2000-1-1 Application & Admission to Programs

Policy

1. In order to be admitted to a Lambton College program, an applicant must meet the published admission requirements and follow the prescribed application procedures. In exceptional circumstances, individuals who do not meet the admission requirements may be considered for admission.
2. Application procedure requirements shall be published annually by the Registrar.
3. Application requirements may vary from one applicant category to another. The Applicant Categories consist of the following:
   1. Secondary School - those applicants currently in or having graduated from a secondary school.
   2. Mature - those applicants who are nineteen years of age or over on the first day of classes and lack an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent.
   3. International - those applicants who are not Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons.
   4. Home-Schooled - those applicants who have received a secondary-school level of education outside of the formal school system and do not have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
   5. Part-Time Lambton College Student - those applicants who are part-time Lambton College students at the time of application for full-time studies. Each Part-Time Lambton College student applicant will be considered as being in one of the above categories that is the most applicable to the applicant.

Applications

Post-Secondary Programs

Degree, Diploma and Certificate Programs

4. All applicants for full-time studies at Lambton College in a program that culminates in an Ontario College certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, degree, or graduate certificate, must submit an application via the ontariocolleges.ca.
5. International applicants must apply directly to the College through the International Department. Original or certified copies of all documentation must be forwarded to the International Department. An additional fee beyond the application fee will be charged for transcript evaluation.
6. Part-time Lambton College students who wish to apply for full-time studies must apply through ontariocolleges.ca.

Part-time Studies

7. A student is considered to be part-time if registered:
   1. in fewer than 2/3 of the courses and less than 70% of the credit hours of the normal course load for the program term; or,
   2. in a program that is delivered on a part-time basis only; or,
   3. in a course or courses but not a program.
8. Applicants who have completed an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent, or who are mature applicants, may apply for admission as a part-time student. Applicants for part-time studies do not apply through the ontariocolleges.ca. Application is made directly to the Registrar's Office.
9. Admission to a program on a part-time basis will be subject to the availability of space after the admission of full-time students.
10. Applications for part-time studies will not be accepted for highly competitive programs or the nursing program.

Non-Post-Secondary Programs

11. Application for non-post-secondary programs is made directly to Lambton College - not through ontariocolleges.ca. The departments offering non-post-secondary programs shall establish and publish the application procedures.

Application Deadlines

12. Individuals can apply for Lambton College programs at any time during the admission cycle. For applicants to be given equal consideration with all other on-time applicants for programs beginning in the Fall term, applications must be received at ontariocolleges.ca by February 1. For programs beginning in the Winter or Spring terms, for equal consideration, applications must be received by June 1 and October 1 respectively.
13. It is the responsibility of the applicant to be aware of the application deadline dates.

End of Application Cycle

14. Applications will not be carried forward from one admission cycle (Fall, Winter, Spring) to the next. Candidates must re-apply for consideration in a new admission cycle.

Applicants from Equity-Seeking Groups

15. Lambton College encourages people from equity-seeking groups, including but not limited to, students with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, racialized people, and those who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ to apply for admission to its programs.

Admission to Programs

16. Admission requirements for each program shall be established annually consistent with Ministry and College requirements and published on the College website.
17. Program admission requirements shall be appropriate to the learning outcome/goals of the program and consistent with admission requirements as specified in the Ontario Qualifications Framework (OQF).
18. All applicants are required to meet the published program admission requirements.
19. Some post-secondary programs require specific prerequisite courses. To qualify for admission, applicants must have completed the required prerequisites.
    1. Applicants who, at the time of application, are registered in the required courses with an end-date prior to the start of College program classes may be considered for conditional admission. Applicants who do not meet the conditions of admission prior to the start of classes will be removed from the program.
20. The means by which an applicant demonstrates attainment of the admission requirements for a program may vary from one applicant category to another.
21. Admission to a program is granted for a specific program and start date. The granted admission is not transferable to another program or start date.
22. In exceptional circumstances, for example, a medical or family crisis, a student may apply to defer acceptance to an oversubscribed program for one academic year. The request for deferral must be submitted in writing to the Registrar, accompanied by documentation from a professional third-party substantiating the circumstances describe in the letter. Once approved for deferral, the applicant must apply to ontariocolleges.ca by the equal consideration deadline (see item 12) of the following application cycle to confirm admission to the program.

Secondary School Applicants

23. Ontario secondary school graduates are required to meet the admission requirements published for each program.
24. Secondary school graduates from other provinces must demonstrate achievement of the admission requirements and provide an official transcript to the Office of the Registrar for review and consideration. Additional documentation, such as course outlines, may be required.

