You must demonstrate successful completion of a nursing education program, approved or recognized in the jurisdiction where you completed your education.
Your nursing program must have prepared you for the category of nursing that you are applying for in Ontario: Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) or Nurse Practitioner (NP). Most applicants meet this requirement by completing a nursing program approved by CNO Council.
For more information about the process for meeting the nursing education requirement relevant to the type of nurse you are applying to register as in Ontario, click one of the links below.
| Category of Nursing |
Minimum education credential required
|
| Registered Nurse (RN) |
A baccalaureate nursing degree approved or recognized in any jurisdiction |
| Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) |
A practical nursing diploma approved or recognized in any jurisdiction |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) |
An approved Ontario university NP program in the specialty for which you are applying |
If you do not have the required nursing credential, CNO will assess your foundational nursing education and any additional nursing programs you may have completed, to determine whether your education is substantially equivalent to that of an approved Ontario program.
"Substantially Equivalent" means applicants educated outside of Ontario have received nursing education that provides them with the nursing knowledge, skill and judgment to enter practice in Ontario. Read more about substantial equivalence.
“I have a medical degree. Does that meet the nursing education requirement?”
No. If you were trained as a doctor, midwife, medical technician or any health professional other than nurse, then your education will not be taken into consideration, even if that education allowed you to carry out the duties of a nurse in your home country. Applicants who cannot provide evidence of nursing education will not be permitted to proceed with their application until they can demonstrate successful completion of a nursing program that meets the education requirement.
Nursing competencies
Competencies are the building blocks of nursing practice. They are the behavioural actions that require a nurse to bring their depth of knowledge, skill and judgment to their role, allowing them to safely practice and adapt to changes in a health-care environment.
CNO has prepared three documents that list the competencies that all applicants, depending on the type of nurse they're applying to be, must demonstrate upon entry to practice in Ontario:
When CNO considers if your program meets Substantial Equivalence, it assesses your foundational nursing education from your original nursing program, and any additional nursing programs, to determine if your education included the critical competencies that make up the RN or RPN Education Pathways.
If an assessment of your education finds that your program is substantially equivalent, then you will meet the Education requirement and be eligible to write the registration exam.
If an assessment identifies that your education does not meet substantial equivalence, then you may choose from options that best suit you to meet the substantial equivalence requirement.
“I have a nursing diploma that allows me to practice as an RN in my home country. Will that meet the nursing education requirement for RN applicants?”
No, to meet the nursing education requirement, RN applicants must have a minimum of a baccalaureate nursing degree.
Opening an RPN application is an option for some RN applicants in this situation; a minimum of a diploma is required of an Ontario RPN applicant.
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