Northern College - Timmins

Northern College is a public college in Northeastern Ontario with its main campus in Timmins, plus campuses in Haileybury, Kirkland Lake and Moosonee. It's known for hands-on training in health, trades, mining, emergency services and veterinary sciences, small friendly classes, and an affordable northern lifestyle. This guide answers every key question international students search — campuses, courses, fees, IELTS and admission requirements, PGWP eligibility (including the important Pures/Scarborough point), scholarships and intakes.

About Northern College

Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology — usually just called Northern College or "Northern" — is one of Ontario's 24 publicly funded colleges. It was established in 1967 as part of Ontario's college system and serves more than 65 communities across a vast region of Northeastern Ontario. It's a smaller, close-knit college with roughly 1,500–2,000 full-time students and several thousand more in part-time and continuing education, which means small classes and a lot of personal attention.

Northern is also home to the Haileybury School of Mines, founded in 1912 and internationally respected — a genuine point of distinction. Across its campuses, the college offers 75+ programs spanning certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships, post-graduate certificates and some degree pathways, with a strong focus on hands-on, career-ready training.

Northern College campuses and locations

Northern has four public campuses across Northeastern Ontario, each with its own specialities:

Timmins campus (main)

The main campus sits on the shore of Porcupine Lake at 4715 Highway 101 East, South Porcupine (Timmins), ON. It offers the widest range of programs and houses the Integrated Emergency Services Complex (for Pre-Service Firefighter, Police Foundations, Paramedic and health programs), a Centre of Excellence for Trades and Technology, an Innovation Hub, and an on-site residence. Timmins itself is a friendly northern city known for its gold-mining heritage — "the city with a heart of gold" — with genuine four-season outdoor life (fishing, skiing, snowmobiling) plus the shops, dining and services of a mid-sized city.

Haileybury campus (Temiskaming Shores)

At 640 Latchford Street, Haileybury, ON, this campus stands on the original grounds of the Haileybury School of Mines. It's the home of Northern's celebrated Veterinary Sciences Centre and unique animal-care programs — including Wildlife Rehabilitation and Companion Animal Physical Rehabilitation, which are the only programs of their kind in Ontario — with an on-site residence.

Kirkland Lake campus

At 140 Government Road East, Kirkland Lake, ON, this campus is known for a world-class suite of Welding programs and its Environmental Technician – Water and Wastewater Systems Operations program, along with other trades, in a close-knit small town surrounded by boreal forest.

Moosonee campus

At 24 First Street, Moosonee, ON, this campus and its network of access centres bring training, trades and academic upgrading to the remote James Bay coastal communities of Northern Ontario.

The Northern College at Pures campus (Scarborough / Toronto)

Northern College also partners with the private Pures College of Technology to deliver some Northern College programs at a location in Scarborough (Toronto). Students there study a Northern College curriculum and receive a Northern College credential. This is popular because of its Greater Toronto Area location — but there is a crucial catch for international students, explained in the PGWP section below.

Is Northern College public or private?

Northern College is a public college — one of Ontario's 24 publicly funded colleges — and a Designated Learning Institution (DLI #O19315830082), the status international students need for a study permit. Its four Northeastern Ontario campuses are all public. The separate Pures location in Scarborough is a public–private partnership, which matters for work-permit eligibility (see PGWP below).

What is Northern College known for?

• The Haileybury School of Mines — a globally respected name in mining and earth-resources education since 1912.
• Veterinary & animal-care programs — a modern Veterinary Sciences Centre and Ontario's only Wildlife Rehabilitation and Companion Animal Physical Rehabilitation programs.
• Emergency services & health — hands-on Paramedic, Pre-Service Firefighter, Police Foundations and nursing programs, taught in a simulation-based Integrated Emergency Services Complex.
• Skilled trades — especially welding at Kirkland Lake, plus millwright, instrumentation, electrical and environmental/water programs.
• Small classes & strong support — a personal, supportive environment that international students consistently praise.

Courses and programs at Northern College

Northern offers 75+ programs across health, community services, trades, technology, emergency services, business, mining and animal care. Popular choices for international students include:

Program availability differs by campus and intake, and some competitive programs (nursing, veterinary, paramedic) are limited and fill early — so confirm your program and campus before applying.

