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The Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) Competency Upgrade is a part of the Ontario government's Nursing Program Transformation in Ontario’s Colleges initiative and has been designed to offer flexible study options for working Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) who want to qualify as Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) and Registered Nurses (RNs) in Ontario.
Students who complete these courses will use the transcripts as evidence of successful completion and eligibility to write the registration exam.
NO CREDENTIAL WILL BE AWARDED for completion of these courses.
The letter provided to IENs by the CNO will outline the specific competencies that need to be addressed. The following courses have been designed to address specific competencies and provide an efficient path towards meeting the CNO’s Education Requirement.
The Pathway consists of a combination of online and in-person courses. Durham College offers all the online course options. Below is the list of stand-alone courses which students will take as needed based on competency gaps identified through their CNO assessments:
These courses are for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) who have:
Students must complete an application form, provided required documentation and recieve an admission acceptance letter in order to be registered into the IEN Competency Upgrade offering.
Click to access the IEN Pathway Initiative Admission Form
For more information regarding the CNO’s Competency Assessment Program for IENs, including language proficiency requirements, please visit their website.
Note: Please do not send documentation by mail or fax. An electronic copy of your CNO assessment letter can be emailed to us at ppladmissions@durhamcollege.ca with your completed program admission form.
Students are required to complete and submit this form to indicate that the program's admission requirements have been met.
This form must be submitted and an Admission Acceptance Letter received prior to registering for any courses.
* Students are not required to take all needed courses at one time or in one semester. Every course will have a schedule to follow. Course schedules have week to week timelines, and students should consider their personal circumstances in determining the workload that they are able to manage.
The cost of these courses is funded through the Ontario government's Nursing Program Transformation in Ontario’s Colleges initiative. Students who meet the admission requirements and are accepted into the pathway are not required to pay a tuition fee. Also, as part of the program students receive a supplies subsidy at a flat rate of $400 per course up to a maximum of $2,000 for the total program. The supplies subsidy will be processed on the course start date and paid directly to the student through an e-transfer. Note, please allow 2-3 business days for processing.