Mature Applicants

25. Mature Applicants are required to meet the Mature Applicant program admission requirements. Each applicant will be considered on an individual basis, and acceptance will be determined on the basis of one or a combination of the following:
    1. high school grades;
    2. upcoming courses completed or in progress;
    3. post-secondary transcripts provides; and/or,
    4. the results from College administered tests. For College administered tests, applicants must score at the required equivalent level in each subject identified in the program admission requirements.
26. Mature applicants must:
    1. meet these requirements prior to registration,
    2. supply proof of age (e.g. birth certificate, driver's license), and
    3. disclose all previous post-secondary experiences and provide transcripts.
27. As a condition of admission, mature students may be required to take preparatory courses prior to admission.

International Applicants

28. International Applicants must meet program admission requirements. The College will evaluate the applicant's academic history (e.g. transcript, course outlines) to determine equivalency to Ontario academic credentials and the suitability of the academic qualifications of the applicant. The College may, at its discretion, use the services of a third party agency to assist with the evaluation of the applicant's credentials.
29. An international applicant for whom English is a second language must successfully complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assessment or equivalent.

Home-Schooled Applicants

30. Home-Schooled Applicants will have their qualifications individually assessed by the College to determine Ontario Secondary School Diploma equivalency and suitability for admission. Applicants may be required to submit a portfolio that includes course outlines, textbooks used, methods of evaluation, graded evaluations, samples of written work and details of any independent evaluations or assessments completed.
31. Home-Schooled Applicants seeking admission to College programs will be required to meet any program-specific requirements (e.g. completion of specific Ontario level four C or U courses.)

Part-Time Lambton College Student Applicants

32. A part-time Lambton College student who applies for full-time studies will be considered as an applicant in one of the above categories with the associated admission requirements.
33. Part-time student status does not provide preferred admission to a full-time program.

Admission to  Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma & Graduate Certificate Programs

34. Admission requirements may vary by program. Programs may establish admission requirements that are in addition to, or that exceed, the minimum requirements identified below.
35. The standard and minimum admission requirement for non-degree, post-secondary programs is an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (O.S.S.D.) with courses at the General Level, College Stream, University/College Stream or a BTSD Level 4 Certificate/Academic Career Entrance (ACE), or an Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate (GED), or the equivalent.
    1. No secondary school university stream (U) courses or Ontario Academic Courses (OAC) or Grade 13 courses may be required for admission to a non-degree program.
    2. In exceptional circumstances, an O.S.S.D. applicant with courses at the Basic Level or from the Workplace stream may be considered for a (non-degree) post-secondary program.
36. In addition to the standard academic admission requirements, program eligibility criteria may include one or more of the following:
    1. a specific competency or skill level
    2. successful completion of a designated preparatory program
    3. successful completion of a certificate or diploma program, a university degree or the equivalent, for admission to a post-graduate program
    4. mature student eligibility
    5. a specific aptitude or skill as indicated by testing
    6. good health or specific physical competencies
    7. a minimum age where a legal age requirement is involved for participation in the program
    8. a minimum period of work experience in a specified occupation
    9. possession of a specific class of driver's license
    10. possession of special certifications required for the program
    11. participation in a mandatory information session
    12. preference for graduates from Lambton College or graduates of Ontario Colleges of Arts & Technology

Admission to Degree Programs

37. Admission requirements may vary by program. Programs may establish admission requirements that are in addition to, or that exceed, the minimum requirements for degree programs identified below.
38. For admission to a degree program, applicants must normally meet the following minimum requirements:
    1. An Ontario Secondary School Diploma (O.S.S.D.) or equivalent (e.g. for credentials earned in Quebec, applicants should have a Secondary V Diploma and at least one year (minimum 12 academic courses) in a CEGEP academic diploma program, with subjects at stated levels to the degree program;
    2. Six university or university/college courses are the Grade 12 level;
    3. A minimum average across six Grade 12 courses of 65%;
    4. Any specified minimum grade requirement on any required prerequisite secondary school courses.
39. For some degree programs, admission procedures may incorporate the assessment of non-academic attributes, including people skills, to determine the suitability of applicants for their chosen program of study. An objective and transparent tool will be employed to assess applicants' non-academic attributes.
40. Mature student applicants must demonstrate academic abilities equivalent to those of Ontario high school graduates, verified by successful completion of courses at the post-secondary level or an entrance examination(s).
41. Some programs may accept students for advanced placement through a bridging program or via a program-to-program agreement. The program will establish and publish the admission requirements associated with the bridging or program-to-program agreement.

Re-Admission to the College or a Program

Abandonment of Program

42. A student who has failed to remain continuously registered through the typical sequence of semesters for a program will be deemed to have abandoned the program and must apply for re-admission to the program. Application must be made through the ontariocolleges.ca.
43. Re-admission to the program will be subject to the availability of space in the program.

