Veterinary Technology Diploma

Program Details

• Admission Requirements

  • 65% or better in English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2
  • 65% or better in Math 30-1 or 30-2
  • 65% or better in Biology 30
  • 65% or better in Chemistry 30
  • Meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement
  • Complete 40 hours of job shadowing and/or employment and must submit a Job Shadowing/Employment Verification Form signed by your employer, verifying the hours have been completed.
    • PLEASE NOTE: Your application will remain "pending" until the Verification Form has been completed and submitted.

  Competitive Admission Program: Applicants offered admission typically have an overall average in the required courses of 80% or higher.

  Verification of Job Shadowing/Employment: The Verification Form must be signed by the Veterinarian, RVT, or person who most closely supervised the applicant in the location where the job shadowing and/or employment hours were gained. This form may only be signed and submitted after the minimum of 40 hours of job shadowing and/or employment hours have been completed.

  Job Shadowing/Employment Verification Form

  Academic Upgrading and High School Applicants: It will be necessary to provide proof of enrolment in any required 30-level courses not yet completed (ie. a timetable, list of courses signed by the counsellor/principal or letter from the institution or staff/instructor) AND a final mark of 65% or better in the corresponding 20-level courses.

  Alternate Admission: Changes to the Alternate Admission pathway into the Veterinary Technology Diploma Program will come into effect for the 2025-2026 academic year. Students admitted to the Fall 2024 (or prior) intake of Veterinary Medical Receptionist Certificate will be grandfathered under the previous Alternate Admission requirements up to and including the Winter 2026 intake for Veterinary Technology.

  Alternate Admission Requirements for students admitted to the Fall 2024 Intake (or prior):

  • students must have 50% in the four academic requirements for the Veterinary Technology Diploma program (English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, Math 30-1 or 30-2, Biology 30 and Chemistry 30); AND
  • successfully complete the Veterinary Medical Receptionist Certificate program with a 3.5 GPA or higher

  All students applying under Alternate Admission for the Veterinary Technology Diploma program will need to meet the new requirements after the Winter 2026 intake.

  Prospective applicants who do not meet the academic requirements for the Veterinary Technology Diploma program are eligible for alternate admission consideration to the program if:

  • they meet the minimum admission requirements in the four academic requirements for the Veterinary Technology Diploma program (English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2, Math 30-1 or 30-2, Biology 30 and Chemistry 30); AND
  • successfully complete the Veterinary Medical Receptionist Certificate program with a 3.5 GPA or higher

  Directed Field Study Required: 6 week practicum in the industry to be completed at the end of the program (can be completed at a location of the student’s choosing).

  Transfer Options: Olds College of Agriculture & Technology has developed agreements with other educational institutions to allow for transition to Olds College, or to another institution to continue your education. Articulations & Agreements

  Out of Province Applicants: Please refer to the Provincial Equivalency Chart for course equivalencies.

  International Applicants: Olds College welcomes applications from International Applicants and those who have completed their high school education outside of Canada. Please note, it is still necessary to meet all of the noted admission requirements, including English Language Proficiency.

• Tuition, Fees & Affordability

  Please refer to the current Fee Schedule for complete details.

  Tuition, Fees & Payments

  Scholarships & Student Awards

  Olds College of Agriculture & Technology offers over 450 awards, valued at $500,000+ in scholarships, bursaries and prizes. Thanks to our industry partners, alumni, and friends of Olds College we are fortunate to offer a generous student awards program to students.

  For additional information on scholarships, bursaries and prizes at Olds College, visit Scholarships & Awards.

  Entrance Awards Available!

  Entrance awards range from $250 - $1,500 for students applying for the upcoming academic year and have paid the tuition deposit by the deadline.

  Awards are selected randomly from those that have applied and qualify based on the criteria.

  Award will be applied as a tuition credit to the student's account after the add/drop course deadline, confirming full-time attendance. Not all that apply will receive an entrance award.

  Student Funding

  For information on how to apply for government student loans, financial aid or for help with financial planning, visit our Student Funding page.

• Courses

  Note: This webpage has been updated to reflect changes that will be effective as of Summer 2025. Please review the 2024/2025 Academic Calendar for current program details. 

