Diploma in Practical Nursing is a diploma in Nursing programme offered by George Brown College in Toronto, Canada. The programme runs for 4 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English.
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Nursing
Duration: 4 semesters
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
We have no tuition fees on record for this programme yet — see the official programme page.
— it helps other students.
The diploma teaches the groundwork skills needed for practice as a registered practical nurse in Ontario. On successful completion, graduates qualify to sit the RPN Registration Examinations for Registered Practical Nurses, marking the final step toward licensure.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent with Grade 12 English (C or U) at 70 per cent or better, Grade 11 Mathematics (M or U) or Grade 12 Mathematics (C or U) at 70 per cent, Grade 11 Biology (C or U) or Grade 12 Biology (U) at 70 per cent, and Grade 11 Chemistry (U) or Grade 12 Chemistry (C or U) at 70 per cent. Mature applicants aged 19 or over without an OSSD may sit the Admissions Assessment in English, mathematics, chemistry or biology, or upgrade to earn the credits. The English requirement must be met with the course credit: this is one of the five George Brown programs that does not accept a language test score instead. Anyone who has studied nursing before, in Canada or abroad, must submit every transcript, and domestic applicants with international transcripts need a Canadian equivalency evaluation from ICAS or WES. Only applications to the first semester are considered; there is no advanced standing, and transfer credit for nursing courses taken elsewhere is restricted and settled case by case by the School of Nursing. The grades actually required are subject to competition, and only top-ranked applicants receive seats. After accepting an offer, students must clear the clinical pre-placement package - immunisation records (Tdap, COVID-19, MMR, varicella, hepatitis B titres and a two-step TB skin test), a clear Vulnerable Sector Check renewed each year, Standard First Aid, Basic Life Support, an annual flu shot and mask fit testing - which takes 10 to 12 weeks and must reach the placement portal by the program's own deadline.
Application Details
Application Deadline:No program-specific application deadline is published; George Brown follows the standard Ontario college cycle. Domestic applicants apply through OntarioColleges.ca: for programs starting in Fall 2027 the application opened 26 September 2026, colleges may release offers from 1 November 2026, the equal consideration date is 1 February 2027, and an offer for a September start must be accepted by 1 May 2027, with the tuition deposit due in June 2027. International applicants apply directly to George Brown and are assessed on a rolling, selective basis until the intake is full; George Brown publishes no fixed international closing date, though for the 2026-27 cycle the September, January and May intakes opened 6 October 2025, 2 February 2026 and 1 June 2026 respectively. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
