Substantial equivalency
When CNO considers your application, we look at your education credentials to determine whether you meet the critical entry-level competencies applicable to the type of nurse you want to register as (RN or RPN). We will assess:
- your original nursing program
- any additional nursing courses or programs you have completed
To meet the nursing education requirement, your education must be substantially equivalent to what you would learn in an approved Ontario nursing program.
“Substantially equivalent” means that you have received nursing education that provides you with the nursing knowledge, skill and judgment to enter practice in Ontario.
To be substantially equivalent, your education must include the critical competencies that make up the RN or RPN education pathways. If your education is not substantially equivalent, you can use one of these pathways to help you meet the education requirement or undergo an assessment of your competencies.
The competencies that form the education pathways are selected from the entry level competencies for the category of nursing you are applying to, which all nurses must demonstrate before they begin to practice.
Options for RN applicants
If your education is found to be not substantially equivalent, you have two options to meet the nursing education requirement.
- Pursue an education pathway that can help you meet the nursing education requirement. The education pathways include a transition to practice course, another theory and application course and a clinical course.
- Undertake the Registered Nurses Canadian Competency Assessment Program (RNCCAP) from the Touchstone Institute.
Options for RPN applicants
If your education is found to be not substantially equivalent, you have two options to meet the nursing education requirement.
- Pursue an education pathway that can help you meet the nursing education requirement. The education pathways include a transition to practice course, another theory and application course and a clinical course.
- Complete a Competency Assessment Supplement to show that you have the entry-level competencies required for an RPN on Ontario.