Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology is a diploma in Biomedical & Laboratory Sciences programme taught at Nova Scotia Community College in Halifax, Canada. The programme runs for 3 years. Tuition is CAD 3,800 per year for local students.
Medical Laboratory Technology at Nova Scotia Community College is a three-year diploma that trains students to perform laboratory testing and investigation related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease across specimens such as blood, body fluids, and tissue. Core subject areas include clinical microbiology, hematology, transfusion medicine, clinical chemistry, and histology. Mandatory clinical placements take place across a variety of settings, including work placements within Nova Scotia Health and the IWK Health Centre, with multiple practicums spanning different laboratory disciplines. The program combines campus-based instruction, hands-on laboratory work, and clinical practicums at the Ivany Campus. It suits students who can work both independently and as part of a team in a busy laboratory environment, have fine motor control and manual dexterity, and are prepared for shift work, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, once in professional practice.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Nova Scotia Community College requires a High School Graduation Diploma or equivalent, including a minimum 70% in Grade 12 Academic Biology, English and Math, and a minimum 80% in Grade 12 Academic Chemistry; applicants short a credit can complete it through the Academic and Career Connections program. No standardized English test score is published for this programme, though excellent oral, written and comprehension skills in English are stated as required; NSCC's institution-wide proficiency requirement (IELTS Academic 6.0 minimum per band, TOEFL iBT 80 overall, Duolingo 115 overall with no subscore below 95, CAEL Band 60, or PTE Academic 55) applies where proficiency must be demonstrated. Admission is competitive: applicants must complete a CASPer assessment, applications must be complete by May 1 for the fall intake, and the programme pass mark is 70%. This programme is not open to international applicants. A criminal record check, vulnerable sector check, immunization records and First Aid/CPR certification are required for clinical placement and graduation.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic (Canadian and permanent resident) applicants apply directly to NSCC on a first-come, first-served basis with no fixed opening or closing date; because many of the college's 140+ programmes fill quickly, applicants are advised to apply as early as possible. International admissions run on a fixed annual cycle: the 2026/27 academic year's international deadline was 1 April 2026 and that intake is now closed, with the college stating international applications will re-open in late September 2026 for a future intake. NSCC has not yet published a firm international deadline for the next (2027/28) academic year, so domestic admission is rolling while international admission follows an annual deadline once applications reopen. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
