The nursing profession is highly recognized in Canada and plays a significant role in the medical field. This is because the nation offers several options for in-depth studies related to the profession.
The need for additional competent nursing personnel has increased dramatically due to the current global pandemic, making nurses an essential component of the global emergency healthcare workforce.
Canada is renowned as a country with many chances, making it a fantastic location for someone to fulfil their goals of earning a nursing degree.
If you care about the best universities in Canada for nursing, read on!
Why Attend Nursing School in Canada
There are many benefits to studying nursing in Canada because it is a country with a wealth of chances and plenty to learn and accomplish. Canada is a country that excels at providing the greatest education for nursing, which is a terrific job that requires a lot of studies. Here are some of the benefits of studying nursing in Canada.
- High-Quality Education and Training: Canada offers a wide variety of certified courses to its students, and studying nursing there is a wonderful accomplishment. Additionally, nursing students can easily access on-the-job training to understand what to expect in the real world of work.
- Professional safety: Unions and other organizations that support different aspects of your employment, such as housing, pensions, and other job protections, are there to protect the nursing profession in Canada.
- A friendly environment: Canada has a welcoming atmosphere, and its residents are helpful, which makes studying there enjoyable. Equal rights are granted to citizens and visitors alike, which has significantly impacted the number of people who migrate to the nation for employment and education.
Requirements To Study Nursing In Canada
For various nursing programs in Canada, there are various requirements for admission. We’ll examine them in more detail now:
For undergraduates: Only a bachelor’s in nursing is an option if you want to pursue nursing studies in Canada following your 12th-grade year. Students who have completed high school with at least a C in English, Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry are eligible to apply for either a nursing diploma or an undergraduate degree program (average). Also suggested here is the physics.
Master’s degree in nursing: Students must have earned a B+ or higher on their undergraduate nursing degree to be considered for graduate-level nursing programs. Additionally, some universities demand that applicants hold a valid registered nurse license (RN) license. Before admission, nursing experience (often 1-2 years) is also necessary.
PhD. Nursing: Students must have earned a master’s degree in nursing or a closely related subject with a minimum GPA of B+ to apply for a doctoral program in nursing. They must also currently hold an RN license.
Language specifications: For admission to Canadian universities, the English proficiency test is a requirement for all prospective overseas students. The tests have the following minimum scores:
- IELTS 7.0 to 7.5
- TOEFL 97 to 100
- PTE 68
- CAEL 70
Recall that scores may differ between universities. Please visit the official university websites for more details.
Visa and passport: All overseas students must have a current passport and student visa to enrol in any course at any university in Canada. Remember to submit your visa application at least 3 months before the anticipated departure date.
Best Universities In Canada For Nursing
1. Toronto University
- Tuition fee: $42,000
The University of Toronto is renowned for producing outstanding graduates from its health programs and enjoys high regard in the medical community.
Students can create a successful career on the basis provided by the highly regarded nursing school at the University of Toronto. Graduates of the full-time, two-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, receive the comprehensive training necessary to provide care for patients with various requirements.
The employment rate at UofT nursing is 93% after six months and 94% after two years, and the graduation rate is 96.2%.
2. University of Alberta
- Tuition fee: $29,192
Four undergraduate programs at the Edmonton-based University of Alberta lead to a BScN, including one that is a partnership with Red Deer College, Keyano College, or Grande Prairie Regional College. Any one of the three colleges offers all four years.
Students can choose to complete their fourth year at the institution where they started their degree, but they must apply to the University of Alberta after their third year.
Other choices for the RN program include a bilingual BScN degree offered in association with Faculté Saint-Jean, a BScN Honors degree for individuals interested in research, and an After Degree Program for those who already possess a university degree in any field of study.
3. McMaster University
- Tuition fee: $46,043
Established in 1946, the School of Nursing at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, joined the Faculty of Health Sciences in 1974 after moving into the McMaster University Medical Center.
In Hamilton, Halton, Brantford, Niagara, and the nearby communities, nursing students complete clinical placement experiences.
