Fitness and Health Promotion FAQ

You must have all of the admission requirements to be accepted into the FAHP program, regardless of your background in the Fitness & Health Promotion industry. If you are missing a required course, the “College Prep” program at St. Lawrence College might be able to assist you in completing this credit. This service is free of charge. For more information regarding the College Prep program, please contact the program coordinator Karen Ducharme at kducharme@sl.on.ca or by phone at 613.544.5400 extension 1126.

You can apply to the Fitness & Health program by visiting the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) website at www.ontariocolleges.ca.

OCAS typically begins accepting applications in October for the following academic year. To ensure that your application is given equal consideration, please ensure that it is submitted by February 1st.

No. You still need to ensure that you have the necessary admission requirements, and complete your application through www.ontariocolleges.ca.

As OSSD equivalent includes successful completion of Grade 10 Math, Grade 11 English (C Level), as well as all program admission requirements, and is applicable for individuals who are over 19 years of age.

Yes, you are required to send your official high-school transcript to OCAS. You can contact your high-school to make arrangements to have this sent to OCAS. For further information regarding the application process, please contact OCAS at www.ontariocolleges.ca or at 1.888.892.2228.

Students may apply to take courses in the program on a part-time basis, although acceptance is dependent upon available space. Full-time students are given first consideration. Students must still meet all admission requirements to apply as a part-time student.  

You can meet with the program coordinator to discuss whether you are eligible for course exemptions. This meeting typically takes place during the first week of class. You will need to bring the applicable course outline with you, as well as your official transcript. If the course was completed outside of St. Lawrence College, an administrative fee will be applied by the School of Health Studies Office. This fee is currently $25.00 per course, but may be subject to change.

The grade percentage required for entrance into the FAHP program varies each year, depending on the overall marks of applicants. Applicants are encouraged to do the best they can in all of the prerequisite courses and apply before February 1, which is the date for equal consideration.

For any questions concerning your application or admission status, please contact a Student Recruitment Officer at ask@sl.on.ca or 1.800.463.0752.

No. Due to the practical nature of this program, it is not offered on-line or through correspondence.

No. There is no January intake for the Fitness & Health Promotion program. 

St. Lawrence College offers an Open House event each fall where students can learn more about the programs that the college has to offer. In addition, a Spring Open House is held in April. Students attending this event have the opportunity to meet the faculty, learn about the program, receive a guided tour by FAHP students, and have a chance to speak with current students in the program. To obtain the specific date for these events, please visit the college website. Students who are interested in being a “student for a day” can contact the program coordinator, who can make arrangements for students to spend a day in the life of a fitness and health student.

No; you do not have to be athletic or “in shape” to join the program. What is important is that you have an interest in healthy living and in helping others reach their health and fitness goals. We have students of all ages, shapes, sizes, and athletic ability. The program does, however, have several fitness components and full participation is required.  Examples of these components include; cardio and strength training, group fitness classes, outdoor recreation activities, fitness assessments, as well as others.

For any questions concerning your application status, please contact a Student Recruitment Officer at ask@sl.on.ca or 1.800.463.0752.

First, you should ensure that you apply by the date of equal consideration, which is February 1st each year. 
 
Secondly, you should focus your efforts towards achieving high marks in the required courses, as these are given the most weight in your application. These courses would be Grade 12 English (C or U level), and Grade 11 or 12 Biology (C or U level), or PSE4U Exercise Science, which is an acceptable alternative to the Biology requirement. After this, your overall average is taken into consideration.

Students in the program can expect approximately 20-25 hours of class per week. Classes are typically scheduled between the hours of 8:30-5:30.

It is not recommended that students work full-time while studying in the program. In order to be successful in the program, it is recommended that full-time students not exceed 12 hours of work per week. 

Information for International students.

It is recommended that students have a basic knowledge of how to use the Internet, Explorer, and MS Word. Experience with Excel and PowerPoint is an asset.

There are numerous weekend workshop courses that are offered in the area of fitness and health. One difference between these courses and a Fitness & Health Promotion Diploma is the volume of hours, and the depth of content that a diploma course can offer. As an example, in only one semester of the Fitness and Health Promotion program at St. Lawrence College, students will take roughly 20 hours of course content per week x 15 weeks for a total of 300 hours of course work per semester. In addition, graduates of the program will complete two-200 hour placements, for a total of 400 hours of hands-on work experience in the field of fitness and health. Students will also have to opportunity to complete the nationally recognized Certified Personal Trainer qualification through the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.

Graduates of our program have found work in a wide variety of areas. Some examples include: personal trainer, group fitness instructor, health club manager, private business owner, YMCA trainer, military fitness instructor, cruise-ship fitness leader, women’s fitness instructor, and as employees of community health units. In addition, we have had many students continue their education at the university level in the following programs of study; Kinesiology, Physical Education, Health Studies, Nutrition, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Arts & Science, Teaching, and Medicine.

Information about residence.

In addition to tuition fees, students may expect to incur the following expenses:
 
CPR & First-Aid = $70-140.00 (depending on certifying organization) 
Text Books & Resources = $500 per semester
Uniform = $100.00
Certification Fees = $125.00
 
Please note that these are approximate values, and are subject to change.

Please visit www.osap.gov.on.ca for information concerning OSAP, or e-mail osapk@sl.on.ca if you require additional clarification.

How can I find out about funding and scholarships that might be available to me?

Please visit Bursaries & Scholarships or e-mail the awards office at awards@sl.on.ca for information concerning awards and scholarships.

Students will need to provide successful completion of their CPR and First Aid by the first week of class in their second year of study.

No. Students are required to update their CPR training annually, regardless of the expiry date on their certification card.

All students are required to have BLS/Level C CPR, which must be updated annually regardless of the expiry date on the card.

Students are required to have Standard First Aid. Please note that this is different from Emergency First Aid. Although students are not required to update this annually, they must hold a current certification card. Please review the expiry date on your card to ensure that your certification is still active, and that it will not expire during the school year.

Yes, students are able to complete their placement in their hometown, or in other regions outside of Kingston. Some students have completed their placements internationally.