Durham College

If you plan to study in Canada from Nepal, this guide can help you choose a program. It lists Durham College programs that Nepali students can apply to, with each program’s credential, length and campus, all checked on Durham’s official program lists and program pages. For campuses, fees in Rs, scholarships and work rights, see our Durham College profile. For grades, English scores, documents and the application steps, see our Durham admissions section.

Which Durham programs can Nepali students apply to?

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

The programs come in five levels:

• Certificates usually take two semesters, such as Personal Support Worker and Culinary Skills.
• Diplomas usually take four semesters, such as Computer Programming and Early Childhood Education.
• Advanced diplomas usually take six semesters, such as Computer Programming and Analysis.
• Graduate certificates take two or three semesters, and they ask for a diploma or degree first.
• Bachelor’s degrees take seven to nine semesters, such as Bachelor of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence – Honours Bachelor.

Durham’s how to apply page holds the international list. Each program page shows the current international seats under Intakes and Availability, so check there before you apply.

Which Durham programs are PGWP eligible?

Durham says 70 of its programs are PGWP eligible, but Accounting, Finance, Marketing and Human Resources business programs are not on its list.

If you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024, a diploma, advanced diploma or graduate certificate leads to a Post-Graduation Work Permit only if its field of study is eligible. Bachelor’s degrees have no field-of-study rule. You also need CLB 5 in English for college credentials or CLB 7 for degrees, and you must take at least half of the program in class.

Durham’s PGWP programs list shows no last-updated date, and it marks a few programs as suspended. Durham also notes that IRCC announced on 12 March 2025 that college bachelor’s degrees are eligible in any field. These popular programs are open to international students but are not on the list:

• Accounting – Business Administration and Accounting – Business
• Finance – Business Administration and Finance – Business
• Marketing – Business Administration and Advertising and Marketing Communications
• Human Resources – Business Administration and Human Resources – Business
• Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management and Culinary Management
• Animation – Digital Production and Sport Business Management

Durham’s fully online Office Administration programs are not on the list either, and online study doesn’t count toward a PGWP. Our PGWP guide for Nepali students explains the rules.

Which Durham programs are popular with Nepali students?

The table shows Durham’s programs in the course areas most popular with Nepali and Indian students, up to two per area, with each one’s credential, length and campus.

Programs are grouped by course area, with PGWP-eligible and open-intake programs listed first within each area (see the PGWP section above for which ones qualify). Most programs start in September, and some also list January or May starts, so check the program’s own page for its exact status.

Practical Nursing and Personal Support Worker are highly competitive, so meeting the minimum may not bring an offer. Durham’s program fee estimator gives each program’s fees by semester. See the fee section of our Durham College profile for the usual yearly range in CAD and Rs.

What do you need for each program level?

Diplomas ask for your +2 results and usually IELTS 6.0, graduate certificates ask for a diploma or degree and IELTS 6.5, and degrees ask for a 65% average and IELTS 6.5.

• Certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas: IELTS 6.0 with no band under 5.5, or PTE 53. Computer Programming and Analysis asks for Grade 12 English and math.
• Graduate certificates: IELTS 6.5 with no band under 6.0, or PTE 60. Applied Data Analytics asks for a college diploma or a degree.
• Bachelor’s degrees: IELTS 6.5 with no band under 6.0, or PTE 60. Durham asks Nepali students for a 65% average in six courses.
• Practical Nursing: IELTS 7.0 with no band under 6.5, and PTE isn’t accepted.

To see where your +2 grades stand, convert your NEB GPA to a percentage with our NEB GPA calculator. Program-by-program examples, documents and the application steps are in our Durham admissions section.

How do you choose the right Durham program?

Start with your background and your plan after graduation, then check the program’s PGWP status, open intakes and campus on Durham’s own program page before you apply.

• Coming from +2? Look at a two-year diploma, a three-year advanced diploma or a degree. Check first that you have the Grade 12 math or science the program asks for.
• Already hold a bachelor’s degree? A graduate certificate such as Cybersecurity or Applied Data Analytics is shorter. Compare its length with the PGWP length you want, because a short program can mean a short permit.
• Want a work permit afterwards? Choose from the PGWP list, not only from the subject you like, since many business diplomas aren’t on it.
• Check the campus. Trades, culinary, hospitality and civil programs are mostly in Whitby, and most others are in Oshawa.

For more on each type of program, see our guides to artificial intelligence in Canada, post graduate diplomas in Canada and bachelor’s degrees in Canada. Our list of top courses in Canada for PR and careers can also help you compare fields. Goreto’s counselors can talk this through with you at any branch; contact your nearest Goreto branch.

Frequently asked questions about Durham programs