Bachelor of Science in Nursing

High school requirements

You need to have a minimum 75% average in five subjects, with no grade below a 60%. The subjects include:

• English 30-1 (65% or higher is required)
• Biology 30
• Chemistry 30 or Science 30
• One of Math 30-1, Math 30-2 or Math 31
• Subject from Group A, B or C

Mature student requirements

Mature students must be over the age of 21. You must also have an overall minimum high school average of 75% with no grade below 65% in English 30-1 and no grade below 60% in Chemistry 30 or Science 30, and Biology 30.

Applicants with post-secondary credits

Students with post-secondary educational credits will be rank ordered using the required high school courses and the last relevant 24 credits of post-secondary work: 60% of the GPA is derived from high school and 40% of the GPA is derived from relevant post-secondary courses.

Applicants of Aboriginal ancestry

Five positions per year are made available in the Nursing program for qualified applicants of Indigenous ancestry. If qualified applicants of Indigenous ancestry are not admitted by April 15, the positions may be filled with students of non- Indigenous ancestry. Aboriginal ancestry is defined within the Constitutional Act of 1982, Section 35, Subsection 2. According to this Constitutional Act, Aboriginal peoples of Canada include Inuit, Indian and Métis peoples of Canada (Department of Justice, Canada, 1982). 

View more information on the definition of Aboriginal ancestry.

English language proficiency

Instructors teach primarily in English. You can qualify for English Language Proficiency if you have completed three or more years of full-time education in English, including your Grade 12 year at a Canadian school or an approved school outside of Canada.

You can also meet proficiency requirements with accepted scores from these tests:

• TOEFL : iBT - minimum score of 86 with no score below 21
• IELTS - minimum overall score of 6.5 with no score below 5.0
• CAEL - minimum overall score of 70
• MELAB - minimum overall score of 85
• Duolingo - minimum overall score of 115
• PTE (academic) - minimum overall score of 58

Spoken language proficiency

In addition to demonstrating English Language Proficiency, applicants whose first language is not English, regardless of country of origin or citizenship, must also present Spoken Language Proficiency. Applicants who have six or more years of full-time education in English, normally including the grade 12 year or higher, in a Canadian school (or an approved school outside of Canada with accepted English proficiency) meet this requirement.

You can meet this requirement by presenting:

• Proof of six or more years of full-time education in English, including your Grade 12 year at a Canadian school or an approved school outside of Canada;
• A minimum score of 26 on the speaking band of the TOEFL:iBT;
• A minimum score of 7.5 on the IELTS speaking band;
• A minimum score of 125 on the Duolingo conversation band; or
• A minimum of 50 on the University of Alberta's Speaking Test
• addition to meeting English Language and Spoken English requirements, students must also present the appropriate coursework to meet the admission requirements as listed above.

All year 1 courses must be completed prior to entering year 2.

Note 1: An equivalent STAT (*3) course may be accepted in lieu of NURS 211.

Note 2: Open Elective to be selected from a discipline of the student's choice that transfers to the University of Alberta. It must be completed by the end of Year 3 in order to progress to Year 4.

Note 1: Any junior or senior English or Writing Studies course. Students should consult the Department of English guidelines regarding prerequisites for senior-level courses. May be taken in the Fall Term or the Winter Term.

Note 2: An equivalent STAT (*3) course may be accepted in lieu of NURS 211.

Note 3. Open Elective to be selected from a discipline of the student's choice that transfers to the University of Alberta. It must be completed by the end of Year 3 in order to progress to Year 4.