Practical Nursing Diploma

Academic Admission Requirements

• B.C. secondary school graduation, or equivalent (ABE, GED), or mature student status

English Requirement:

• A minimum grade 65% in one of: English 12 or equivalent, English First Peoples 12, or an equivalent Provincial Level Adult Basic Education English course.

English Language Requirement:

• Three years of full-time, face-to-face secondary or post-secondary education at an accredited institution where English is the medium of instruction and is also one of the country's official languages. English as a Second Language/Additional Language courses are not included in this three-year calculation. Those not meeting this requirement must achieve scores identified in one of the two tests below:

  Area of Proficiency	IELTS Academic	CELBAN
  Reading	6.5	8
  Listening	7.0	9
  Writing	6.5	7
  Speaking	7.0	8
  Overall	7.0

• In addition to meeting English language requirements for the Practical Nursing program, graduates must be able to demonstrate a level of proficiency required to be performance ready as a condition for registration and practice in British Columbia. See BCCNM's website for details.

Mathematics Requirement:

A minimum grade of 60% in any of:

• Pre-Calculus Grade 11
• Foundations of Mathematics Grade 11
• Principles of Mathematics 11
• Adult Basic Education MATH 011

Or a minimum grade of 60% in one of:

• Adult Basic Education IALG 011
• Both Math 084 and MATH 085

Biology Requirement:

Both:

• A minimum grade of 60% in a Grade 12 Biology course which includes human anatomy and physiology or Anatomy and Physiology 12 or an equivalent Provincial level Adult Basic Education Biology course and

• A minimum grade of 65% in Pre-Practical Nursing Anatomy and Physiology (PNUR 113) course. Please note that Biology 12 is a prerequisite for PNUR 113.

Selection Process 2026:

Fall Intakes

• Applications will be accepted starting at 8:30 a.m. on the first business day in October and ending no later than 4:30 p.m. on the last business day in February. Applicants will be ranked based on the grade average of the courses satisfying the Grade 11 Math, Grade 12 English, and Grade 12 Biology admission requirements.
• Applicants enrolled in Grade 12 or Grade 12 upgrading are required to submit final or interim grades by 4:30 p.m. on the last business day in February.
• The ranking of applications will take place in March and successful applicants will be notified by early April. Once the ranking has been completed, the limited number of seats in the program will be filled by offers of admission and all others will be put on a waitlist in order of their ranking. Students offered admission will be given a deadline to accept the offer by payment of the Admissions deposit. Those who do not accept their offer by the deadline specified will be cancelled and the seat offered to the next ranked person on the list.

Winter Intakes

• Applications will be accepted starting at 9 a.m. on the first business day in April and ending no later than 4:30 p.m. on the last business day in July. Applicants will be ranked based on the grade average of the courses satisfying the Grade 11 Math, Grade 12 English, and Grade 12 Biology admission requirements.
• Applicants enrolled in Grade 12 or Grade 12 upgrading are required to submit final or interim grades by 4:30 p.m. on the last business day in July.
• The ranking of applications will take place in August and successful applicants will be notified by early September. Once the ranking has been completed, the limited number of seats in the program will be filled by offers of admission and all others will be put on a waitlist in order of their ranking. Students offered admission will be given a deadline to accept the offer by payment of the Admissions deposit. Those who do not accept their offer by the deadline specified will be cancelled and the seat offered to the next ranked person on the list.

Selection Process 2027:

• This program admits on First Qualified, First Accepted basis. Once an applicant meets all admission requirements, or shows they are enrolled in the required courses, offers are made in the order applicants qualify until the program is full. High-school students can submit interim transcripts showing they’re registered in required courses; students upgrading their courses can submit proof of enrolment; you may receive a conditional offer pending your final official transcript.

Other Admission Requirements:

• A criminal record check clearance from the B.C. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General's Criminal Records Review Office. Okanagan College's admission offices will provide applicants with instructions for applicants to submit to the Solicitor General's Office and a deadline for the College to receive the clearance letter. Applicants should only initiate their criminal record check when instructed by Admissions. Failure to provide a clearance letter by the deadline will result in a cancellation of the applicant's admission application.

Program Pre-practice Requirements:

• CPR level 'C'
• Either Red Cross Standard First Aid or St. John Ambulance Standard First Aid
• Current immunization as required by clinical partner sites and recommended by BC Centre for Disease Control (2009): diphtheria and tetanus, polio, hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), varicella, and influenza.
• Negative Tuberculosis skin test or chest x-ray no more than 6 month before the date of application or adequate follow-up in the case of a positive test
• Successful completion of all the B.C. Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum (PVPC) including the 8-hour in-person classroom course.

There may be additional fees associated with other admission and program pre-practice requirements. These requirements are usually completed outside of regular class time. Students are responsible for submitting appropriate documentation by the due dates provided. The admissions office and/or department chair will provide further instructions. Students may proceed into clinical practice education experiences only after successful completion of ALL the program pre-practice requirements.

A minimum of 50% of the program must be completed through OC including completion of all semester 3 and 4 courses including practicum and preceptorships.