Durham College

Durham College is a public college in Oshawa, Ontario, with a second campus in Whitby, and it has been teaching since 1967 (Durham College history). It is one of 24 publicly funded colleges in Ontario, according to its about page.

This profile is for Nepali students who want to study in Canada from Nepal and are considering Durham for a diploma, a graduate certificate or a degree. It covers why students choose it, where its campuses are, what it costs, when programs start, work rights, scholarships and a few programs open to international students. The programs open to you, with credential, length and campus, are in our Durham programs guide. Entry requirements, documents and the application steps are in our admissions section below.

Why do Nepali students choose Durham College?

Durham gives you a public Ontario college with computing, artificial intelligence, health and engineering programs on two campuses, and many of them are on its work permit list.

• Computing and AI. Computer Programming and Analysis and Artificial Intelligence Analysis, Design and Implementation are both on Durham’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) list.
• For bachelor’s holders. Two-semester graduate certificates include Cybersecurity, Applied Data Analytics and Supply Chain Management – Global. All three are on the PGWP list.
• Health and co-op after +2. Practical Nursing and Early Childhood Education are on the list. Computer Programming and Analysis also has a co-op option with a four-month paid work term, but entry to co-op is limited and competitive.
• Oshawa and Whitby. Durham says its campuses sit in Durham Region near 400-series highways, with housing on and off campus. We found no typical rent figure on its pages, so ask the college before you budget.

Where are Durham College’s campuses?

Durham has two main campuses, in Oshawa and Whitby, and most programs for international students are taught in Oshawa.

We found no private partner campuses teaching Durham programs, so the curriculum-licensing PGWP rule doesn’t apply here. Durham’s community employment offices in places such as Port Perry and Bowmanville aren’t study campuses. See Durham’s campuses page for maps, and its Whitby campus page for what is taught there.

How much does Durham College cost for international students?

Most Durham programs charge about CAD 15,500 in international tuition for two semesters, and honours degrees about CAD 18,900 to 19,400, with ancillary and health fees on top.

That is roughly Rs 17 to 21 lakh a year. To see what these amounts are worth today, use our CAD to Rs forex converter. Durham’s tuition fees page gives a standard international rate of about CAD 7,744 a semester. That figure is tuition only, and the rates are set each year.

Some programs cost more. Durham’s list shows first-semester tuition of about CAD 8,388 for Practical Nursing and CAD 10,289 for Paramedic.

Its ancillary fees page adds up to about CAD 525 a semester before student association fees. International students also pay CAD 101.70 for BorderPass, a CAD 375 International Student Recovery Fee and CAD 825 for 12 months of medical cover on a September start. The program fee estimator shows fees by semester.

To save your seat, you confirm your offer and pay the tuition amount in your letter of acceptance. Under Durham’s international refund page, a study permit refusal means a refund minus a CAD 200 fee, if you send the refusal letter by Day 10 of the semester. Choosing to withdraw for other reasons costs about CAD 2,700. You can also defer once, by the same Day 10 deadline.

Living costs come on top. For your study permit, IRCC asks you to show CAD 23,448 for a year of living expenses plus your first-year tuition. See our proof of funds guide and the cost of studying in Canada page. Our guide to the cost of living in Canada has a monthly budget.

When are Durham College’s intakes?

Durham lists September, January and May starts, but most programs on its PGWP list start only in September.

Durham doesn’t give one closing date for all programs. It tells you to read the Intakes and Availability section of each program page, because seats differ by program. Practical Nursing is the clear exception: its equal-consideration deadline is usually in mid-January for the September intake, mid-April for January and mid-September for May.

Computer Programming and Analysis, Early Childhood Education and Practical Nursing are listed for September, January and May. Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Analysis, Design and Implementation start in September. Applied Data Analytics starts in January.

Aim to apply 9 to 12 months before your start date so there is time for the offer, the deposit, the PAL, your study permit and housing.

If you track document dates and deadlines in Bikram Sambat, our Nepali date converter turns B.S. dates into A.D. dates. For the full calendar, read our guide to Canada intakes.

Can you work while studying at Durham College and after you graduate?

Yes. You can work up to 24 hours a week off campus while classes are on, and many Durham programs lead to a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), but not all of them.

