Diploma in Practical Nursing is a diploma in Nursing programme offered by Conestoga College in Kitchener, Canada. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 16,933 per year (CAD 3,437 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Nursing
Duration: 2 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 3,437 / year
International tuition: CAD 16,933 / year
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Practical Nursing is a two-year, career-focused Ontario College Diploma delivered in hybrid format at Conestoga's Kitchener - Doon campus. Built on scientific theory from nursing, the physical and psychosocial sciences and humanities, the program teaches person-centred care in context through real-life, work-integrated learning experiences, with special attention to seniors care for an aging population. Graduates seeking to work as practical nurses in Ontario must register with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Domestic entry: an OSSD or equivalent, or mature-student standing at 19 or older, together with Grade 12 English (C or U) or Conestoga's Preparatory Communications (COMM1251); Grade 12 Mathematics (C or U) or Preparatory Mathematics (MATH1420); Grade 11 or 12 Biology (C or U) or Preparatory Biology (SCIE1010) at 75% or better; and Grade 11 or 12 Physics or Chemistry (C or U), Grade 11 or 12 Science (SNC3M or SNC4M), or Preparatory Chemistry (SCIE1030). Biology is recommended to have been finished within the five years before the start date. Selection is competitive: an academic strength figure is averaged from the required subjects, ten marks are added for each Advanced, OAC, U, U/C or post-secondary course counted, and completed health-related post-secondary credentials are weighed alongside it; minimum cut-offs may apply. Before any clinical placement a student must supply a full immunisation record covering MMR, Tdap, varicella and hepatitis B, 2-step TB testing, Standard First Aid and CPR at BLS level completed in Canada, and a vulnerable sector police check done in Canada and clear of unpardoned offences; respirator fit testing plus seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccination may also be demanded by the placement site. Placements are assigned from the enrolled campus, normally within about an hour's drive, and students arrange and pay for their own travel. International applicants: Conestoga lists this program at the higher degree-level English minimums - IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 88 with no skill below 22, PTE Academic 58, or Duolingo 120. Anyone holding transcripts from outside Canada, Canadian citizens and permanent residents included, needs a course-by-course credential evaluation from a service such as ICAS or WES, and must show English proficiency if the language of instruction was not English.
Application Details
Start Date:September and January
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca (college code CONS): for the Fall 2027 intake the online application opens 26 September 2026, the equal consideration date is 1 February 2027, offers may be issued from 1 November 2026, and accepted offers must be confirmed by 1 May 2027; most oversubscribed programs stop accepting applications after 1 February 2027, though many programs remain open afterward. Conestoga does not publish a separate equal-consideration date for its January intake. International applicants apply directly to Conestoga and are assessed on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis until each program fills; no fixed international closing date is published. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
