Why Study Nursing in Canada 2024/2025 For Free – Canada Visa Hits

Nursing has turned up into the most critical role in the medical profession and Canada is counted among most preferred study nursing abroad destination for international students. So if you are looking to study Study Nursing in Canada, here is a complete guide for you.

Reasons to Study in Canada for international students

• Canada is among the best of nations that provide high-quality programs and training in the field of nursing. The country provides you with a globally recognised degree.
• Nursing courses in Canada also allow doing an internship, which boosts your job opportunities by offering you a broad range of positions in the field of nursing.
• There are 10 nursing Universities in Canada which are listed in the top 100 nursing colleges in the world by the QS World Rankings of 2020.
• Being an international nurse, Canada will pay you an unexceptional salary starting from $75k per annum for just 40 hours a week of work as well as an annual increment
• International students can get a chance to study nursing in Canada for free with the help of scholarships, as there is an ample number of scholarships provided in Canada.

Universities offering Nursing in Canada

There are around 67 nursing universities in Canada offering degrees at bachelor, graduate and doctorate levels. Among these 18 universities are listed in the top ranking universities of the world by QS world university ranking. Top 10 universities in Canada for nursing are listed down below:

1. University of Toronto
2. McGill University
3. University of British Columbia
4. McMaster University
5. University de Montreal
6. Western University
7. University of Calgary
8. Queen’s University at Kingston
9. University of Ottawa
10. Dalhousie University

The other nursing schools in Canada that accept international students are York University, Brock University, University of Saskatchewan etc.

 

Nursing courses in Canada for international students

Nursing colleges in Canada offer plenty of courses in different specializations at each degree levels

• At the bachelor level, Bachelor in Science in Nursing (BSN) and Bachelor in Science (BSc) degrees are offered.
• At the graduate level,  Master in Applied Science in Nursing (MASc), Master in Science in Nursing (M.S.N), graduate certificate and graduate diploma degrees are offered.
• A PhD in Nursing is awarded after the completion of the doctorate program.

International students can choose from different kinds of specializations according to their interests. Here are the specialisation provided by the Canada nursing college for international students :

Here are some of the specializations:

• Family Nurse Practitioner course in Canada
• Practical Nursing course in Canada
• Critical Care Nursing course in Canada
• Community Mental Health course in Canada
• Nursing Administration course in Canada
• General Nursing course in Canada
• Global Health course in Canada
• Mental Health Nursing Practitioner course in Canada
• Midwifery course in Canada

Bachelor of Nursing in Canada

At the bachelor level, the program focuses more on the protection of health by prevention and treatment of illness. Some of the courses in which you can study bsc nursing in Canada are:

• Nursing theory courses in Canada
• Nursing practice courses in Canada
• Professional issues courses in Canada
• Path physiology courses in Canada
• Pre nursing courses in Canada
• Human anatomy courses in Canada
• Physiology courses in Canada
• Psychology courses in Canada
• General education courses in Canada

 

Eligibility Criteria of Bsc nursing course in Canada

There are some minimum basic criteria that international students need to have to study bachelors in any specialisation of nursing The minimum basic requirements for studying nursing in Canada for Bachelors have been listed down below:

• A 12 grade level of education passed with a minimum of 65%.
• Depending on the universities it is demanded to have English or Mathematics or science subjects at the 12-grade level.
• Successful Completion of  CASPer Test (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics).
• Proficiency tests of English Language. Universities ask IELTS of an overall band of 6.5 or TOEFL a minimum of 80.

Documents Required for Bachelors in Nursing in Canada Admission

After checking that if your eligibility for bsc nursing in Canada, you should provide the following documents :

• Official Academic transcripts
• English language test scores.
• CASPer Test document
• Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
• Resume

Bsc nursing course duration in Canada

A regular Bachelors degree in Nursing takes 4 years to complete whereas, in an accelerated degree, the duration will be 2 years. Students can pursue this nursing course in Canada after 12th.