Admission requirements for international students

Requirements vary by program, but the general pattern for international and Indian students is:

• Certificates & diplomas: completion of Class 12 (10+2) from a recognised board, often with named subjects (for example, Biology and Chemistry for health programs, Mathematics for technology and trades).
• Post-graduate certificates: a completed diploma or degree, usually in a related field.
• Some programs (especially health, veterinary and emergency services) also require immunisations, CPR/First Aid, and criminal/vulnerable-sector record checks.
• English-language proof — see the next section.

English language requirements (IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, Duolingo)

Northern accepts the main recognised tests. As a general guide, most diplomas and certificates require around IELTS 6.0 (with minimum band requirements), while some programs — particularly health and post-graduate certificates — require IELTS 6.5. Equivalent PTE, TOEFL iBT and Duolingo scores are accepted, and academic-upgrading or English pathways may be available. Always confirm the exact English requirement for your specific program.

Tuition fees for international students

International tuition at Northern depends on your program. As a broad, recent guide, most diploma and certificate programs fall in the region of CAD $15,000–$17,000 per year, with some specialised programs higher. There are also additional costs for books, kits/tools, uniforms, and mandatory health insurance. Tuition is updated each year (typically in May for the Fall intake), so always confirm the exact, current fee for your program on Northern's official site or your offer letter.

Cost of living

One of Northern's biggest advantages is affordability. Living costs in Timmins, Haileybury, Kirkland Lake and Moosonee are well below those in Toronto or Vancouver — rent, in particular, is much cheaper. Budget for roughly CAD $15,000–$20,000 per year for living expenses (in line with the funds you must show for a study permit). The Timmins and Haileybury campuses offer on-site residences, and staff can help you find off-campus housing.

Scholarships at Northern College

New international students in select programs and eligible intakes may qualify for an entrance scholarship worth CAD $2,000 per recipient. Additional bursaries and external awards may also be available. Because eligibility and amounts change by intake, confirm current scholarship details on Northern's official international pages before you apply.

Intakes and application deadlines

Northern generally offers Fall (September), Winter (January) and Spring/Summer (May) intakes, though available terms vary by program. You can often apply right up until classes begin if space remains, but competitive programs fill early — so apply as soon as applications open. As a rule of thumb, apply 4–8 months before your intended start to allow time for your offer, fee payment, PAL and study-permit processing.

PGWP eligibility at Northern College

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) lets eligible graduates work in Canada for up to three years. Two points are essential at Northern:

• Field of study (public campuses): since 1 November 2024, most college diploma and certificate graduates must complete a program whose field of study — identified by its 6-digit CIP code — is on IRCC's eligible list. Northern openly notes that not all of its program CIP codes are on that list, so you must check your specific program's CIP code against IRCC's eligible fields before you apply.
• The Pures (Scarborough) exception: programs delivered through the public–private partnership at Pures are generally not PGWP-eligible for new students, regardless of field of study.

Student life, housing and support

Northern offers a warm, close-knit student experience with strong international support, clubs, athletics and an Indigenous Student Lounge and services reflecting the region's communities. The Timmins campus has a residence, a lakeside cafeteria, a wellness centre and study spaces; Haileybury also offers residence. Northern Ontario is safe, welcoming and outdoors-focused — ideal if you want to focus on your studies and enjoy nature. The trade-off compared with a big city is a smaller local job market, so many graduates broaden their search regionally after finishing.

How to apply to Northern College

1. Choose your program and campus, and confirm it is open to international students for your intake (and check its PGWP/CIP status if that matters to you).
2. Review the academic, English and any health/record-check requirements on the program page.
3. Apply online through OCAS International (the Ontario College Application Service).
4. Submit your documents and pay the application fee; pay the required international deposit to receive your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) and Letter of Acceptance.
5. Apply for your study permit with your LOA, PAL and proof of funds.

So, is Northern College a good choice?

For students who want practical, career-focused training — especially in health, trades, mining, veterinary sciences or emergency services — in an affordable, safe, welcoming northern setting, Northern College is a solid public choice with genuine PGWP pathways at its public campuses. The key is to choose carefully: confirm your program is offered for your intake, check its CIP code for PGWP if you plan to work in Canada, and understand that the Scarborough/Pures campus does not carry the same PGWP standing as the northern public campuses.

Quick facts

Frequently asked questions