Diploma Programme
Practical Nursing
A two-year diploma in Ottawa that prepares students to work as Registered Practical Nurses. Students build nursing knowledge and skills in classes, labs and simulation before clinical placements in hospitals, long-term care, community agencies and retirement homes. Graduates can write the REx-PN and jurisprudence exams to register with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
University
Algonquin College
Country
Canada
Level
Diploma
Field
Nursing
Duration
2 years (4 levels); international students first complete a 4-month preparatory program
Language
English
Campus
Ottawa (Woodroffe campus)
Degree
Ontario College Diploma
Intake
September, January
Application Deadline
International applicants: Algonquin's program pages don't list an international application deadline. Confirm the program is open on the international program availability page, then apply early: programs can fill, the PAL is issued only after tuition is paid, and Ontario's PAL allocations may be limited. Canadian applicants: apply through ontariocolleges.ca; applications received by February 1 get equal consideration, then first-come, first-served while seats remain
Tuition Information
Algonquin fee estimator, Ottawa campus, Fall 2026 start (2026-27 fees): first year (two semesters) Canadian students CAD 6,746.39; international students CAD 22,257.21, including the international student premium. Estimated program total: Canadian CAD 11,962.02; international CAD 43,249.80. The international premium for this program is higher than for most diplomas, and ICHS fees are separate. Figures cover tuition and compulsory ancillary fees (such as the U-Pass and technology fees) but not books or supplies. Algonquin's international fees page says tuition includes health insurance, but the estimator lists the international health plan fee without an amount. 2027-28 fees aren't posted yet.
Admission Requirements
- Apply: international applicants apply online through Algonquin's international application portal (myAC360) and pay a CAD 135 application fee. Only one active application is processed; extra applications are cancelled and the fee isn't refunded. After the Letter of Acceptance, students pay the tuition shown on it by its deadline, and Algonquin then uploads the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to the portal, usually within a week of payment. Canadian applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca.
- Academic: Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status (19 or older), with at least 65% in Grade 12 English (ENG4C), Grade 12 Math (MAP4C or equivalent), and Grade 11 or 12 Biology and Chemistry. This is a competitive program
- International applicants who meet the requirements must first complete Algonquin's 4-month Introduction to Canadian Health Studies (ICHS) before moving into Practical Nursing; ICHS requires an Academic IELTS score
- Clinical placements: required to graduate. Students need a clear Police Records Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector (renewed every year), a health assessment and annual requirements such as TB testing and flu vaccination
- Applicants with international transcripts must prove they meet the subject-specific requirements and may need to show English proficiency
- English proficiency (2027-28 program page): IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0; TOEFL iBT taken before January 21, 2026: 88 with at least 22 in each section; TOEFL iBT taken after January 21, 2026: 4.5 with at least 4.5 in each section; or Duolingo 120 with literacy 120 and no subscore below 105. Algonquin exempts applicants who completed a year of full-time post-secondary study in English in an English-speaking country (C average), secondary school in English in a country where English is the principal language (with a senior English credit), an OSSD or Canadian equivalent with Grade 12 English (U, M or C), AP English or IB English A/B, or Algonquin's EAP or an authorized ESL pathway. Test results must be from the last two years
- International availability on the program page (checked October 5, 2026): Fall 2026: closed; Winter 2027: open; Fall 2027: open; this is a competitive program
- PGWP: Algonquin's program page marks it as eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit, and it's on Algonquin's PGWP-eligible programs list (CIP code 51.3901)