Are you interested in pursuing a nursing career abroad? Canada offers nursing education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with programs that combine academic study, simulation, research, and clinical practice. Students from around the world consider continuing their nursing studies in Canada. You can learn more about these top nursing schools in this article.
Top Schools Offering Nursing Programs in Canada
1. University of Calgary
The University of Calgary Faculty of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate nursing education. Its 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is designed to take approximately 3.25 to 3.5 years for students entering directly from high school while maintaining the clinical practice hours required by the previous Bachelor of Nursing curriculum.
Graduate options include course-based and thesis-based Master of Nursing programs, a PhD in Nursing, and an online Doctor of Nursing program. The programs support advanced nursing practice, research, education, health policy, and leadership.
2. Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University offers undergraduate and graduate nursing programs through its School of Nursing. Its graduate options include Master of Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and PhD programs.
Registered nurses with relevant experience may consider the Master of Nursing in Advanced Practice, Mental Health and Addictions. This 30-credit program consists of 10 courses and can be completed in two years of full-time study or three years of part-time study. It includes 250 clinical practice hours in mental health or addictions settings and is available through a combination of online, distance, and on-site learning.
3. Western University
The Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at Western University offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral nursing education. Its direct-entry Bachelor of Science in Nursing program consists of eight semesters completed over approximately 43 months, or 3.5 years, including a summer term in the final year.
Students who have completed at least two years of university education and the required prerequisite courses may be eligible for the 19-month Compressed Time Frame program. Western also offers separate compressed pathways for eligible registered practical nurses and licensed practical nurses.
4. University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa School of Nursing offers nursing education in English and French. Its Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing is structured as a four-year program. However, applicants should review the current admissions information carefully because the university lists some undergraduate routes, including the collaborative and second-entry pathways, as suspended until further notice.
Graduate options include a Master of Science in Nursing, nurse practitioner pathways, and a PhD in Nursing. The PhD is listed as a 48-month distance program, while admission to its in-person format is suspended until further notice.
5. Queen’s University
The School of Nursing at Queen’s University in Kingston offers undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. Undergraduate students can pursue the standard Bachelor of Nursing Science or the two-year, full-time Accelerated Standing Track, which includes a summer term and leads to the same degree.
Graduate options include course-based and thesis-based Master of Nursing Science programs, a two-year Master of Nursing–Nurse Practitioner program, a nurse practitioner graduate diploma, and a PhD in Nursing delivered through a blend of online and in-person learning.
6. University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia School of Nursing was established in 1919 and developed the first university degree program in nursing in the Commonwealth.
Its current Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an intensive 20-month program for applicants who have already completed the required transferable, non-nursing university credits. The curriculum combines nursing theory, clinical learning, laboratory work, simulation, and experience in health care and community settings.
Graduate options include the Master of Science in Nursing, the Master of Nursing–Nurse Practitioner, and full-time or part-time PhD pathways. Applicants should consult the official admissions pages for current academic prerequisites, nursing-registration conditions, and application components.
7. University of Toronto
The University of Toronto offers undergraduate and graduate nursing education through the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing.
The faculty was named for Lawrence S. Bloomberg following a major gift announced in 2007, making it Canada’s first named faculty of nursing.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a full-time, accelerated two-year program. At the end of the second year, students complete an 11-week continuous integrative clinical practicum designed to consolidate their nursing knowledge and practical skills.
Further study options include Master of Nursing programs, a PhD in Nursing, a professional Doctor of Nursing, post-master’s nurse practitioner education, and collaborative specializations.
8. University of Alberta
The University of Alberta offers several Bachelor of Science in Nursing pathways, including the collaborative program, an honors pathway, a bilingual program, and an after-degree program.
The collaborative BScN can be completed at the University of Alberta’s North Campus or through partner institutions that currently include Red Deer Polytechnic, Keyano College, and Northwestern Polytechnic. These institutional names replace the former names Red Deer College and Grande Prairie Regional College.
The Faculty of Nursing traces its university nursing education to 1923. It reports establishing the first graduate nursing program in Western Canada in 1975 and Canada’s first fully funded nursing PhD program in 1991. The faculty also maintains an Indigenous Nursing Initiative intended to support Indigenous students and strengthen engagement with Indigenous communities.
9. McMaster University
The School of Nursing at McMaster University in Hamilton serves more than 2,000 students across its undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. Its Bachelor of Science in Nursing education is delivered in partnership with Mohawk College and Conestoga College.
Undergraduate pathways include a four-year basic stream, a 20-month accelerated stream completed over five consecutive terms, and a three-year post-RPN stream for eligible registered practical nurses. Graduate options include course-based and thesis-based Master of Science programs, nurse practitioner education, and a PhD in Nursing.
10. McGill University
McGill University offers undergraduate and graduate nursing programs through the Ingram School of Nursing, where education is informed by a strengths-based approach.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing takes approximately three to four years, including summer sessions, depending on a student’s previous education. It is distinct from the Bachelor of Nursing (Integrated), which is designed for eligible graduates of Quebec’s nursing diploma program.
The Bachelor of Nursing (Integrated) is offered in on-campus and online formats. The online format welcomed its first cohort in September 2021. Most coursework is completed virtually, but clinical courses and placements are conducted in person.
Graduate offerings include Master of Science (Applied) programs, nurse practitioner education, and a PhD in Nursing. The Advanced Nursing master’s program offers concentrations in Advanced Practice Nursing, Nursing Services Administration, and Global Health.
The Global Health Concentration is supported by the Global and Indigenous Health Nursing Committee rather than a separate academic department. The committee promotes the study of nursing and health through global, Indigenous, equity, and social-justice perspectives.
We hope this overview of nursing schools in Canada helps you compare your options. Before applying, confirm the current curriculum, admission route, professional-registration requirements, tuition, and application deadlines directly with the university. Learn more by visiting our Study in Canada page. You can also explore currently available programs through theAvailable Courses for International Students.
