Entrance Requirements
The following is a list of entrance requirements for our Standard Program:
20-Month and Two-Year options
- An Ontario Secondary School Diploma, its equivalent* or higher**.
- Sutherland-Chan Anatomy & Physiology Course or its equivalent.
- Sutherland-Chan Introduction to Massage Workshop or its equivalent.
- Grade 12 English***.
- A recent police record check.
- Vaccinations: A doctor’s letter stating that the applicant is free of communicable disease.
Please Note: All applicants will have an interview with the Director of Admissions
*OSSD equivalents for the purposes of admission are:
- A secondary school graduation diploma from another Canadian Province or territory or from the United States.
- A General Education Development (GED) certificate issued by a Canadian province or territory or from the United States.
- A transcript, diploma or certificate from another country, assessed at an Ontario OSSD level by a recognized assessment service.
- A Canadian or U.S. postsecondary diploma or degree.
- A non-Canadian postsecondary diploma or degree that has been assessed as equivalent to a Canadian postsecondary diploma or degree by a recognized assessment service.
- A certificate for an academic upgrading program from any Canadian jurisdiction that is accepted by an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology for entry into an Ontario postsecondary program (for example, the Ontario Basic Skills Level IV, Basic Development level IV, or the Academic Career Entrance Certificate).
- A certificate of Apprenticeship or Certificate of Qualification in any trade from any Canadian jurisdiction.
**If you cannot provide any documentation, you will be required to write the Canadian Adult Achievement Test (CAAT).
***If you are not a native English speaker, you may be asked to show proof of your English language proficiency through one of the following:
| Required Score | |
|---|---|
| Michener English Language Assessment (MELA) | Writing: 7 Speaking: 8 Listening: 8 Reading: 8 |
| International English Language Testing System (IELTS) | Writing: 6.0 Speaking: 6.5 Listening: 7.5 Reading: 6.5 |
| Test of English as a Foreign Language iBT (TOEFL) | Writing: 20 Speaking: 20 Listening: 24 Reading: 19 |
| Standardized English Proficiency Test (CanTest) | Writing: 3.5 Speaking: 4.5 Listening: 4.0 Reading: 4.0 |
Advanced Standing Option for Health Professionals
This option is available to those with a recent university degree in health sciences (e.g., Kinesiology, Physical Education, etc.) or foreign-trained health professional whose education and credentials are a good match.
Please click here for more details.
Transfer Students
If you have taken part of the massage therapy program at another school, but would like to transfer to Sutherland-Chan, please click here.
Advanced Standing
Some applicants may have already studied courses (e.g. Anatomy, Physiology, Nutrition, etc.) related to our curriculum in other programs at other institutions. As a result, they may be eligible to receive an exemption in certain courses. In order to be granted advanced standing, students must supply us with the following documents:
- relevant transcripts
- relevant syllabi outlining the material and number of hours completed
The Assistant Director of Education will conduct a PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) to assess the educational background of each advanced standing applicant. The assessment is free of charge and normally takes one week to complete.