For the PGWP, the rules depend on your credential:

• Bachelor’s and master’s degrees have no field-of-study requirement. Degree graduates need an English result of at least CLB 7. A master’s degree can lead to a PGWP of up to 3 years.
• Diplomas, advanced diplomas and graduate certificates must be in an eligible field of study if you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024. Durham’s PGWP-eligible programs list says it offers 70 such programs. The page shows no last-updated date, and its table marks a few programs as suspended.
• College graduates also need an English test result of at least CLB 5 in all four skills when they apply for the PGWP.

At least half of the program must be taken in class, and online study doesn’t count. Accounting, Finance, Marketing and Human Resources business programs, Hospitality, Culinary Management and Paralegal are not on the list. Neither are Durham’s fully online Office Administration programs. Our PGWP guide for Nepali students explains each rule, and our list of part-time jobs in Canada shows the work students usually find.

Which scholarships can Nepali students get at Durham College?

Durham’s Global Entrance Scholarship gives international students CAD 2,000 when they accept an offer, with no separate application.

How the entrance scholarship works:

• Amount: CAD 2,000 on your student account. Programs of two years or longer may add CAD 1,000 in year two for some intakes, so check the terms for yours.
• Who can get it: International applicants in a full-time program who pay international fees.
• What you have to do: Accept your offer. To keep the award, give your Social Insurance Number on MyDC before your second semester starts.
• When: Credited when you accept your offer. Any second part usually comes before Semester 4 tuition is due.

Degree students with a 75% average or higher may also get a first-year award of CAD 500 to 3,000, and in-course academic awards go up to CAD 1,000. Details are on Durham’s scholarships page. Our Canada scholarships guide lists other awards that Nepali students can apply for.

What do you need to get into Durham College from Nepal?

Durham asks for your +2 results, with a 65% average in six courses for degrees, and IELTS 6.0 for most diplomas or 6.5 for graduate certificates and degrees.

PTE Academic is 53 for most diplomas and 60 for graduate certificates and degrees. Practical Nursing is stricter: IELTS 7.0 with no band under 6.5, and Durham says offers have gone to applicants with 85% or higher in the required subjects. Durham lists all of this on its admission requirements page.

To see where your +2 grades stand, convert your NEB GPA to a percentage with our NEB GPA calculator. The next sections cover the acceptance rate, grades, English scores, documents and each application step.

What is Durham College’s acceptance rate?

Durham College doesn’t publish an acceptance rate. Percentages quoted on other websites are outside estimates, not official numbers.

What decides an offer is meeting your program’s admission and English requirements while seats are still open. Durham says incomplete applications aren’t processed until all documents arrive. Some programs, such as Practical Nursing and Personal Support Worker, are highly competitive, so meeting the minimum doesn’t assure a seat. In those programs Durham compares qualified applicants by their grades.

What grades do you need from Nepal?

For degrees, Durham asks Nepali students for grades 11 and 12 with a 65% combined average in six courses, and for diplomas your +2 certificate and mark sheets.

The Nepal rule is in the country table on Durham’s admission requirements page. It uses older names: Higher Secondary School Certificate, Proficiency Certificate and Higher Secondary Education Board, so confirm with Durham that your NEB certificate fits. Each program can add its own subjects. Examples from Durham’s program pages:

• Computer Programming and Analysis (advanced diploma): Grade 12 English and Grade 12 mathematics, or equivalent.
• Artificial Intelligence (honours bachelor): six Grade 12 courses with a 65% average, including English and math at 60% or higher.
• Practical Nursing (diploma): Grade 12 English and math, plus Grade 11 or 12 biology and chemistry. Durham advises applying only with 85% or higher in these subjects.
• Cybersecurity (graduate certificate): a three-year advanced diploma or a degree in computer science, IT or a business-related field.

Durham says its academic requirements can change, so check them again before you apply.

What English scores does Durham College accept?

Durham asks for IELTS 6.0 with no band under 5.5 for most certificates and diplomas, and IELTS 6.5 with no band under 6.0 for graduate certificates and degrees.

Durham also accepts CAEL at 60 or 70 by level, as listed on its English requirements page. Tests must be from the last 2 years and still valid when your program starts. Durham says Duolingo counts for admission only, so check what IRCC needs for your study permit.

