Diploma in Practical Nursing is a diploma in Nursing programme offered by College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville, Canada. The programme runs for 5 semesters, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 4,685 per semester (CAD 2,248 per semester for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Nursing
Duration: 5 semesters
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 2,248 / semester
International tuition: CAD 4,685 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Practical Nursing at College of the North Atlantic is a diploma program delivered full-time over five semesters, totalling 1,652 hours of classroom instruction, skills labs, simulation, and clinical rotations. Coursework prepares students to deliver nursing care across multiple specialties, including long-term care, medicine, surgery, pediatrics, mental health, and community health. The program combines theoretical instruction with mandatory clinical placements in real healthcare settings. It is offered at nine campuses across the province, including Bay St. George, Burin, Carbonear, Clarenville, Corner Brook, Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and St. Anthony, all delivered on-campus. The program suits students pursuing a regulated nursing career who want broad clinical exposure across care settings rather than a single specialty focus. On completion, graduates are eligible to sit licensing exams to become Licensed Practical Nurses, working in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and community health centres. The program responds to demand for practical nurses noted as particularly significant in rural areas of the province, with new job openings expected through the years ahead.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:65.00 / %
Admission Requirements: Newfoundland and Labrador applicants need an average of 65% or more across English, Mathematics, Science and social-science/elective courses, specifically English 3201, Advanced Mathematics 3200 or Academic Mathematics 3201, Biology 2201 and 3201 or Chemistry 3202, one 3000-level Social Studies or Modern/Classical Language credit, and two further 3000-level electives; other-province applicants need an equivalent 65% average, and mature students (19+, two years out of full-time study) are assessed on academic, professional or volunteer background. Non-native English speakers must meet the School of Health Sciences' own IELTS Academic requirement: overall band 7.0, with Speaking 7.0, Listening 7.5, Reading 6.5 and Writing 7.0. Before July 31 of the intake year, accepted students must submit BLS certification, a criminal record and vulnerable-sector check, and pre-placement immunization screening.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:College of the North Atlantic accepts domestic applications on a rolling, first-come basis with no fixed opening or closing date published for any intake; the college states applications for a program remain open until it is filled, which for competitive programmes such as Practical Nursing can mean the intake closes before the term starts. International applicants apply directly to CNA; for the Fall 2026 intake the college published a closing date of 30 April 2026 (with late applications from students already holding a study permit still considered), but no equivalent Fall 2027 or Winter 2027 international date has yet been posted. Admission is therefore effectively rolling for domestic applicants and governed by a single seasonal cutoff, not yet republished, for international ones. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
