Practical Nursing

Academic Requirements

To apply for the Practical Nursing program at Sault College, applicants must meet the following academic requirements:

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent.
• Grade 12 English (ENG4C).
• Grade 11 Foundations for College Math (C) (MBF3C).
• Grade 11 Biology (C) (SBI3C).
• Grade 12 Chemistry (C) (SCH4C) or Grade 11 Chemistry (U) (SCH3U).
• Alternatively, a minimum GPA of 2.8 in Pre-Health Sciences is acceptable.

As of September 2025, applicants must have an overall average of 70% in the required courses, although 70% is not required in each individual course.

It is important to note that this program has more applications than available seats, and applications will be ranked based on the average of the required courses. The General Educational Development (GED) is not accepted for admission.

For international students, especially those educated outside of Canada, additional admission requirements and considerations apply. Please contact LOA Portal's advisors for any clarification and support.

Transcripts may be required to be evaluated by WES in some cases.

Prerequisite courses for entry into the Practical Nursing program include:

• Grade 12 Chemistry (C) (SCH4C) or Grade 11 Chemistry (U) (SCH3U).
• Grade 11 Foundations for College Math (C) (MBF3C).

Students who have completed the Personal Support Worker program must also complete both PSW140 and PSW150 at Sault College to satisfy the Grade 11 Biology requirement. However, they will still need to meet the Chemistry and Math prerequisites.

Learning in a clinical setting is an expected part of the program and cannot be modified. Students must be able to meet the essential requirements of the program, including completing nursing care in each setting and meeting the Requisite Skills and Abilities for nursing practice in Ontario as outlined by the College of Nurses of Ontario.

Language Requirements

To be eligible for the Practical Nursing Diploma program at Sault College, applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency. The following English language tests and their respective minimum scores are accepted:

• TOEFL:
  • iBT score of 88 overall
  • CBT score of 230 overall
• IELTS Academic:
  • Score of 6.5 with no band lower than 6.0
• PTE Academic:
  • Score of 60 overall
• CAEL:
  • Overall band score of 70 and no part below 60
• Cambridge English Exam:
  • C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a Cambridge Score of 176 or more
• Duolingo:
  • Minimum score of 120, no band below 115
• Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB):
  • Level 8 for all areas: reading, writing, speaking, listening

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.