Toronto is the capital city of the province of Ontario in Canada, the most populous and the country’s financial center. The late-nineteenth-century expansion of hospital care and health services was influenced by Florence Nightingale’s efforts to establish a system for nursing education.
In 1847, the General and Marine Hospital in St. Catharines, Ontario, established the country’s first hospital-based nursing school, which catalyzed the establishment of nursing schools in large hospitals. Graduates of these nursing schools worked hard to shape nursing education into what it is today. Following World War II, a shortage of nursing care led to the development of the country’s healthcare system, with numerous nursing schools and programs established, and nursing education becoming more systematized and scientific. For the first time since the 19th century, men were encouraged to get into the profession.
In Canada, formal nursing education requires a four-year degree, with several schools offering accelerated programs that reduce the duration of the degree to two to three years. In this article, we will be looking at the educational institutions in Toronto with the best nursing programs!
Top Schools Offering Nursing Programs in Toronto
1. University of Toronto
Kathleen Russell established the university’s nursing program as Public Health Nursing in 1920. Since then, the public nursing program at the University of Toronto has been among the best in Toronto. Her contributions and insights in public health education reinforced the knowledge of leaders in administration and public health, ultimately assisting the country in preparing to combat Spanish influenza in 1919, both in medical knowledge and in the public health workforce. Russel was a driving force behind the advancement of nursing education in Canada, with the public health nursing program becoming the country’s first university-based nursing school.
In 1942, the three-year nursing program was changed to a four-year bachelor’s degree program, followed by a master’s program in 1970, and a Ph.D. program in 1991. The university pioneered a new role for nurses with the master’s program in acute care nurse practitioner in 2001, the first program of its kind in the country. Lawrence S. Bloomberg’s generous donation to the nursing school resulted in the faculty’s current name.
In Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, in their first years, local students pay US$11,213 for undergraduate, US$15,091 for master’s, and US$17,168 for doctoral tuition per year. International students pay US$50,090 in undergraduate tuition, US$36,899 in master’s tuition, and US$36,957 in doctoral tuition per year.
2. York University
York University is a high-ranking university in Canada and one of the best universities for nursing in Toronto, topping the rankings for collaborative research as well as the quality of its education and research studies. The university has two main campuses: Keele and Glendon. Its school of nursing, which is part of the faculty of health and is located on the Keele campus, is strongly opposed to racism and is committed to creating an environment that fosters a culture of respect and equity. Following the murder of George Floyd, the school actively participated in starting conversations on how to address systemic racism and discrimination.
Students can enroll in a direct nursing program or a collaborative four-year or three-year nursing program at the bachelor’s level. Tuition is US$237 per credit for domestic students and US$1,084 for international students. Master’s degrees in nursing and Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioners are pursued for two years, and Ph. D. for four years The average tuition for a master’s degree is US$1,712 for domestic students and US$6,551 for international students while the average tuition for a Ph.D. is US$1,712 for domestic students and US$6,276 for international students per year.
3. Seneca College, Toronto
Seneca College was founded in 1967 and has campuses located throughout the United States. In addition to that, Seneca College is one of the best schools for nursing in Toronto and is recognized for delivering a world-class public nursing health program in the city. The opening of the college’s campus at York University in 1999 was one of the college’s major expansions. Since then, additional campuses have been established in King, Markham, Newmarket, Yorkgate, Vaughan, Newnham, and Peterborough Aviation.
Seneca’s nursing programs are currently approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario, and its graduates are eligible to apply for registration in the country’s designated nursing councils. The bachelor of nursing program is offered in collaboration with York University and costs $7,270 per year for domestic students and $21,407 for international students.
It also provides a diploma in nursing through the practical nursing program, which is available at the King and Yorkgate campuses and costs an average of US$3,634 per year for local students. The personal support worker certificate program is available at the King and Yorkgate campuses for one year and costs US$3,183 for local students and US$15,133 for international students.
4. Centennial College
Centennial College was founded in 1966 as a community college in Warden Woods. Since then, it has expanded to five campuses in Toronto: the Ashtonbee campus, the Downsview campus, the Morningside campus, the Progress campus, and the Story Arts Center.
Nursing programs are available through the Morningside campus’s School of Community and Health Studies, which houses all health-related programs. Its facilities are first-rate, and it can host large-scale disaster simulation programs.
Centennial College is a recognized institution for nursing in Toronto due to its high-quality nursing programs in the city. Aside from its bachelor’s program, which lasts four years and costs US$7,478 per year, fast-track nursing programs are also available: Bridging to University Nursing and RN – Perioperative Nursing.
5. Ryerson University
Ryerson University was the first in the country to offer a diploma in nursing in 1964, followed by a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1980. In 2001, the university established a collaborative nursing degree program with Centennial College and George Brown College. Finally, in 2008, the nursing school was named after Daphne Cockwell in honor of her efforts and her family’s ongoing support for the school. Since then, Ryerson University has become one of the leading nursing universities in Toronto.
Local students pay an average of US$7,133 per year in tuition, while international students pay US $36,365 per year. The estimated annual tuition for local students in the Master’s program is US$6,477, and between US$16,566 and $22,152 for international students.
Look no further if you wish to settle and pursue a nursing career in Toronto, at the same time. This town will offer you the best nursing educational programs and good memories. Talk of hitting two birds with the same stone. Give it a try and you will thank us later! Good luck in your pursuit.
We hope this article on the Best Nursing Schools in Toronto was helpful. Visit our Study in Canada page for more information and the Open Courses for International Students page for more articles.