  Term 1

  • Completed the following:

    • ANH1050 - Introduction to the Veterinary Profession
    • ANH1710 - Anatomy and Physiology
    • ANH1720 - Veterinary Pharmacy and Medical Math
    • ANH1730 - Animal Nutrition
    • ANH1740 - Animal Behaviour and Handling

  Term 2

  • Completed the following:

    • ANH1760 - Veterinary Industry and Communication
    • ANH1750 - Hematology and Cardio-Pulmonary Diseases and Procedures
    • ANH1780 - Digestive and Integumentary Diseases and Procedures
    • ANH1770 - Diagnostic Imaging
    • ANH1790 - Clinical Skills I

  Term 3

  • Completed the following:

    • ANH2020 - Urinary, Reproductive and Endocrine Diseases and Procedures
    • ANH2010 - Musculoskeletal, Neurological and Sensory Diseases and Procedures
    • ANH2030 - Anesthesia and Analgesia
    • ANH2090 - Clinical Skills II

  Term 4

  • Completed the following:

    • ANH2150 - Surgical Nursing and Applied Anesthesia for Small Animals
    • ANH2050 - Hospital Procedures
    • ANH2040 - Theoretical and Applied Dentistry
    • ANH2190 - Clinical Skills III
    • ANH2080 - Exotics Theory and Procedures

  Term 5

  Completed the following:

  • WIL2950 - Veterinary Technology Clinical Practicum

   

  Read more about the above courses here. 

• Career Opportunities

  Olds College has a solid reputation working with employers in the industry! This directly translates into jobs for our graduates. Opportunities include, but are not limited to:

  • Veterinary clinics
  • Diagnostic/Research laboratories
  • Livestock operations
  • Industry/sales
  • Wildlife rehabilitation centres
  • Zoos
  • Educational programs

  Visit ALIS to find Occupational Profiles with current wages, industry trends and more!

  ALIS Occupational Profiles

• Admitted Students

  Immunizations

  Admitted students should be aware of occupational programs where potential for exposure to animals with disease/infection is high. Please read more about program specific Immunization Information.

  Program Dates

  Find out when your term start and end dates are, so that you know when you are expected to be in attendance. For more information, please review the Program Dates & Fee Schedule.

  Class Registration

  You will be registered into your classes automatically. This will happen approximately 1 month prior to the start-date for your program. You will be notified once you have been timetabled into your courses. You will be able to see your class schedule in your My Olds College account. If you need to make any changes to your class registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

  Technology Recommendation

  It is required that you come to Olds College with the following technology:

  Students will use a variety of memory-intensive, Windows-only programs extensively in lectures and labs. A PC laptop running the latest version of the Microsoft Windows operating system (as of December 2020, Microsoft Windows 10. Mac and Chrome OS are not suitable. Minimum of 8GB RAM and 250GB (512 Gb recommended) available disk storage space is mandatory for this program. Laptops should have sufficient battery life to operate in the field for up to 2 hours.

  As part of your student accounts, all students have access to Office 365 for the duration of their time with Olds College. To access this you just need to follow these steps:

  • Go to portal.office.com
  • Enter your Olds College email address and password
  • Once logged in, there is a button on the right that says “Install Office Apps”

  This will give you access to the full Office suite on your computer.
  

  Materials & Supplies

  The following items are required to be purchased prior to the start of your program:

  • Coveralls (short or long sleeve/washable/no bib brands)
  • Minimum of two sets of scrubs (can be any colour or pattern)
  • Rubber boots (we recommend a regular pair and an insulated pair)
  • Indoor shoes to be worn in hospital areas
  • Soft leather gloves to be worn during large animal labs (optional)

  The following items are also required and can be purchased from the Olds College Campus Store:

  • Stethoscope
  • Penlight
  • Thermometer
  • Lab coat (blue)

  Information on required textbooks and any further supplies will be provided as you attend each class. All books and supplies will be available during the first few weeks of classes in the College Campus Store.

  Other Important Information:

  • Dress Code: You are required to adhere to a dress code that includes wearing scrubs and wraps in the hospital areas and laboratories, coveralls on the farm, and no revealing, torn, or dirty clothes worn during classes.
  • Time Requirements: As this programs involves learning with animals, you will be actively involved in the animal care throughout the program. This requires you to perform duties in the evenings and on weekends and holidays. You will be involved in the chores and day to day care of the animals that are required for the program. Students are scheduled to complete animal care rotations including weekends.
  • Physical Program Requirements: The program is physically demanding and students must be in good health and be physically capable of performing the program requirements. This includes week long rotations in teams (including weekends) caring for our cats, dogs, exotics, horses, and cattle. Examples include lifting up to 25 lb dogs onto examination tables, jogging beside haltered horses, moving quickly in cattle and sheep pens and being able to scale a fence, walking medium to large size dogs in all weather conditions, and looking into a microscope for 1-3 hour labs.
  • Immunization Requirements: This program requires specific immunization requirements. Learn More

  Student Membership

  Special requirements for students registered in this program within the Province of Alberta now require that all students have an active student membership with the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) under the Province of Alberta’s Veterinary Act and General Regulation.