- Level
- 2-Year UG Diploma
- CIP code
- 51.3901
- Duration
- 2 year college diploma after 14 week ICHS
- Open intake
-
Off-shoreJan 2027
- Field
- Nursing and Healthcare Management
- Institution
- Public College
- Offer speed
- Fast Offer Speed5–7 days
- Next deadline
- 2027-01-01
Program overview
A two year Ontario College Diploma at Algonquin covering nursing theory, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, health assessment and clinical placements in Ottawa hospitals and community settings.
The Ottawa campus opens practical nursing in January and September for international students.
Algonquin College, a public Ontario college founded in 1967, delivers the Ottawa practical nursing diploma at its main Ottawa campus on Woodroffe Avenue. Algonquin lists the Ottawa practical nursing diploma on its PGWP list under CIP 51.3901, and because it runs two years or more it can support a permit of up to three years. Algonquin notes that eligibility is fixed when you apply for your study permit, so applying while 51.3901 is on the frozen 2026 list protects your position for the Ottawa practical nursing diploma. A provincial attestation letter from Ontario is needed before the Ottawa practical nursing diploma can support a study permit application.
Applicants to the Ottawa practical nursing diploma need Grade 12 or equivalent with a minimum of 50 percent. The English requirement is IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, and tuition for the Ottawa practical nursing diploma is recorded at CAD 19,248 for the year. Algonquin charges a CAD 135 application fee, and if your study permit is refused it keeps only CAD 250 of the fees paid for the Ottawa practical nursing diploma, provided the refusal letter reaches it within ten days. For 2027 there are two open intakes for the Ottawa practical nursing diploma, starting from January 2027. Apply Study Visa manages the application for the Ottawa practical nursing diploma, the payment to Algonquin, the attestation letter and your study permit as one process.
What it costs per year · indicative
Living cost is an estimate; tuition is the institute's published international fee. We confirm exact, current figures before you pay anything.
Do you qualify?
These are the published minimums. Whether your profile fits — with your marks, gap and budget — is exactly what a free counsellor check confirms.
Admission requirements
Who can apply (guide for international students):
- Education: Grade 12 or equivalent, at the percentage stated for this programme.
- English (meet any one): IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0; TOEFL iBT 88 with 22 in each section, or 4.5 in each section on the new scale for tests taken after 21 January 2026; or the Duolingo English Test at 120 with 120 in Literacy and no subscore below 105. PTE Academic is not listed among the tests Algonquin accepts, so do not book it for this programme.
- Application and payment: Algonquin charges a CAD 135 application fee. Pay the required fees by the deadline on your admissions letter to secure your seat and attestation letter. If your study permit is refused, Algonquin refunds all but a CAD 250 administrative fee, provided the refusal letter is dated after your latest acceptance letter and reaches the college within ten days. Other withdrawals before the start carry a CAD 2,200 penalty.
- Scholarship: No entrance scholarship is recorded against this programme. Algonquin offers awards to international students based on grades once enrolled, so budget the full tuition.
- Additional requirement: International applicants must first complete Introduction to Canadian Healthcare Studies (ICHS), a 14 week preparatory certificate at Algonquin, before starting this programme. Budget the extra term and its fees. A police record check with vulnerable sector screening and immunisation records are required before placement, and an unpardoned criminal record can block entry to placement. Grade 12 English and mathematics are expected, and some programmes set subject minimums above the overall percentage.
- Work rights: Algonquin lists this programme as PGWP eligible under CIP 51.3901, supporting a work permit of up to three years. A PGWP also requires a language test at CLB 5 in all four abilities for college credentials, taken within two years of applying. This is separate from the English test you need for admission. No open work permit for a spouse or partner, since IRCC now limits those to master, doctoral and select professional programmes.
- Study permit: Apply Study Visa prepares the attestation letter request, the financial evidence and the Canadian study permit submission with you.
English requirements
Documents you'll need typical · we confirm yours
- Valid passport (6+ months validity)
- Class 10 & 12 marksheets and certificates
- English test scorecard (IELTS / PTE / TOEFL) or MOI certificate
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Financial proof — bank statement / loan sanction + GIC
- Passport-size photographs
- Study-gap affidavit or work-experience letter (if applicable)
Getting documents right is the #1 reason applications succeed or get refused — our team checks every file before submission.
Career opportunities
Typical destinations for graduates:
- Registered Practical Nurse: after registration
- Hospital Nurse: acute care
- Long Term Care Nurse: residential care
- Community Nurse: home care
- Clinic Nurse: physician practices
- Registered Nurse: after further study
Reality check: Graduates must pass the REx-PN exam and register with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
About Algonquin College
- Type
- College
- Ownership
- Public
- Rating
- ★ 4.7
- Established
- 1967
- Reference No.
- O19358971022
