We are proud to welcome international students from around the world to our diverse and inclusive learning community.
Thank you for choosing Northern! We are thrilled you’d like to pursue your studies with us.
Here you will find more information on programs, how to apply, and what to expect for your studies at Northern College.
Admission requirements, including English proficiency, and other important information for each program, can be found on specific program pages.
When you are ready to apply, go to OCAS International to submit your documentation so we can review your application.
Browse Program Availability on OCAS
Step 1: Apply through OCAS International.
A non-refundable application fee of $100 will apply.
Submit the following documents with your OCAS application:
Note: Documents submitted to OCAS for education completed outside of Canada must be notarized copies. A certified English translation must be accompanied if the original documents are not in English.
If you have any questions about applying, please contact admissions@northern.on.ca.
Apply on OCAS
Step 2: Accept Your Offer
Letters of Acceptance are sent directly to accepted students through the OCAS International Application Service (IAS), where you submitted your application. To proceed with your registration, please ensure you accept your offer and pay your deposit by the deadline indicated.
Step 3: Review Your Letter of Acceptance
Your Letter of Acceptance includes tuition details and registration deadlines. Please refer to the Fee Structure section for the first payment due date.
Step 4: Make a Payment to Complete Registration
Visit our Tuition & Payments page for instructions on making a payment whether from outside of Canada with Flywire or from within Canada from a Canadian Bank.
Registration deadlines and tuition information can be found on your Offer of Admission letter under the Fee Structure section for the first payment due information.
Tuition PaymentsRegistration
Programs for International Students
Learn about the programs available to international students at Northern College. Discover what fits your goals and learn about the admissions requirements to get started.
New international students from all over the world in select programs starting in eligible intakes at Northern College may be eligible to receive an entrance scholarship valued at $2,000 CAD per recipient.
Admission Requirements
To be eligible for admission to a Post-Secondary Diploma or Certificate Program you must possess the equivalent of an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and required courses as noted on specific program pages.
Equivalencies:
At Northern College, all programs and activities are conducted in English. Strong skills in writing, comprehension, and speaking are essential for academic success. International applicants for whom English is a second language must demonstrate proficiency in both spoken and written English.
Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency if:
To meet this requirement, applicants can provide: Approved Academic English Proficiency Test Results.
Submit valid test results issued within the past two years. Refer to the table below for accepted tests and minimum score requirements.
1Certificates & Diplomas: For the following programs, higher proficiency requirements apply: Instrumentation & Control Engineering Technician, Medical Laboratory Technician, Paramedic, and Practical Nursing.
2Post-Graduate Certificates: For the following programs, higher proficiency requirements apply: Emergency Management, Terrorism Pandemic, Health Care Management, and Project Management
TOEFL: Use Northern College’s Designated Institution (DI) code D925 to send test results. Contact admissions at admissions@northern.on.ca for Computer-Based and Paper-Based TOEFL requirements.
*Duolingo: Not accepted for Fitness and Health Promotion, Medical Laboratory Technician, Paramedic, Personal Support Worker, Practical Nursing, Emergency Management, Terrorism Pandemic, Health Care Management, or the BScN program.
**Oxford: Health-related programs, such as Practical Nursing, Paramedic, and Veterinary Technology, require a 7.0 with no band lower than 6.
Applicants from the following countries, meeting the specified criteria, are exempt from the English proficiency requirement:
Exempt Countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon (with GCE O and A level English courses), Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland (English curriculum), Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius (with GCE O and A level English courses), New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines (MOI*), Republic of Rwanda (MOI*), Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Sierra Leone, South Africa (English curriculum), Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
MOI means the “Medium of Instruction.” International students from countries with (MOI) are required to provide an official MOI letter from their senior high schools and/or post-secondary institutions to prove that English was the medium of instruction for their courses.
The below documents provide detailed information outlining the partnership, registration procedures, and guidance for the NC–Oxford ELLT Digital English Test, as well as the Seneca Polytechnic English Pathway Program.”
NC-Oxford ELLT Digital English Test Guidance
Seneca Polytechnic Sign English Pathway Program
New Articulation Agreement!
Northern College has established a pathway for international students to undertake English language training and preparation for post-secondary studies through Seneca’s English Language Institute.
Contact pathways@northern.on.ca for more information.
Northern College is making it easier to choose your new program by adding Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes to the program information on the college website. These CIP codes are listed on each programs page.
Please note that not all CIP codes associated with Northern’s programs are included on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility CIP code list. Additionally, IRCC’s list of eligible programs may be updated occasionally without notice.
Students and agents are encouraged to look up the CIP code for their chosen Northern College program on our website and then search this code under the “Field of Study Requirements” section on IRCC’s website to verify PGWP eligibility.
For international students who submitted their study permit application before November 1, 2024, there are no field of study requirements, but they must meet the English proficiency requirement.
For applications submitted on or after November 1, 2024, students must meet both the English proficiency requirement and graduate from an eligible field of study to qualify for PGWP.
PGWP & CIP InformationProgram List
An assessment report may be required to determine how your completed education compares to Canadian standards. Northern College accepts assessment reports from the following recognized service providers:
Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program should contact admissions@northern.on.ca to verify accepted service providers.
