Respiratory TherapySAIT
Respiratory Therapy combines three years of study with face-to-face labs and clinical rotations. Its entrance assessments and final-year placement requirements deserve attention before you settle the tuition and living budget.
Plan the study budget ↓
Allow for clinical travel in the final year
Third-year rotations can include nights and weekends, and students must return to SAIT each semester regardless of their placement location. Budget for those journeys and possible relocation alongside the clinical documents, equipment and software charges.
Plan the published study costs
International estimates for entry in 2026/27. Your letter of admission may show a higher maximum tuition guarantee.
Tuition and listed additional fees
| Period | Semesters | Tuition | Additional fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 2 | $18,180.00 | $1,764.50 | $19,944.50 |
| Year 2 | 2 | $18,180.00 | $1,764.50 | $19,944.50 |
| Year 3 | 3 | $21,816.00 | $1,905.00* | $23,721.00 |
| Published program total | $63,610.00 | |||
The additional-fee column is already included in each total. The third-year fee asterisk means UPass is unavailable during that year. Assessment, software and clinical preparation charges shown below are outside this subtotal; quoted US-dollar charges remain separate.
Recheck the official cost table ↗Make a study budget
- Selected tuition and listed fees
- $19,944.50
- One international application
- $175.00
- Your living estimate
- $0.00
- Planning subtotal
- $20,119.50
Includes the selected table totals, one application and your entered living budget. It excludes unentered books, equipment, software and separately charged course costs. Use the same dollars as the published table.
Separate charges to budget
- PSEA
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US$25 per program and intake attempt
The Fall 2027 policy requires prior application and academic confirmation.
- CASPer
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CAD$50 plus CAD$18 per program distribution
The assessment is taken once per academic year; verify booking dates with SAIT.
- Program software
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$375 for CompTracker and US$200 for EHR Go
These are separately quoted charges in different currencies. No conversion or addition to the annual table is made here.
These charges are excluded from the planning subtotal. Stated currencies remain separate; no exchange rate is assumed.
Non-refundable · One application with ranked choices
Books and supplies are approximately $2,500 per full-time year. Your device must support LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor and have a microphone and camera. A lab kit, approved uniform and stethoscope are also required; the uniform is needed for orientation.
For Fall 2027, wait for academic confirmation before booking PSEA or CASPer. A program application payment does not include those assessment charges.
Read the application payment guide ↗Check subjects and entrance assessments
SAIT assesses the documents and course equivalents for education completed outside Canada. Demonstrating English proficiency does not by itself establish that your academic subjects meet the program requirements.
Check the complete admission requirements ↗-
Current academic route
At least 70% in Math 30-1 or 75% in Math 30-2, and at least 70% in English Language Arts 30-1, Chemistry 30 and Biology 30, or accepted equivalents.
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Alternative from 2027/28
From the 2027/28 academic year, meet the current academic route or complete SAIT Pre-Health Sciences with at least B- in each of ANPH 206, ANPH 207, COMM 269, CHEM 229 and MATH 269. English proficiency and the entrance-testing process still apply.
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Entrance assessments
The program requires at least 50% in the School’s entrance-testing process. The shared policies identify both PSEA and CASPer for Respiratory Therapy. The 50% statement is not a published CASPer score conversion. Foreign education also requires international document assessment.
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Fall 2027 booking
Apply and receive SAIT’s academic confirmation before booking the assessments. The policy’s deadlines are still to be announced; confirm the dates before arranging a test.
English proficiency is a separate requirement
Assessment results must be from within the year before your application. A transfer or deferral can require updated results when that period has passed.
Compare common tests and education routes
| IELTS Academic | 6.0 in each skill; IELTS Indicator accepted |
|---|---|
| PTE Academic | 53 |
| Duolingo | 115 overall and 95 in each Individual Subscore |
| CAEL | 60 overall and, effective Winter 2023, 60 in each skill; CAEL Online accepted |
| TOEFL before 21 January 2026 | 20 in each category; Home Edition accepted, MyBest excluded |
| TOEFL from 21 January 2026 | 4.5 overall and 4.5 in each category; Home Edition accepted, MyBest excluded |
The policy also lists CLBA/CLBPA, MET, Cambridge, Oxford Test of English, LanguageCert and Oxford ELLT. Use the official policy for their individual score requirements and for country or institution exemptions.
- Education in EnglishOfficial transcripts or a completed international assessment must verify at least three years of full-time secondary study in English at 12 or more hours a week, or at least two years of study taught in English at a recognized post-secondary institution, or a recognized English-taught credential from a SAIT-approved institution.
- A post-secondary English courseA credit course in English, comparative literature, communications or an equivalent at SAIT or a recognized post-secondary institution requires at least a C.
- English Language FoundationsThe SAIT route requires both COMN 155 and SPCH 155. Other recognized pathways have their own levels and assessment conditions; check the complete policy before choosing one.
Three years with a longer clinical final year
The diploma contains 96 credits across 27 courses. Years one and two have two semesters each; year three has three. Blended theory delivery still includes face-to-face lab and practicum work.
Read courses and prerequisites ↗Prepare for the clinical year
- The practicum checklist requires consent, immunization records, a Police Information Check, CPR and N95 mask-fit documentation. Follow the readiness-email timing before arranging checks or certificates.
- Proof of Neonatal Resuscitation Program certification is required before semester five and must remain valid throughout the practicum year.
- Practice after graduation requires the HPTC examination and appropriate regulator registration. The regulator's language requirements are separate from SAIT's admission English policy.
Related study guides
Return to the SAIT program finder ↗Sources and planning scope
- Official program requirements and costs ↗
- English proficiency ↗
- International application policy ↗
- PSEA requirements and booking ↗
- CASPer requirements and booking ↗
- Health practicum documents and timing ↗
Sources checked 29 October 2026. Costs use the published 2026/27 entry estimate. Annual table labels do not determine your months of living costs. Confirm current intake availability and your own admission assessment with the institution.