The four-year degree program is provided in association with Mohawk College and Conestoga College, and neighbourhood teaching hospitals and community health settings provide chances for clinical training.
Basic, accelerated, and post-diploma RPN streams are available for the McMaster Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
4. University Of British Columbia
- Tuition fee: $42,883
The Faculty of Applied Science at the University of British Columbia houses the school of nursing among other healthcare professionals from dentistry, pharmacy, nutrition science, occupational therapy, and pharmacy. Universities all across the world are officially partnered with it.
Informatics is taught by faculty members, who also advise the Ministry of Health’s health authorities. Along with Provincial Health Services Authority, clinical partners include Providence Health Care, Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, and Fraser Health.
You can earn a BSN through the UBC School of Nursing’s accelerated program.
5. McGill University
- Tuition fee: $26,430
Since 1920, the Montreal-based Ingram School of Nursing at McGill has been training nurses. It provides five formal programs with modifications at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels to match students’ educational backgrounds and specific interests.
Students pursue their education in the network of community health centres and teaching hospitals run by McGill.
There are three bachelor’s degree options available, one of which, the Bachelor of Nursing (Integrated) Online, is available to students who already hold a CEGEP nursing diploma and will welcome its first cohort in September 2021.
All classes for that program are online, except the clinical ones.
6. University of Dalhousie
- Tuition fee: $25,290
The Faculty of Health Professions at Dalhousie houses the School of Nursing, founded in 1949. With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) degree, students can earn their nursing degree locally, nationally, or internationally in three years for direct entrance students or two years for students with advanced standing.
The degree can be finished at Halifax or Yarmouth, both in Nova Scotia.
The BScN (Arctic Nursing) program, which is provided in association with Nunavut Arctic College, is open to residents of Nunavut.
Additionally, graduate-level programs are offered, such as the Certificate in RN Prescribing, Master of Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing degrees.
7. Western University
- Tuition fee: $52,735
Students have access to a learning environment that stresses research, community involvement, and the newest advancements in medical care at Western University’s Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing in London, Ontario.
For nursing practitioners to succeed, they need the education and training that Western University’s School of Nursing has been a major contributor to over the past 100 years.
With its origins in public health, the school has developed into a global leader in cutting-edge health professional education, research, practice, and policy.
8. Queen’s University
- Tuition fee: $21,858
The nursing school at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, has been around for more than 75 years and has a reputation for excellence in a small community that offers students a variety of placement choices ranging from hospitals to prisons.
Queen’s ensures the nursing degree curriculum is up to date-and pertinent as a research-intensive university. It offers possibilities for interprofessional learning and is a component of Queen’s Faculty of Health Sciences.
The four-year Bachelor of Nursing Science curriculum includes practical learning experiences in a variety of clinical settings, such as the School of Nursing Simulation Lab and the GSK Clinical Education Centre.
9. Victoria University
- Tuition fee: $435,000
The University of Victoria provides a Bachelor of Science in Nursing as an undergraduate degree and two graduate degrees—A master of Nursing and a PhD in Nursing.
The School of Nursing, which is a component of the Faculty of Human and Social Development, offers the chance to make academic linkages through the Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health and the Centre for Addictions Research of BC.
Other connections exist between the Ministry of Health, Fraser Health Authority, Northern Health Authority, Island Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, and these organizations regarding research and practice.
10. University of Memorial
- Tuition fee: $11,491
As the only university in Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial is considered one of the best in Canada for research.
The Memorial University Faculty of Nursing, Centre for Nursing Studies, and Western Regional School of Nursing, both in St. John’s and Memorial University in Corner Brook, all offer the four-year BN joint program.
The same curriculum is provided at all three locations, and they incorporate cutting-edge instructional techniques with real-world applications.
To be evaluated for people skills, candidates must pass an online test (CASPer).
11. University of New Brunswick
- Tuition fee: $10,244
For more than 50 years, the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Nursing has trained registered nurses and has a track record of doing internationally acclaimed research.
In addition to a two-year Advanced Standing program in Moncton for students with at least 60 credits of university coursework and a cumulative GPA of 3.0, the university provides a four-year Bachelor of Nursing degree at its Fredericton campus.
