Better Jobs Ontario

1. The first step is to contact an Employment Ontario agency.
2. Determine the program you wish to attend with the help of your counsellor.
3. Connect with Durham College to get help with your research on your program of choice.
4. Notify your case counsellor and inform them of your decision and/or acceptance.

You qualify for Better Jobs Ontario if you either:

• have been laid-off and have not been working or are working a temporary job just to cover costs
• have not been laid-off but have been unemployed for six months or longer and are part of a low-income household

You can still apply if you receive either:

• Employment Insurance (EI)
• Ontario Works (OW)
• Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)

Contact the nearest   Employment Ontario agency to see if you qualify for funding.

Applicants aged 19 or older as of the first day of school, and who do not possess an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), may be considered for admission as mature students. Mature applicants must complete all program prerequisites to be considered for admission and are considered on an individual basis.

Yes. To attend your program of choice, you must confirm your interest in attending by the deadline date published on your letter of acceptance. Failure to do so may result in losing your seat in the program. Your confirmation simply indicates your interest in attending; no payments are required at this time.

No. It is recommended that you apply to Durham College as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Many programs have application deadlines that must be met and program status can change daily.

Yes, Durham College may accept the GED for non-highly competitive programs and programs where there are no minimum percentage requirements. It is recommended that you check with Student Recruitment to determine if the GED is acceptable for your program of choice.

No. Better Jobs Ontario eligible applicants follow the same application procedure as all applicants and must meet the same eligibility criteria and applicable deadlines.

A mandatory tuition deposit of $500 is due June 15 for a September start program, November 16 for a January start program, and March 14 for a May start program. Formal arrangements to secure your seat, in your program of choice, must be made by the deadline date noted on the tuition notification email which you will receive after confirming your offer of admission. If arrangements are not made by the deadline, you risk losing your seat in the program.

To apply to Durham College, please visit ontariocolleges.ca. The application fee is payable to ontariocolleges.ca to process your application. Note: Your application will not be released to Durham College until payment is made. Transcripts must also be submitted to ontariocolleges.ca.

All entrance requirements are listed on the Durham College website on the program pages. For more information about the application process or to learn more about programs, please contact Student Recruitment.

To receive an offer email to your program of interest at Durham College, you must first apply at www.ontariocolleges.ca. The admissions office will review your application, and if you meet the entrance requirements and there is space available in your program of choice, you will receive an offer by email.

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2006 provides a standardized language for describing the work performed by Canadians in the labour market. The NOC tool classifies occupations with a four-digit code according to skill type and level. The digits of the NOC code reflect important information about the occupation it represents. By providing a standard way of organizing labour market information, the NOC helps all Canadians become better informed about the world of work.

In order to qualify for Better Jobs Ontario funding, programs must be six months to two years in length and meet the National Occupational Classification (NOC Code) Level B or C. To view a list of Durham College programs that qualify for funding click here.

For more information please visit:  https://www.ontario.ca/page/better-jobs-ontario.

All transcripts must be originals. In some cases, we can accept a copy of your transcript received directly from the training institution.

Applicants who have been educated outside Canada must submit proof of educational qualifications. All documents should be sent to either ICAS or WES where they will be evaluated to determine if the level of achievement is equivalent to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). A course-by-course breakdown may be required to meet the admission requirements.

• ICAS – International Credential Assessment Service
• WES – World Education Services 

Durham College Academic Upgrading may be an option for obtaining the admission requirements. Credits can also be completed through your local board of education. All credits completed must be at the level indicated for the program.

Your transcripts will still be on file with the school or board office. Please contact the school for further instructions on how to obtain your transcript. Please expect two to four weeks to receive the documents.

The total amount of financial assistance available for an individual’s Better Jobs Ontario training is $28,000. This includes tuition, books, and other instructional costs including student fees, supplies, and electronic devices, transportation, and basic living allowance (up to $500 per week). Additional costs may be considered for childcare disability-related supports, , living away from home and academic upgrading.

Applications for Fall, Winter and Spring programs will be available online at ontariocolleges.ca in early October. It is important to review the Equal Consideration Deadline for each intake.

The status of all programs is listed online at www.ontariocolleges.ca and on the Durham College website. Status definitions:

• Open – There is still room available in the program.
• Waitlisted – More applications were received for the program than there are seats. Applicants who have met eligibility requirements for the program may be placed on a waitlist. If you are put on a waitlist, you will be contacted by the college if a seat becomes available before the start of the program. The waitlists are maintained until Day 5 of the program.
• Closed – The program has received a high volume of applications as of the Equal Consideration Deadline and is no longer accepting new applications.
• Note: After the equal consideration deadline, the status of a program can change at any time.

Students will acquire their own laptop from a vendor of their choosing as well as the hardware and software components required by their respective program (unless their program requires server-based software or software that can only be provided by Durham College).

Ontariocolleges.ca is an application service that processes applications for all Ontario colleges. With one online form, you can apply for up to five programs. Up to three of these can be at any one college. For example, you could apply to three programs at Durham College and two at another college using the same application. The application is good for one complete academic cycle (September to August).

The term highly competitive denotes programs for which there are more qualified Ontario applicants than available seats. As a result, qualified applicants who have submitted applications no later than the Equal Consideration Deadline for the intake they are applying to, will undergo a specific selection process. Priority of Admission For highly competitive programs applicants will be accepted according to the following priorities:

• Permanent residents of Ontario;
• Permanent residents of other provinces and territories in Canada; and
• Applicants from other countries.

Applications can be made online prior to completing your academic upgrading. If you provide Durham College with a letter from academic upgrading, showing proof of enrolment in the required courses, we may be able to give you a conditional offer of admission. The conditions will be outlined in a letter from the college and must be completed by the deadline date specified in the letter. Conditional offers are subject to space availability and in the case of highly competitive programs, mid-term marks must be provided by the published deadline date.