Study Nursing in Canada: Scholarship Opportunities & Admission Requirements: Nursing is one of the most popular majors in Canada today due to the many benefits of this medical profession. Numerous universities rank high in his 2022 QS Nursing College Rankings, and Canada is one of the top picks for him in the nursing field.
Benefits of studying nursing include high demand for its services, job security, higher salaries, challenging and fulfilling career paths, and professional advancement. This article explains why you should study nursing in Canada, admission requirements and scholarship offers.
Nursing is recognized as a mainstay of the healthcare delivery system for many good reasons. They not only ensure smooth operation but also provide the best healthcare support services to patients. This is why the healthcare delivery system would not be complete without them.
In Canada, many educational institutions offer financial aid to nursing students to help ease the financial burden of attending a course. Students who intend to study abroad can take advantage of student loans or scholarships to study in Canada to fulfill their dream of becoming a nurse.
Why Study Nursing in Canada?
Canada is one of the best countries in the world that offers high quality nursing education, programs and education. Nursing degrees earned at Canadian universities are globally recognized and accepted. Canada has 10 universities ranked among the top 100 nursing schools in the world by the QS World Rankings 2021. Other advantages include:
- Nursing training in Canada incorporates internship into its curriculum, which will help you gain hospital and clinic experience and increase your employability status.
- 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.
Entry Requirements for Nursing Studies in Canada
If you intend to apply for a Nursing program in Canada, you must meet the entry requirements specified by the university of your choice. Though these requirements may vary between universities, it is important to take note of the general entry requirements while applying for Nursing courses in Canada:
- Applicants for a bachelor’s admission in Nursing must have completed their Secondary School or equivalent having passed Mathematics, English, Biology, and Chemistry as core subjects at 12th level.
- For master’s degree courses, the candidate must have a registered nurse license with a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing in addition to other eligibility criteria. Further, many universities also ask for at least one year of clinical experience.
- Applicants for doctoral-level programs must have obtained a master’s degree in Nursing or its equivalent.
- Applicants will be required to provide proof of Language proficiency scores of IELTS/TOEFL/PTE, etc. Also note that for PhD programs, some institutions might require GRE scores and for bachelor’s degrees, you might have to undertake CASPer exam which is considered as compulsory by many academic institutions in Canada.
Documents Requirement
The following documents may be required while applying for Nursing courses in Canada:
- Scores of Language Proficiency Test (TOEFL, IELTS)
- Official Transcripts
- Statement of Purpose
- Letters of Recommendation
- Document of CAS Per Exam for bachelor’s degree courses
- Registered Nursing license (a current RN) for master’s degree courses
- Research Paper ( in case, if you have accomplished any research) for PhD courses
How Much Does it Cost to Study Nursing in Canada?
The cost of studying nursing in Canada for International Students when compared to other countries is quite affordable especially to international students with low financial ability. Tuition fees for international students vary across universities. The average tuition fees (in Canadian dollars) for international students enrolled for nursing science in Canadian universities is shown below.
2022-2023 International Tuition Fees for nursing courses in Canada *
| Undergraduate | Graduate |
| 24,852 CD | 17,475 CD |
* Source: Statistics Canada.
Nursing Scholarships in Canada
There are numerous funding and scholarship opportunities available for students who wants to Study Nursing in Canada for Free. This opportunities are either sponsored by the Canadian Government, non-governmental organisations or the universities offering this course. Some of the nursing scholarships available to domestic and international students in Canada includes:
- The Class of 1966 Nursing Scholarship.
- University of Toronto Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing Scholarship.
- F.A. Davis Nursing Undergraduate Scholarship.
- BN Nursing Scholarship.
- National Overseas Scholarship.
- Susan Nelles Scholarship.
- Canadian Nurses Foundation Scholarship.
- StudentAid BC Nurses Education Bursary.
- General Entrance Award program for Prospective undergraduate students.
Top Universities in Canada for Nursing
Canada is home to several top ranking universities for Nursing in the world. A list of the top universities for Nursing in Canada based on the QS World University Rankings in 2021, some of the best of them that provide competitive nursing programs are:
University of Toronto
The University was founded in 1827 and has evolved into Canada’s leading institution of higher learning, discovery and knowledge creation. The university is among the world’s top research-intensive universities, which is driven by invention and innovation. The university is popular for its medical and health science courses including nursing.
McMaster University
McMaster University was founded in 1887 and is ranked in the world’s Top 75 by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. A medical-doctoral, research-intensive public university, McMaster is dedicated to advancing human and societal health and well-being.
University of British Columbia
The University boasts of over 20237 international students and is ranked among the top 40th best universities in the world. The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a centre for teaching, learning, innovation, research and is recently recognized as North America’s most international university. The university is known for standing out in the nursing science and mid-wifery, public health, and physiology.
University of Alberta
The University is one of the top five universities in Canada and ranked in the top 100 institutions in the world. Founded in 1908, The U of A has a strong history of innovative teaching and research. This has consequently built its international reputation as a leading university. It consistently fares well in global university rankings and stands out in many subject areas.
McGill University
The University is known around the globe for its excellent teaching and research programs. The University’s mission is the advancement of learning and the creation and dissemination of knowledge, by offering the best possible education, carrying out research and scholarly activities. McGill University is one of Canada’s best known institutions of higher learning and one of the leading universities in the world.
