Diploma in Practical Nursing is a diploma in Nursing programme offered by Holland College in Charlottetown, Canada. The programme runs for 2 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 12,399 per year (CAD 6,159 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Nursing
Duration: 2 years
Local tuition: CAD 6,159 / year
International tuition: CAD 12,399 / year
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This two-year diploma program prepares students for entry-level practical nursing careers by combining classroom theory with laboratory simulation and clinical placement experience. Coursework covers anatomy, physiology, fundamentals of nursing, pharmacology, and disease processes, building toward the clinical skills needed to care for patients across the lifespan. Students complete clinical rotations in both long-term care and acute care settings, followed by a final practicum, with placements located at various sites across Prince Edward Island. Because health-care facilities operate around the clock, students should expect shifts across early mornings, days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays during clinical and practicum components; transportation and related clinical costs are the student's responsibility. The program is based at Holland College's Charlottetown Centre, spanning the Prince of Wales and Summerside Waterfront campuses. Admission requires Grade 12 standing with specified minimums in English, biology, chemistry, and math, along with current WHMIS certification, in-person First Aid/CPR Level C training, completed immunization records, and a résumé. The diploma suits students seeking a direct path into nursing practice, and graduates become eligible to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination for licensure as a practical nurse in Prince Edward Island.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: On top of Grade 12 or equivalent with credits at or above the general level, this program requires specific Grade 12 academic English at a minimum of 70%, Grade 11 and 12 academic Biology at a minimum of 70%, Grade 12 academic Mathematics at a minimum of 65%, and Grade 12 academic Chemistry at a minimum of 70%. Applicants also need a current WHMIS certificate, in-person Standard First Aid and CPR Level C (online training is not accepted), a resume of work and volunteer experience, and completion of an immunization verification form before the program starts; a Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check is required before clinical placements, and a valid driver's licence is preferred since clinical experience can be restricted without one. English is the language of instruction: applicants whose first language is not English demonstrate proficiency with IELTS Academic 6.5 (no band below 6), TOEFL iBT 85, CAEL 60 (minimum 50 per band), PTE Academic 60, Duolingo English Test 120 (no section under 115) or Cambridge B2 First/C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency 176 (no band below 169), among other accepted tests. Intakes run in September and January across the Prince of Wales and Summerside Waterfront campuses.
Application Details
Start Date:September and January
Application Deadline:Holland College applicants of all kinds apply directly through MyDashboard rather than a shared application service. For the Fall 2027 intake, application review begins October 15, 2026 for early consideration, the competitive-program review date is February 28, 2027, and the first round of acceptance offers is sent by the end of March 2027; after February 28 later applications are still assessed as seats remain available right up to the program start date. International applicants use the same MyDashboard process and Holland College publishes no separate, fixed international closing date beyond these general review dates. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
