College of the North Atlantic (CNA) campus
St. John's, Canada
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College of the North Atlantic (CNA)

St. John's·college·Est. 1963

$11,500

Tuition/yr

9,000

Enrollment

About College of the North Atlantic (CNA)

College of the North Atlantic is Newfoundland and Labrador's only public college, offering applied certificates, diplomas, and degrees across 17 campuses province-wide.

College of the North Atlantic (CNA) is the only public college in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and one of the largest post-secondary institutions in Atlantic Canada. Founded in its consolidated form in 1997, it operates 17 campus locations across the province, with its headquarters in Stephenville and a major campus in St. John's on Prince Philip Drive. The college serves approximately 7,000 full-time students each academic year.

CNA offers nearly 100 full-time programs spanning certificate, diploma, and applied-degree levels across five broad areas: Engineering Technology, Health Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Natural Resources and Industrial Trades, and Applied Arts. Fifty of its programs qualify graduates for Canada's Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), spanning fields such as computer systems and networking, engineering technology, health sciences, and skilled trades. The college also maintains an Office of Applied Research and Innovation with specialized labs for emerging technology areas.

The St. John's campus sits in the capital city of Newfoundland and Labrador, a compact and affordable city on Canada's east coast. CNA's international enrolment has grown sharply in recent years, rising from 66 international students in 2017 to over 671 by 2023, reflecting growing interest from South and West Asian students seeking applied-skills education in Canada at a lower cost than at larger universities.

Campus & Location

Province

Newfoundland

Campus setting

Suburban

Cost of living: Housing: CAD 650–1,000/mo | Food: CAD 320–500/mo | Affordable Newfoundland city.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

PGWP 3 years for 2-year programs. Atlantic Immigration Program.

For Nepali students

Newfoundland and Labrador AIP offers faster PR pathway. Very affordable province — lowest rent in Atlantic Canada. CNA has 17 campuses across Newfoundland. Strong in IT, Business, Engineering Technology, and Health.

  • CNA's diploma and certificate programs carry lower tuition than most Canadian universities, approximately CAD $9,000–$9,400 per year for international students in Engineering Technology or Health Sciences, making it one of the more affordable public pathways into the Canadian credentials market for cost-sensitive Nepali families.
  • Fifty CNA programs qualify graduates for Canada's Post-Graduation Work Permit, allowing Nepali graduates to work in Canada for up to three years after completing their studies, which is a direct route to Canadian Permanent Residency through programs like Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) or Canadian Experience Class.
  • CNA's hands-on, applied-skills focus in areas such as computer networking, heavy equipment technology, and health sciences aligns well with demand-driven sectors in Canada, where Nepali students seeking practical employment outcomes rather than purely academic credentials can benefit from shorter two-year diploma programs.
  • CNA does not offer institutional scholarships at admission for international students, but enrolled students can access a funding database; Nepali students should budget for full tuition costs and explore external sources such as provincial government bursaries and the Atlantic Immigration Program's settlement support.

Programs(2)

Diploma — Information Technology

School of Information Technology

Computer Science & IT
Diploma~$9k/yr2 yrIELTS 6+septemberPGWP

Diploma — Business Administration

School of Business

Business & Management
Diploma~$9k/yr2 yrIELTS 6+septemberPGWP

Data last verified from official sources · Disclaimer

Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents

A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:

GPA 3.060%+ in NEB +2, B+ average in Cambridge A-levels, or Second Division in a TU bachelor's degree.
GPA 3.370%+ in NEB +2 or First Division in a TU bachelor's degree.
GPA 3.675%+ in NEB +2 or First Division with Distinction in a TU bachelor's degree.
IELTS 6.5The most common graduate minimum — achievable with 2–3 months of focused preparation. IELTS 7.0+ needed for the most competitive programs.

Use our GPA converter to translate your exact score to the 4.0 scale.

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Data last verified: 2026-06-18 · Source: https://www.cna.nl.ca. Information may change — verify with College of the North Atlantic (CNA)’s official website before applying.