re in! As an International student, your letter of admission confirms that we will sponsor you as a student for the Early Childhood Education Diploma program in Nova Scotia.  

Now it’s time to organize your study permit visa. You’ll need to send a copy of your letter of admission and Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) when you submit your visa application, and the Canadian Government will ask you to pay an application fee.  

Don’t wait to make your visa application – do it as soon as possible – and use the Student Direct Stream if you can to submit your application. Government processing times can vary, and you cannot enter Canada until you have been granted a study permit visa. If you apply too late, you could miss the start of your program and if that happens, you will need to submit a new visa application.  

We have no influence over the visa process, application costs, or even if a visa is granted. These are all managed by the visa authorities as part of the Government of Canada. It’s important that you show the Canadian Government that you are intending to come into Canada to study, that you have enough money to support yourself, and that you could return to your home country when you graduate if asked to do so. 

At last! You are now ready to come into Canada and start your program. 

Read your documents carefully because they will say when you are able to travel. Do not travel before this date because you may be turned back at the border, and this could affect your ability to enter Canada later. Do not book your flights or make travel arrangements until you have received confirmation from Oxford International College Halifax that you have been given a seat in the program. Oxford International College Halifax will confirm if there is still space for the program start date you have selected. 

It’s important that you arrive in time for the start of your program. With such an intensive program, we do not allow students to start late. Late starters would miss valuable learning and not get the best from their time during the Early Childhood Education Diploma program. If you think that you will not be in Canada in time for the start of your program, let us know immediately. 

Classes are normally from 8:30am to 4:30pm AST Monday to Friday.

You can apply to bring your spouse and dependent children with you while you are enrolled in the Early Childhood Education Diploma program.

We recommend anyone who wishes to accompany you enters Canada on a tourist visa, but they would not be eligible to work in Canada unless they apply successfully for a work permit. Traveling on a tourist visa means that your family members have the best chance of being able to share your experiences in Canada. It’s particularly important that you and your family comply with any visa restrictions to protect your long-term chances to work and settle in Canada. We recommend that you take advice from Encubate, our visa and immigration services partner.

Please remember that you’ll need to show that you have enough money to support any family you bring. Guidelines can change, but as of January 1st, 2024, students need to be prepared to show funding of $20, 635 CAD for themselves and another $5,000 to $6,000 CAD for each extra person in the household. You can find the exact amounts of funding requird on the IRCC website.

Nova Scotia will also offer free schooling for primary-age children at a suitable public school. This is a wonderful opportunity for your children to improve their language skills, experience a vastly different culture, and help you make an informed choice about your family’s future Canada. If your child is not ready for primary school yet, and because Co-op work placement is an integral part of the ECE program, you may need make additional childcare provision to cover shifts, illnesses, or school holidays.

If your application into the International Graduates in Demand stream has been successful, you can apply for a work permit from the Canadian Government.  You will then have the opportunity to apply to settle in Canada through the Canadian Government’s Permanent Residency process, which is often called ‘applying for PR’. 

Your qualification as am Early Childhood Educator gives you an extremely compelling case to make an application for Permanent Residency to the Government. You’ll boost this by maintaining a good work history, and by showing that you have complied with any visa restrictions since you entered Canada. Your application for Permanent Residency can take some time – possibly up to 24 months – so be prepared to wait. Your work permit will allow you to support yourself and your family as an Early Childhood Educator while the Government considers your application. 

After some time as a Permanent Resident, you would be eligible to apply for full Canadian citizenship.