Dhiraj Kandel
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Quick answer
The essentials at a glance
A bachelor of nursing in Canada is possible from Nepal, but only a few schools admit international students and seats are limited. This page shows which schools say yes and which say no, what marks and English scores they ask for, what the programs cost, and how the separate nursing licence works. Check the school's rules before you apply.
Key takeaways
Main points from this page
- Several nursing schools, including Dalhousie and UBC Vancouver, say international students are not eligible.
- Cape Breton University and Memorial University list steps for international applicants, but seats are limited and local residents get priority.
- Cape Breton asks for IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.5 for its nursing degree.
- The degree is not a licence: you must register with the nursing regulator of the province where you want to work.
- A nursing degree can lead to a post-graduation work permit, but it does not give permanent residence automatically.
Can You Study a Bachelor of Nursing in Canada from Nepal?
Yes, but only at a few schools, because many Canadian nursing degrees do not accept international students.
Nursing is one of the hardest subjects to enter in Canada. Schools have a fixed number of clinical places, and they give most of them to local students. For a student from Nepal, the real task is to find the schools that say yes.
This guide is part of our study in Canada from Nepal series. If you are still choosing a level, start with our bachelors in Canada guide. For the wider picture of hospitals and colleges, see our blog on nursing and medical studies in Canada.
A degree and a licence are two different things. The school gives you the degree. A provincial nursing regulator gives you the licence to work as a registered nurse.
- Length: about four years from +2, or two to three years at schools that take students with earlier university study.
- Subjects: biology, chemistry and maths matter for entry, and each school lists its own course list.
- Seats: very limited for international students, and some schools take none.
- Licence: separate from the degree, and set by the province where you work.
Which Canadian Nursing Programs Do Not Accept International Students?
Dalhousie, UBC Vancouver and the Fanshawe degree say they are closed to international applicants.
Dalhousie says on its nursing FAQ that international students are not eligible for its BScN. The Dalhousie nursing page lists seats only for Canadian applicants.
UBC Vancouver also limits its BSN to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and refugees. You can read this on the UBC BSN admission page. UBC also asks for 48 university credits first, so it is not a direct route after +2.
Fanshawe College in Ontario runs a four-year BScN, and its page says the program is available to domestic applicants only. See the Fanshawe BScN page. The older Western-Fanshawe program has stopped taking new students.
The McMaster nursing pages could not be opened by our tools, so please read them directly on the McMaster site before you decide.
Which Canadian Schools Can You Look At for Nursing?
Four schools publish a route for international students, and seats are tight at all of them.
Cape Breton University
This school is in Nova Scotia. It has a three-year direct entry route and a two-year route for students with university credits. Seats for international students are very limited. Nova Scotia residents come first.
See our Cape Breton University profile and its nursing admissions page.
Memorial University
This school is in Newfoundland. Its BScN takes four years. It has a page just for international applicants. Local residents get priority.
Read its international applicants page.
University of Toronto
This is a two-year BScN for students who already have two years of university. It is very competitive. Ask the faculty if you are eligible.
See our University of Toronto profile and the how to apply page.
Conestoga College
This is a two-year practical nursing diploma in Ontario. It leads to RPN registration, not RN. International students must finish a Pre-Health Sciences pathway first. A place after it is not certain.
See our Conestoga College profile.
What Are the Entry Requirements for Nursing in Canada?
Schools usually ask for strong science marks, a good average and a high English score.
At Cape Breton, direct entry lists English, maths and two science courses, with a 70% average in each required course. Advanced standing needs 30 university credits, including anatomy, physiology, microbiology, statistics and English, with 65% overall. Its list is written for Canadian school courses, so ask the school how it reads your +2 subjects.
Memorial lists biology, chemistry and maths, and it recommends an average of 70% or higher. Toronto asks for 10 university credits, a B average in your latest credits, and set courses such as physiology, microbiology and statistics.
Cape Breton asks for IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.5, and it does not waive this for English-medium study. This is higher than most Canadian courses. See our minimum IELTS and PTE for Canada page for the general scores. Use our NEB GPA calculator to check your grade before you compare schools.
Documents and permits follow the usual rules. Read our Canada student visa requirements guide. Cape Breton also says students must arrive with both a study permit and a co-op work permit.
Which Route Fits You: Direct Entry or Second Entry?
Direct entry takes you from +2 into nursing, and second entry asks you to finish university study first.
Direct entry is the simpler route for a +2 student. Cape Breton and Memorial both list a path from school. These places are the scarcest, because local students fill most of them.
Second entry means you study another subject at university first, and then apply for nursing. Toronto and UBC work this way. Because international students are not eligible at UBC, and Toronto asks you to confirm, this route is risky for planning.