Bsc nursing fees in Canada

The fees in the nursing institution for international students can range from 52,000 CAD to 169,000 CAD. Bsc nursing in Canada for Indian students fees will be around 28,99,471 Rs to 94,23,281 Rs.

 

Master in nursing in Canada for international students

Masters courses after Bsc nursing in Canada put the student in an advanced level. Some of the course provided by the MSC nursing colleges in Canada are given below:

• Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N)
• Master of Nursing (M.N)
• Graduate Diploma Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner.
• Graduate Diploma Neonatal Nursing – Advanced.
• Master of Applied Science M.ASc Nursing – Nursing Services Administration.
• Master of Applied Science Nursing – Advanced Clinical Practice.
• Master of Applied Science Nursing – Neonatology Nurse Practitioner.
• Master of Applied Science Nursing – Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Eligibility criteria to study Msc nursing in Canada

To study postgraduate nursing courses in Canada, international students should fulfil some academic criteria as asked by the university. Here are some of the general admission requirements to study nursing in Canada :

• Four years of bachelor’s degree in Nursing
• Most of the universities demand 1 year of clinical experience
• Language Proficiency Test scores. IELTS requirement for Msc nursing in Canada – a minimum of 6.5 and TOEFL- minimum 90)

Documents Required for Admission in MSC nursing courses in Canada 

• Official academic transcripts of the previous education.
• Document of Language Test Scores
• A verified certificate of clear criminal record
• A valid nursing license for practice in Canada
• 2 to 3 Letter of Recommendations (LOR)
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Curriculum vitae (C.V)

 

Masters nursing course duration in Canada

Generally, a Postgraduate degree in Nursing takes 2 years to complete. Some universities offer 1-year graduate diploma and graduate certificate courses on various specializations.

Masters in nursing tuition fees in Canada

The tuition fees can be as low as 6,300 CAD and high as 41,000 CAD per annum for masters in nursing in Canada. The average MSC nursing fees in Canada for international students is around 37,000 CAD for one year of a master’s program.

PhD in nursing Canada

PhD nursing in Canada prepares Certified nurses to contribute to the field through research. A PhD degree is necessary if the student wants to gain leadership roles in the field or wants to work for research labs for the betterment of the community. Some of the colleges offering PhD degree are:

University	Course Offered
University of Toronto	PhD in Nursing Science
McGill University	PhD in Nursing
University of Alberta	PhD in Nursing
Dalhousie University	PhD in Nursing

Eligibility Criteria for PhD in Nursing in Canada 

To pursue a PhD in Nursing in Canada, international students need to satisfy the following minimum requirements. Here are the criteria for PhD eligibility for nursing course in Canada :

• Completed a master’s degree in Nursing
• GRE scores
• Language Proficiency Test scores (IELTS – Minimum 6.5 bands overall, TOEFL- minimum score of 90)

Please note that it is not possible to study nursing in Canada without IELTS. So prepare well and secure your admission in the Canadian Institutions.

 

Documents Required for PhD in Nursing in Canada Admission

• Official transcripts of the previous degrees attained
• Standardised  test scores
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Resume
• Research paper ( if any)

Duration of Nursing PhD programs Canada

PhD courses in Nursing in Canada is usually a 4-year course. But sometimes it may also take six years to complete.

Ph.D tuition fee for nursing in Canada

The average tuition fees in Institutes of Canada for the PhD course in Nursing can start from 10,000 to 20,000 CAD per annum.

Short Nursing courses in Canada

Short courses are usually diploma nursing courses in Canada. Here we have listed a few of them:

• Practical Nursing – Conestoga College
• Diploma in Practical Nursing – Fanshawe College
• Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner – Lakehead University
• Practical Nursing Diploma – University of the Fraser Valley
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Gerontological Nursing – Selkirk College
• Advanced Studies in Critical Care Nursing Certificate – Mount Royal University

Cheapest university to study nursing in Canada

There are few nursing schools for international students in Canada which offer courses at affordable fees. Here are listed a few of them:

• Brandon University
• Cape Breton University
• Mount Royal University
• University of Regina
• Memorial University of Newfoundland
• University of Prince Edward Island
• University of New Brunswick
• Saint Francis Xavier University
• University of Manitoba