Also check: Best Universities To Study Engineering In USA
The Nurses Association of New Brunswick and the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing both accredit the nursing program at the University of New Brunswick.
Elective courses on Indigenous perspectives on health and wellness, cultural awareness workshops, and collaborations with First Nations communities are all features of the Indigenous Nursing program Nutsihpiluwewicik, which offers community health nursing experience in an Indigenous community.
12. Saskatchewan University
- Tuition fee: $8,895
In 1938, the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Nursing was founded as a department inside the School of Medical Sciences. The University of Saskatchewan offers two programs leading to nursing degrees.
The University of Saskatchewan’s pre-professional year is followed by three years of nursing school in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
The first year lays the groundwork for the nursing program and consists of humanities, natural, social, and health sciences courses.
13. York University
- Tuition fee: $16,206
Students in York University’s joint four-year honours nursing program can complete their first two years at Seneca or Georgian College and their third and fourth years at the university’s Keele campus.
In addition to gaining significant practicum and clinical experience, students will master research and critical thinking techniques.
In each year of education, students in the collaborative program complete around 1,400 hours of clinical practice through placements.
Additionally, York has a second-entry BScN program that You can complete in two years for individuals who already hold a degree in any field.
14. Manitoba University
- Tuition fee: $20,600
The Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba offers a three-year Bachelor of Nursing program that gives students a strong foundation in nursing knowledge, practical nursing experience, and a platform to advance their careers as nurses.
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students can prepare for admission to the Bachelor of Nursing program through the Mahkwa omushki kiim or pathway to Indigenous Nursing Education (PINE). This program combines academic and peers support.
Master of Nursing, Master of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner, and Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, are graduate-level degrees in nursing. The University of Manitoba additionally offers a Bachelor of Midwifery degree.
15. Nipissing University
- Tuition fee: $6,424
The North Bay, Ontario-based Nipissing University provides a four-year degree in collaboration with Canadore College and a three-year on-campus bridge program from the RN to the BScN.
Additionally, distance education offers a part-time, five-year blended program that allows Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
University graduates can also enrol in an expedited full-time BScN Scholar Practitioner Program, completed in Toronto over two years and offered in collaboration with the Michener Institute of Education, the University Health Network, SickKids Hospital, and Toronto Public Health.
Required Documents for Canadian Nursing Courses
Several documents are necessary for admission to nursing colleges in Canada. The following list includes some typical document specifications:
- Transcripts for all academic records
- Letter of Recommendation or LOR, or Curriculum Vitae
- IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, CAEL, and SOP result
- Statement of Purpose
- Work Experience Certificate (if applicable)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the nursing program at Canada University?
Students from all over the world are eager to enrol in Canada’s 4-year BSc Nursing program. The course lasts for four years.
Can I get scholarships in Canada for a B.Sc. in nursing?
Yes. In Canada, universities and colleges offer most of the B.Sc. nursing scholarships to international students. The scholarships range in size and pay the recipients’ full or partial tuition fees.
In Canada, is nursing a lucrative profession?
Considering the enormous demand for nurses, many people find nursing an excellent career choice. The extent and usefulness of nursing are finally recognized with Covid-19 and the harm it has endured through the years. The wide diversity of nursing programs offered in Canada is due to this.
What is the scope of a BSc in nursing in Canada?
The scope of a BSc in nursing is enormous in Canada, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, which has resulted in a sharp rise in the demand for qualified workers in the medical industry. The demand for qualified nurses has expanded, and students can choose from a variety of work profiles in the industry. It would be best if you thought about the following profiles:
- Military Nursing
- Medical Adviser
- Holistic Nurse
- Forensic Nurse
- Medical Journalist
- Research Nurse
- Supplemental Nurse
- Nursing Travel
Conclusion
One profession that will likely keep people believing in humanity is nursing. Inquisitive overseas students have a fantastic chance in front of them because of Canada’s expanding nursing requirements.
So, if you’re considering studying nursing in Canada, take note of the above points and move forward with courage.
