Admission requirements

Individual programs may have additional admission requirements; check the admission requirements tab on the program pages for specific details.

Acceptable documentation

• Official transcripts – You must submit your official transcript(s) for courses required for admission. We request verification of your complete academic history, including any college or university you attended
• Interim transcripts – If you’re currently enrolled in courses required for admission, you must submit an interim transcript. Your official final grades must be submitted by the deadline specified in your admission letter.
  • Transcripts must be emailed to Admissions at  by the issuing institution. Official transcripts may also be dropped off in a sealed envelope at any NSCC campus or mailed to NSCC Admissions using the address to the left.
  • If you’re a current Nova Scotia high school student, please provide your Nova Scotia student ID number (can be found on your high school transcript or in PowerSchool) when you apply. We'll retrieve your transcript on your behalf.

Notes about documentation

• All documentation (except for official French transcripts from Canadian public high schools) must be submitted in English. Documentation in a language other than English must be translated by a certified translator (indicated with a stamp or seal and signature on the document) prior to submission. The official English translation and the original version are required.
• To see equivalent international qualifications for NSCC programs requiring a high school diploma, as well as language requirements, please check Documentation and Language Requirements. Applicants using international credentials to meet admission requirements may be asked to submit documentation to an NSCC-approved credential verification service provider to be evaluated for equivalency.
• All submitted documents are recorded and shredded to protect privacy and will not be returned. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Citizenship and residency priority

We prioritize offers of admission based on citizenship and residency. Offers are made in the following order:

1. Canadian citizens and permanent residents living in Nova Scotia (i.e. applicants with a permanent mailing address in Nova Scotia).
2. Canadian citizens and permanent residents living outside Nova Scotia.
3. Individuals who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada. (If you're an international student, see how to apply.)

Language requirements

All programs are delivered in English and you may be required to demonstrate English proficiency, regardless of your country of origin or citizenship status.

You may be exempt from English language testing if you've successfully completed one of the following:

• Grade 12 in an English Canadian high school.
• Completed the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) or General Education Development (GED) credential.
• NSCC's English for Academic Purposes program.
• An approved English as an Additional Language (EAL) program at one of our partner EAL schools.
• One year of full-time study at an accredited English Canadian college or university.
• Three years of full-time study in English outside of Canada at an accredited college or university in a country where English language testing is not required, as listed on Documentation and Language Requirements.

English competency testing

If your first language isn't English, you must submit official results of one of the following English competency tests. The test date must be less than two years prior to the date your NSCC application is submitted. To be considered official, results must be sent directly to NSCC Admissions from the testing company.

• International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS Academic Test) – minimum score of 6.0 on each test (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking).
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – minimum test scores of 80 on the Internet-Based Test (TOEFL® iBT), 60 on the Paper-Delivered Test, or 550 on the Paper-Based Test. To request that scores be sent directly to NSCC, quote institution reference code 8686 on your TOEFL application.
• Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees (CanTest) – average score of 4.5.
• Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) – minimum Level 8 on each test. Canadian Language Benchmarks Placement Test (CLBPT) is not accepted.
• Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL) – minimum Band 60.
• Michigan English Test (MET) – minimum score 59.
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) – minimum test score of 55.

Programs requiring criminal record and vulnerable sector checks, and/or child abuse register searches

• Admission requirement: Criminal record and vulnerable persons checks are required for Continuing Care. We'll notify applicants when to submit completed checks. Note: A conviction or finding will prohibit admission to this program.
• Program requirement: A number of programs require a criminal record check, vulnerable sector check and/or child abuse register search to complete work placements (such as field work, internships, co-ops). Note: A conviction or finding on any of these checks may impact your ability to obtain a work placement and complete program requirements necessary to graduate.
  • Check the program requirements for your program of interest to determine if these checks are required.

Credential requirements

Some programs require a postsecondary credential (e.g. certificate, diploma or degree) for admission. To ensure your credential qualifies for assessment, it must meet a minimum number of instructional hours.

Credential	Instructional hours
Certificates	720
Diploma	1,440
Degree	2,160