Approval of Education Programs

There are different ways that individuals can meet the education requirement for registration. One of the ways is to complete a program approved by the College. Under the Registration Regulation, the College has the authority to approve certain types of post-secondary programs for equivalency to the current standard that is used for the education requirement for registration. The current standard is a two-year diploma program in early childhood education from an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology.

Graduates of an approved program are considered to meet the education requirement for registration with the College.

A current list of approved programs can be found on the College’s Education Programs list.

The College is pleased to announce a new joint program approval pathway with the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council (IAESC) for program approval. This coordinated process supports Indigenous Institutes in Ontario to submit a single application to undergo a program review by both IAESC and the College.

The joint process reflects a shared commitment to quality assurance, cultural relevance, and reducing administrative barriers for Indigenous Institutes.

For more information, please read the full announcement here.

For post-secondary institutions seeking program approval

The College’s program approval application process will open on January 1, 2027 for Canadian post-secondary institutions intending to offer an approved program starting in fall 2028-29. This window will close on January 31, 2027, no applications for the fall 2028-29 academic year will be accepted after this date. This process will allow the College to better support post-secondary institutions to plan with greater predictability for the delivery of their future programs.

A decision will be provided for completed applications by January 2028 to permit time to prepare for program launch.

1. Before submitting an application:

All interested post-secondary institutions must first reach out for a pre-consultation session with the College before November 2026.

To do so, email the Education Program Specialist (EPS) team at this address: education-programs@college-ece.ca,

Upon receiving your request, an Education Program Specialist will advise you about your  next steps, one of which includes preparing materials and a presentation for the pre-consultation meeting where you will provide:

• a general overview of the proposed program;
• demonstrated expertise in early childhood education or rationale for expansion into the development and delivery of an early childhood education program;
• an organizational history of your post-secondary institution;
• a basis for program viability; and
• proposed enrolment (domestic vs. international) and other relevant data.

2. Preparing for the January 2027 application window

After your pre-consultation meeting, you may begin to prepare your application. The following will be required:

• application form;
• application fee; and
• initial portfolio with supporting documents

Note: This application window does not apply to Indigenous Institutes. Indigenous Institutes are requested to contact IAESC at qa@iaesc.ca for information regarding their application process, including forms and application package.

Interested in Applying?

If your institution is interested in applying for program approval, please review the Approval of Education Programs Policy before submitting an application to ensure eligibility.

Resources:

• Approval of Education Programs Policy
• Early Childhood Education Program Standard approved by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

Indigenous Institutes are requested to contact IAESC at qa@iaesc.ca for information regarding the application process including forms and application package.

Questions?

If you can’t find the answer to your question or need clarification regarding the review process, contact us by email at education-programs@college-ece.ca.

IIs who would like to speak to the College about the joint application process can email education-programs@college-ece.ca.