If your score is short, Durham names English for Academic Purposes programs at its English language partner schools as another route for programs that offer conditional admission. To compare scores across Canadian institutions, see our IELTS and PTE guide for Canada.

Which documents do you need from Nepal?

You upload your school transcripts and certificates, any college or university documents, your English result and your passport with the online application.

• Your high school transcript and diploma, which for Nepal means your +2 certificate and mark sheets. Our guide explains how to get transcripts in Nepal from NEB, TU and other boards.
• Your college or university transcript and degree, if you have them. For graduate certificates from Nepal, Durham asks for scanned originals with notarized English translations.
• Your IELTS, PTE, TOEFL or Duolingo score report.
• A valid passport for the application and your study permit. If you don’t have one yet, see getting a Nepali passport for study abroad.

Save each document as a separate PDF or JPEG file, and PDF is preferred. Nepali certificates and bank documents often carry Bikram Sambat dates; our Nepali date converter, linked in the intakes section above, helps you match them to the A.D. dates on your forms.

How do you apply to Durham College, step by step?

You apply on Durham’s own online International Application Form with a CAD 100 non-refundable fee, then accept your offer and pay through the MyDC portal.

1. Choose your program and check it’s open. Start from Durham’s how to apply page, then read the Intakes and Availability section and the admission requirements on your program’s page.
2. Apply online. Fill in the International Application Form, upload your documents and pay the CAD 100 fee. Within 14 business days you should get your student ID and MyDC login. Nepali applicants can email sea@durhamcollege.ca about missing documents.
3. Get your offer. Your letter of acceptance appears in your self-service portal, under Correspondence.
4. Accept and pay. Confirm your offer, then pay the tuition amount listed in your letter of acceptance. Both steps are needed to save your seat, and Durham warns you to pay only through its secure portals. To send tuition from a Nepali bank you need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Education; see how to apply for an NOC in Nepal.
5. Get your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Complete the PAL Eligibility Form in your portal after you pay, and Durham requests the PAL for you if you need one. Read what a PAL is and who needs one.
6. Apply for your study permit with your letter of acceptance, PAL, payment receipt and proof of funds. Add a statement of purpose explaining your study plan; see our SOP guide for a Canada student visa. Durham strongly encourages applying through its partner BorderPass. Since 1 April 2026, Durham says, eligible students don’t need a separate co-op work permit.

Durham’s FAQ gives an average of up to 5 business days to process a complete application, so check your email and portal regularly. For the visa stage, read our guides to Canada student visa requirements and proof of funds.

If a study permit is refused, our guide to Canada student visa refusal explains what to do next.

What can you study at Durham College?

Durham’s international list has about 120 programs, from certificates and diplomas to graduate certificates and bachelor’s degrees.

The programs below are a selection open to international students in computing, business, health, engineering and community services, each checked on Durham’s own program pages. Accounting – Business Administration, Marketing – Business Administration and Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management are not on Durham’s PGWP list.

Our Durham programs guide lists more programs with their credential, length and campus. For each type of program, see our guides to artificial intelligence in Canada, post graduate diplomas in Canada and engineering in Canada.

Program Details

Where do Durham College students live?

Durham’s residences house over 1,300 students, and first-year students who meet the deadlines are assured a spot, at about CAD 7,250 to 9,395 for the eight-month academic year.

South Village and Simcoe Village are in Oshawa, and the 68-bed Whitby Village Residence has double and triple rooms. There’s a one-time CAD 100 application fee, and South Village has a required meal plan. Students starting in January get a room only if one is available.

Private student buildings such as Foundry 1805, Foundry Simcoe and 17Hundred are near the Oshawa campus. See Durham’s housing page, and don’t travel before you have somewhere to stay.

Still deciding between a college and a university? Read college vs university in Canada. Goreto’s counselors in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari and Pokhara can check your documents and help you apply; contact your nearest Goreto branch. If you are still comparing advisers, see how to choose the best consultancy for Canada.

Also comparing other Ontario colleges? See our Georgian College profile, George Brown Polytechnic profile.

Official Durham College links

• International students at Durham
• How to apply (online International Application Form)
• Tuition and fees
• English language requirements
• PGWP-eligible programs and the programs for international students
• Campuses and locations
• Confirm Durham’s designated learning institution (DLI) number on IRCC’s DLI list

Frequently asked questions about Durham College