Academic Dismissal

44. A student who has been dismissed from the College because of unsatisfactory academic performance may apply for re-admission after the designated period of dismissal which is normally 12 months. The Registrar, in consultation with the appropriate Dean, may waive the dismissal period.
45. A dismissed student must apply to the Registrar for re-admission. The application must provide a rationale and arguments for re-admission. The Registrar will determine the eligibility or non-eligibility of the student for re-admission to the College.
46. If approved for re-admission to the College, the student must apply through ontariocolleges.ca for re-admission to the program. The Registrar, in consultation with the appropriate Dean, will determine re-admission of the student to the program.
47. Subsequent admission or re-admission to a program will be subject to the applicant meeting program admission requirements and the availability of space in the program.

Expulsion from College

48. A student who has been expelled from the College for disciplinary reasons must apply in writing to the Registrar seeking permission for re-admission to the College. The application must provide a rationale and arguments for the re-admission of the student. The Registrar will determine the eligibility or non-eligibility of the student for re-admission to the College and a program. Re-admission will not be considered for a minimum of five years from the date of expulsion, as per the Student Rights & Responsibilities & Discipline (2000-5-1) policy.
49. If the student is determined to be eligible for re-admission to the College, then the student must apply for admission or re-admission to a program through ontariocolleges.ca.
50. Subsequent admission or re-admission to a program will be subject to the applicant meeting program admission requirements and the availability of space in the program.

Criminal Record and Vulnerable Persons Checks

51. Some College programs have a clinical, field, co-op, or work-placement component within the curriculum. Students in such programs may be required by the host agency or employer to provide a current criminal record check from a police service and/or a vulnerable person check before the student may start the placement. Individuals who have a criminal record and have not been pardoned or have an imperfect vulnerable person check report may not be accepted by any employer or host agency and so may not be able to participate in a clinical, field, co-op, or work placement. A criminal record without a pardon or an imperfect vulnerable person check report will not prevent admission to a program, but may seriously impair the student's opportunity or ability to meet program graduation requirements with respect to clinical, field, co-op, or work placement, or find employment in the vocation after graduation.

Placement Requirements

52. Some College programs have a clinical, field, co-op or work-placement component that requires the employment or acceptance of the student by an agency or employer. The agency or employer may have requirements such as a criminal record check, a vulnerable persons check or current immunization. It is the students' responsibilities to ensure that they are eligible and willing to meet the requirements in order to be able to participate in all components of a program for which they apply or register.
53. The College assumes no responsibility for accommodating a student, and will not refund tuition to a student, who is unable or unwilling to attain a placement, or subsequent employment because of an inability or unwillingness to satisfy criminal record check, vulnerable persons check, immunization or other such requirements of agencies and employers, or relocate or otherwise be available and eligible for employment.
54. The cost associated with a criminal record check, a Vulnerable Person Check, immunization, and/or other such placement expenses are the responsibility of the student.

Admission Selection and Ranking of Applicants

Selection Criteria

55. When there are more qualified applicants than spaces available in a program (e.g. a highly competitive program), the College will use formal selection techniques to determine successful applicants
    1. The formal selection techniques will be used to rank the applicants who have met the minimum entrance requirements and applicants will be admitted to the program on the basis of the rankings until all available spaces have been filled.
    2. When there are more applicants who meet the minimum entrance requirements for a program than there are spaces available in the program, an applicant who meets the minimum entrance requirements ultimately may not be accepted into the program.
56. The selection techniques and process will be fairly applied, transparent, publishing on the College website and be consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code and Ministry requirements and binding policy.
57. The criteria and selection techniques may vary from program to program.

Priority of Admissions

58. Applicants whose applications were received by the application equal-consideration deadline will be considered first.
    1. Applications received after the deadline will be considered only if spaces remain open after admission has been offered to all qualified applicants whose applications were received by the deadline.
    2. If admission is offered to late applicants, it will be offered to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-offered basis, if and while spaces remain in the program.
    3. If there are more qualified applicants than spaces in a program, applicants will be admitted in the following order, as required by the Ministry:
       1. Permanent residents of Ontario
       2. Permanent residents of another Canadian province
       3. Citizens of other countries
59. If there remain more applicants than available spaces for any of the above categories, then the selection process will be applied to provide a ranking of the qualified applicants within each category. Admission will be offered based on the ranking within each category and will proceed through the categories as listed.
60. The College reserves the right, as part of the College Indigenous Academic & Student Success Plan, to designate spaces in highly competitive programs to Indigenous (status, non-status, Métis & Inuit) students who have satisfied the minimum program admission requirements.

Unsuccessful Applicants

61. Consistent with the Ministry guidelines, Lambton College provides applicants who feel that they have been inappropriately or unfairly denied admission a means to appeal the admission decision through written application to the Office of the Dean of the program. The required appeal form may be obtained from, and when completed, returned to the Office of the Registrar & Financial Aid Services for forwarding to the Office of the Dean. The decision will be appealed under the Appeal of an Academic Decision (2000-1-13) policy.
    1. The program admission requirements and selection criteria may not be appealed.
    2. Appeal of admission decisions that are received less than five working days from before the first day of classes will only be considered for the next intake of the program.