Practical Nursing

Academic Requirements

All applicants must satisfy both College Eligibility and Program Eligibility requirements.

College Eligibility:

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent. Applicants with an OSSD showing senior English and/or mathematics courses at the Basic Level, or with Workplace or Open courses, will be tested to determine their eligibility for admission; OR
• Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) certificate; OR
• General Educational Development (GED) certificate; OR
• Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and without a high school diploma at the start of the program). Eligibility may be determined by academic achievement testing for which a fee will be charged.

Program Eligibility:

• English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent) with a grade of 65% or higher.
• Mathematics, Grade 12 (MAP4C or equivalent) with a grade of 65% or higher.
• Biology, Grade 11 or 12 with a grade of 65% or higher.
• Chemistry, Grade 11 or 12 with a grade of 65% or higher.
• Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject-specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).
• Transcripts may be required to be evaluated by WES in some cases.

International Applicants: International applicants who meet the program eligibility requirements are required to complete preparatory courses (4-months in duration): Introduction to Canadian Health Studies (ICHS). Students who successfully complete the introduction will then proceed to their original health program of choice. The ICHS requires applicants to submit an academic IELTS score.

Clinical Placement Eligibility: Agencies that provide placement opportunities require you to have a clear Police Records Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector (PRCSVS). If you register in the program without a clear PRCSVS and as a result are unable to participate in placement, you will not be able to graduate. A clear PRCVS is required annually, and more often if requested by the clinical agencies. Successful completion of clinical placement is a requirement for graduation from the Practical Nursing program.

Accepted applicants must be in good health and complete a Health Assessment form providing information related to medical and non-medical requirements. Annual requirements include TB testing, the influenza vaccine, CPR Level C re-certification, and a Police Records Check for service with the Vulnerable Sector. These are required prior to clinical commencement. Should there be a delay in starting the clinical placement, program progression could be negatively impacted.

To be eligible for placement, you must submit proof of a clear PRCSVS, which will be retained on your departmental file and used only for purposes related to your placement. You will be required to disclose the contents of the PRCSVS, including all notations, to the placement agencies.

It is your responsibility to obtain the PRCSVS from your local Police Department prior to the deadline identified by your Department and to pay any associated costs. It may take a long time to obtain this documentation; please submit your application as early as possible. For any clarification and support, please contact LOA Portal's advisors.

Accepted English Language Proficiency Tests & Scores for International Students

At LOA Portal, we understand the importance of meeting English language requirements for your academic journey. For the Practical Nursing program, the following English language proficiency tests are accepted:

• IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band
• TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT)-overall 88, with a minimum of 22 in each component: Reading 22; Listening 22; Speaking 22; Writing 22;
• Duolingo English Test (DET) Overall 120, minimum of 120 in Literacy and no score below 105.

Applicants can be exempt from taking a test or the EAP Program if they meet any of the conditions listed on our website. Please check with our team for more details.

DISCLAIMER: The information above is subject to change. For the latest updates, please contact LOA Portal's advisors. The listed minimum requirements are a guideline and do not guarantee admission. Do not worry, we will notify you of any changes during the application process.