Educated in Canada - Non-Accredited Programs

The following is a list of the documents that are required with your application form. Some documents, like transcripts, must be sent directly to the College by a third party. Make sure you plan for these documents to prevent any delays at the end of the application process.

NOTE: During the COVID-19 pandemic, all College staff are working remotely until further notice. You may email your completed application form and proof of authorization to work in Canada directly to: registration@collegeofdietitians.org

Please request institutions to send all other documentation such as transcripts, practicum completion letters, language proficiency test results, etc. directly to the College at: registration@collegeofdietitians.org

Any mailed documentation must be sent via regular mail (not registered mail). All mail will be routed by Canada Post to an alternate address. DO NOT deliver any documentation to the College office by hand or by courier service, as no one is there to receive it.

Important Note:

Registration Program staff are available to answer questions about the application process and required documents, however registration decisions are made by the Registrar and/or the Registration Committee. Registration Program staff cannot tell you whether or not you meet the requirements or predict whether you will be eligible for registration with the College.

Application Form

Please note the following important information about submitting your Application Form:

• The Application Form may be sent by email to: registration@collegeofdietitians.org;
• Review your form to make sure you have completed and signed all sections of the form. If any section of your application form is incomplete, you will be required to submit a new form.
• All applications are processed in the order in which they are received.

Official Transcripts

You must arrange for official transcripts to be sent directly to the College from each post-secondary institution that you have attended.

This includes transcripts related to:

• Your nutrition degree
• Any other degrees
• Any other post-secondary institution you have attended
• Courses completed through a CEGEP program in Quebec

Important Information about transcripts

• You can submit official transcripts that have been provided to you by your university if the transcripts are provided unopened with a university seal on the envelope.
• The College accepts electronic transcripts delivered through a secured university site and/or directly from universities via password-protected or secured PDF files.
• Please request transcripts to be sent directly to registration@collegeofdietitians.org​.
• If the transcript related to a degree does not state that the degree was conferred or awarded, you must arrange for the University to provide an official letter confirming that all degree requirements have been met. This letter must also be sent directly to the College from the University to registration@collegeofdietitians.org​.

Course Descriptions

If your nutrition degree was not accredited by PDEP, you must arrange for official course descriptions to be sent directly to the College by the university. The content in the course descriptions will be compared the national standards for foundational knowledge and academic competencies. 

The course descriptions must be for the year in which each course was completed. If course descriptions for the exact year are not available, the College will accept available descriptions provided that:

• The university clearly indicates whether or not the content of the course has changed since you completed it.
• If the content has changed, the university must provide details about these changes.
• Please request University to send the course descriptions directly to registration@collegeofdietitians.org​.

Education Summary Form

When the College has received your official course descriptions from the university, they will be saved in to one electronic file and forwarded to you. Once you have received your course descriptions, you will complete this education summary form. The education summary form is used to help direct a panel of the registration committee to the courses which address each area of foundational knowledge, as well as all of the academic performance indicators. 

Practical Training Information

Your application must include information about your practical training.

If you completed an accredited practical training program, you must arrange for an official letter to be sent from the institution directly to the College which confirms that you have successfully completed an accredited internship or practicum program in Canada. Please request program completion letters to be sent directly to registration@collegeofdietitians.org​.

For applicants who completed non-accredited practical training, you must submit one of the following:

• A detailed description sent directly to the College by the institution about the nature of the practical training program, including the learning objectives, the length and format of the training, or
• An independent practicum submission detailing how the practicum that you organized has met the national standards for dietetics education in Canada.

For reference, you may wish to review the evaluation forms which will be used by the Registration Committee to assess a formal practical training program, or an independent practicum.

Name Change Information

If your official transcripts are under a different name than the one you are currently using, you must enclose proof of your change in name with this application (e.g. document showing your old name (i.e. marriage certificate) and a government issued ID showing your current name (i.e. driver’s license, passport). You may email proof of name change documentation to: registration@collegeofdietitians.org​.

Proof of Authorization to Work in Canada

Authorization to work in Canada is one of the requirements for registration with the College. You must provide proof of authorization to work in Canada which permits you to practise dietetics in Canada. You may email proof of authorization to work in Canada to: registration@collegeofdietitians.org​.

Provide proof by submitting a copy of one of the following documents:

• Canadian Birth Certificate
• Canadian Passport
• Canadian Citizenship Certificate or Card

Provide proof by submitting a copy of your Permanent Resident Card.

Your work or study permit authorizes you to practise dietetics in Canada. Provide proof by submitting a copy of your Work Permit.

You can request a formal letter from the College to confirm that you have met all the other registration requirements, but will not be eligible for registration until you provide formal proof of authorization to work in Canada.

Once the College has received all of the required documents, your application will be assessed to determine whether youmeet the requirements for registration.  See Registration Requirements for detailed information about each of the requirements. 

Once your application form is complete, email it along with any supporting documents to registration@collegeofdietitians.org. Once your application form is received you will be instructed on how to pay all required fees.

NOTE: During the COVID-19 pandemic, all College staff are working remotely until further notice. You may email your completed application form and proof of authorization to work in Canada directly to: registration@collegeofdietitians.org

Please request institutions to send all other documentation such as transcripts, practicum completion letters, langugae proficiency test results, etc. directly to the College at: registration@collegeofdietitians.org

Any mailed documentation must be sent via regular mail (not registered mail). All mail will be routed by Canada Post to an alternate address. DO NOT deliver any documentation to the College office by hand or by courier service, as no one is there to receive it.

Your application ID and temporary password

When your application is received and we have opened your file, you will receive a confirmation email which will include your application ID and a temporary password.

Monitor the progress of your application online

Use your ID and password to access the CDO Applicant dashboard to monitor the progress of your application. On the dashboard, you will see:

• the status of your application;
• a list indicating which documents have been received; and
• a list showing which documents are still outstanding to complete your application.

When we have received all required documents and fees, we will proceed with the review of your application.

Your application status and documents received are updated every day.

It will take 2-4 months from the time that the College receives all of the required documents for you to receive a decision about your application. Please note that this is a guideline only. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the timely delivery of all documentation and other information requested by the College.

Answering “yes” to certain questions on the declaration means the College may require additional information to support your application. Gathering this additional information may extend the time it takes to process your application.  

Other factors that may delay the processing of your application include:

• Failing to complete and sign all sections of the application form;
• Failing to arrange for official transcripts and letters confirming the completion of your accredited dietetics degree and practical training; 
• Information about your conduct or health that may require further review and follow-up;
• Failing to produce other documents requested by the College.

The CDRE is a non-exemptible requirement. This means that you must pass the CDRE in order to become eligible for registration. To be eligible to write the CDRE, you must be assessed by a provincial regulatory body to have met the education and practical training requirements. Click here for more information about the CDRE.  

Only members of the College can practise as a dietitian in Ontario using the titles “dietitian,” “Registered dietitian (RD),” “Dietetiste (Dt.P),” or “Dietetiste Professional (Dt.P).”

It is illegal for anyone to use any of these titles in Ontario without a valid certificate of registration issued by the College.

Your status as an RD informs the public that all individuals who identify themselves as dietitians have the knowledge, skill and judgment required to provide safe and ethical dietetics care.

If you wish to begin practicing dietetics while you wait for the result of the CDRE, you have the option of applying for a Temporary Certificate of Registration.  See Temporary Class for more information.