A safer plan is to apply to more than one program. You can add a practical nursing diploma or a related health degree as a back-up. Ask each school what happens if you are not offered a nursing place. Do this before you pay any deposit.
If you want a health career outside nursing, compare it with a bachelor of nutrition in Canada.
How Much Does a Nursing Degree Cost in Canada?
Cape Breton lists about CAD 75,125 for its two-year nursing degree, and Conestoga lists about CAD 21,002 for one academic year of practical nursing.
These amounts are in Canadian dollars. Use our CAD to Rs forex converter to see today’s value. The table shows what each school’s own fee page lists.
| School and program | International fee listed | About in Rs |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Breton, BScN advanced standing (2 years, total) | CAD 75,125.20 | about Rs 81 lakh |
| Conestoga, Practical Nursing (2026-27 year, tuition and ancillary fees) | CAD 21,002.06 | about Rs 23 lakh |
| Cape Breton, BScN direct entry (3 years) | No international amount listed | Ask the school |
Cape Breton lists the first amount on its tuition and fees page as a program total, and extra fees are not included. Conestoga shows its fee on the Practical Nursing page. Books, lab fees and living costs come on top.
For living costs and the funds you must show, read our cost of studying in Canada guide and our Canada proof of funds page. For help with fees, see scholarships to study in Canada.
How Do You Become a Registered Nurse in Canada After the Degree?
You must register with the nursing regulator of the province where you want to work, and the degree alone does not let you practise.
Each province has its own college. In Ontario it is the College of Nurses of Ontario. Its registration requirements list an approved nursing program, a registration exam, a jurisprudence exam, proof of English or French, and proof of citizenship, residency or authorization to work. York University tells its nursing graduates they must pass the NCLEX-RN and meet those college rules.
Other provinces set their own steps, so check the college in the province you choose. A school should tell you if its program is approved there. The College of Nurses of Ontario also says an RPN must make a declaration about citizenship or immigration status, and this applies during the program too.
Registration is not the same as getting a visa or permanent residence. Each is a separate step.
Plan for this early. Your study permit, your later work permit and your nursing registration all depend on each other. Ask the school and the college of nurses how they apply to you.
What Jobs Can a Nursing Degree Lead To?
A nursing degree leads to registered nurse jobs in hospitals, clinics, community health and long-term care, once you are registered.
Nurses also work in mental health, children’s care and public health. Some go on to a master’s degree to become nurse practitioners or teachers. Each step needs more study and more registration.
If you want to work with people but not in clinical care, compare nursing with psychology in Canada.
A practical nursing diploma leads to RPN or licensed practical nurse roles, which have a narrower scope than an RN. A degree is the longer route, and it opens more senior posts.
Can You Work and Stay in Canada After a Nursing Degree?
You can work up to 24 hours a week off campus during studies, and a degree can lead to a post-graduation work permit, but permanent residence is not automatic.
Nursing programs have long clinical placements, so a part-time job can be hard to fit. Read the off-campus work rules before you plan your budget.
A degree can lead to a post-graduation work permit of up to three years. Our post-graduation work permit guide explains the steps. For permanent residence, read PR pathways through education in Canada. No course gives PR on its own.
Which Related Courses Can You Compare?
If nursing seats are too hard to win, nutrition and pharmacy are other health routes to compare.
Our bachelor of nutrition in Canada guide covers food and health. Our bachelor of pharmacy in Canada guide explains that route, which has its own licence. Our psychology in Canada guide may suit you if you like working with people. Each has different entry rules, so read the guide before you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only at some schools. Dalhousie and UBC Vancouver say international students are not eligible, while Cape Breton and Memorial publish steps for them. Seats are very limited, so apply to more than one option.
Yes, at schools that offer direct entry, such as Cape Breton and Memorial. Some, like Toronto and UBC, need university study first. Biology, chemistry and maths help most, and each school decides how it reads your +2 marks.
It depends on the school. Cape Breton asks for 7.0 overall with no band below 6.5. Check the language page of each school you apply to.
No. You must register with the nursing regulator of the province where you want to work. That includes an exam, and in Ontario it also includes proof of language and work authorization.
No. A practical nursing diploma leads to RPN or LPN registration. A bachelor’s degree leads to RN registration. International students at Conestoga must finish a pathway program first.
No. A degree can lead to a post-graduation work permit, but permanent residence is a separate application with its own rules.
How Can Goreto Help You Apply?
Goreto counselors help you find schools that accept international nursing applicants, check your marks and prepare your papers.
You can meet a counselor at our Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Itahari or Pokhara branch. Visit get in touch to find the nearest office.
Sources
Reference links
Disclaimer
Important guidance note
Seats, entry rules and fees change often, so confirm every detail on the official school and regulator pages before you apply.
