Admission requirements

Find admission and educational requirements for the Officer Training Program by province, for home schooled applicants and for students educated outside of Canada.

On this page

• Conditions of employment
• Course prerequisites
• Current high school students
• High school graduates
• Upgrading course requirements
• Home schooling
• Non-Canadian education system

Conditions of employment

To apply to the Officer Training Program, you must meet the conditions of employment below. Some of these will be met throughout your admissions process:

• be a Canadian citizen
  • individuals with permanent resident status must have their Canadian citizenship prior to the start of the program
• have a Canadian passport
• individuals must have a valid Canadian passport upon joining the Officer Training Program
• meet the medical standard required for seagoing personnel
  • during the application process, you will be required to meet the Health Canada Cat III seapharers medical which will include vision and hearing standards
• acquire a reliability security clearance
  • be able to pass a criminal record check and government security clearance at the reliability and secret levels
• be willing to take training in respiratory protection and wear a breathing apparatus which maintains a non-leaking seal over your face

Course prerequisites

All applicants need to successfully complete a high school diploma by June 30 of the intake year. Course prerequisites must be at the pre-university level suitable for post-secondary study in science or engineering with a grade of 70% or higher in each of these required courses:

• Physics 12
• Advanced Math 12
• English or French 12
• Chemistry 11 (for engineering program only)

The Canadian Coast Guard College reserves the right to decide what we’ll accept as an academic equivalency.

Prerequisites by province

Make sure you’re enrolled in the right course by checking your province’s requirements for admission below.

Current high school students

Current high school students must provide an up-to-date transcript of completed courses and proof of enrollment in Grade 12 or Secondary 5. We’ll accept the following as proof of enrollment:

• your grade report
• your class schedule
• a letter from a guidance counsellor
• your transcript with a list of pending courses

You will need to stay in touch throughout the school year, and provide us with:

• a mid-year grade report
• an end of semester transcript
• a final transcript at the end of the school year

High school graduates

You must provide a high school transcript and any post-secondary transcripts demonstrating you have met the course requirements from your province.

Upgrading course requirements

Applicants who are upgrading courses need to provide a high school transcript and proof of enrollment in the required courses.

Throughout your academic semester, you’ll need to submit a mid-year grade report and final transcript upon course completion.

Home schooling

Applicants who have been home schooled will be considered individually and must possess the equivalent of a high school diploma. You’ll need to provide a high school transcript showing that you have met our course prerequisites.

Current students must provide an up-to-date transcript with proof of enrollment in these courses. Admissions may request course outlines and descriptions to ensure course content meets our educational requirements.

Non-Canadian education systems

Applicants who were educated outside of Canada are required to meet the standards indicated in the Canadian education system. You must:

• have the equivalent of a high school diploma
• obtain a minimum final grade of 70% in the required courses:
  • Physics 12
  • Chemistry 11 (for engineering program only)
  • Advanced Math 12
  • English or French 12
• provide a list of course subjects comparable to a Grade 12 level with equivalent credit values and grades

International equivalency reports can be obtained through the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials. We’ll accept any of the following:

• comprehensive report
• educational assessment
• secondary school comprehensive report
• secondary and postsecondary comprehensive report

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