 

Nursing scholarships in Canada

Nursing is one of the most demanded jobs in Canada due to the difference in demand and supply in the industry. To meet this shortage of registered nurses in Canada, the Canadian Government has come up with some policies and scholarships to encourage international students to pursue this discipline in Canada. The universities are also providing various scholarship to study nursing in Canada. Some of the nursing scholarships for international students in Canada are below:

• The Class of 1966 Nursing Scholarship.
• University of Toronto Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing.
• F.A. Davis Nursing Undergraduate Scholarship.
• BN Nursing Scholarship.
• National Overseas Scholarship.
• Susan Nelles Scholarship.
• Canadian Nurses Foundation.
• Aramark Leadership Awards.
• StudentAid BC Nurses Education Bursary
• General Entrance Award program for Prospective undergraduate students.

With the help of the scholarship, you can cover the expenses of the cost of studying nursing in Canada to some extent.

Scope After Pursuing Nursing Courses in Canada

To do jobs after nursing in Canada, overseas students should get a license from the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA). There are separate licenses issued for the different states in Canada.

How to get a license for practising nursing in Canada

In Canada, the nursing profession is self-regulated. The requirements for licensure are decided by the provincial and territorial bodies.

• To get the license, you will have to clear the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination, except for Quebec, which conducts its own examination. The CNA conducts the exam 3 times per year and can be taken as many times as a student wants.
• After getting the license, you are to apply for nursing jobs in Canada.

Here is the list of some important job roles in nursing field and their average salary range:

Job Role	Average Annual Salary (in CAD)
Critical Care Nurse supervisor	40,320- 96,000
Psychiatric Nurse	44,160- 88,320
Nurse Practitioner- Adult care	42,240 – 1,15,000
Nursing Professor	38,400 – 1,45,920
Nurse- Midwife	42,240 – 1,15,000
Nurse Team Leader	40,320- 96,000
Family Nurse Practitioner	42,240 – 1,15,000
Clinical Informatics Specialist	44,160- 88,320
Clinical Research Manager	38,4000 – 1,01,760
Mental Health Nurse	44,160- 88,320
Licensed practical nurse	38,4000 – 63,360

 

Nursing degree in Canada is profitable for an international student as the return on investment is high. Due to the demand in the nursing industry, students can get easily placed just after they graduate from the Canadian institution.

 

1. What are the requirements to study nursing in Canada?
A diploma or undergraduate program in nursing in Canada after 12th expects students to have completed high school with the subjects in English, mathematics, biology. MSc and PG Nursing Programs in Canada ask for a recognized Bachelor’s degree. They also ask for the proof for the English language proficiency.

2. How much does it cost to study nursing in Canada?
Generally, Bachelor’s in Nursing in Canada would cost you around CAD 40,000 per year (fees and living). For an undergraduate program, the tuition fee can be around $18,806 per year and for a Graduate program, it can b $12,183 per year. The essential living cost will range from $10,000 – $16,500 annually.

3. How many years does it take to become a nurse in Canada?
Bachelor in nursing in Canada are for Four years, and they prepare you to work as a Registered Nurse, whereas the postgraduate programs complete in 2 years. The duration of the courses depends on the universities and the course you choose to study in Canada.

4. Can international students study nursing in Canada?
Yes, international students can study in Canada once they fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit all the requirements of the Canadian university. Also, remember that if you will have to show your English language proficiency with IELTS or TOEFL to secure admission to the universities of Canada.

5. Is nursing a good career in Canada?
Yes, of course, nursing has a good career in Canada. Studying nursing courses in Canada where you plan to work in full capacity enhances the scope of getting better job opportunities and at the same time makes you familiar with the different working styles internationally followed.

6. How long does it take to become a nurse in Canada?
A Bachelor of Nursing in Canada can take around four years to complete. Depending on your education provider, you might receive training for specific health problems, which can take a little longer time. Once you have graduated from your program, you will have an ample number of opportunities standing in front of you.

Nursing Courses In Canada