Conestoga College campus
Kitchener, Canada
Photo: Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA)

Conestoga College

Kitchener·college·Est. 1967
Popular with Nepalis

$11,000

Tuition/yr

45,000

Enrollment

About Conestoga College

Conestoga College is a public applied-arts and technology college in Kitchener, Ontario, ranked Canada's best college by CourseCompare in 2025.

Conestoga College is a public polytechnic college in Kitchener, Ontario, with additional campuses in Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Brantford, Stratford, and Milton. It was designated a college of applied arts and technology and offers more than 230 programs, certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, degrees, and postgraduate certificates, across ten academic schools. In 2025, CourseCompare ranked it the best college in Ontario and Canada's top trade school.

The college is particularly strong in technology, business, health sciences, and skilled trades. Standout programs include Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, Nursing, Business Administration, Construction Engineering Technology, and a range of co-op-embedded diplomas. Conestoga has more applied degree programs than any other college outside the Greater Toronto Area, and its co-op streams are consistently ranked among Canada's best.

All campuses are located in the Waterloo Region of southwestern Ontario, a major technology and manufacturing corridor that includes the headquarters of companies like OpenText and the University of Waterloo research ecosystem. Total enrollment across all campuses is approximately 45,000 students, though international enrollment declined significantly after federal study-permit caps introduced in 2024.

Campus & Location

Province

Ontario

Campus setting

Urban

Cost of living: Housing: CAD 700–1,400/mo | Food: CAD 350–600/mo | Costs vary by city and lifestyle.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

PGWP 3 years for 2-year programs.

For Nepali students

Located in Waterloo-Kitchener — Canada's tech hub alongside University of Waterloo. Strong PG Diploma programs in Software Engineering Technology, Computer Systems, Business Analytics, Supply Chain. Very high grad employment rate. Popular with Nepali IT students.

  • Conestoga's diploma and postgraduate certificate programs in IT, cybersecurity, construction management, and business directly feed into occupations on Canada's in-demand list, making graduates eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) of up to three years, a clear pathway to Canadian permanent residency that is highly valued by Nepali students planning long-term migration.
  • Annual international tuition for diploma programs starts at approximately CAD 15,026 (roughly USD 11,000) per year, which is substantially lower than most Canadian universities, reducing the financial burden for students from Nepal while still granting access to co-op placements and industry connections.
  • The college offers Regional Entrance Scholarships of CAD 1,500 to CAD 3,000 open to international students based on academic performance, reducing first-year costs without requiring a separate scholarship application process.
  • Kitchener-Waterloo has a growing South Asian professional and student community, and the region's manufacturing, tech, and healthcare sectors have historically hired international graduates, giving Nepali students practical networking and employment opportunities close to campus.

Programs(8)

Bachelor of Business Administration

School of Business

Business & Management
Bachelor's~$17k/yr4 yrIELTS 6.5+septemberCo-opPGWP

PG Diploma — Cybersecurity

School of Engineering & Information Technology

Computer Science & IT
PG Diploma~$14k/yr1 yrIELTS 6+GPA 2.5+september, januaryPGWP

PG Diploma — Supply Chain Management

School of Business

Business & Management
PG Diploma~$14k/yr1 yrIELTS 6+GPA 2.5+september, january, mayCo-opPGWP

PG Diploma — Business Analytics

School of Business

Data Science & Analytics
PG Diploma~$14k/yr1 yrIELTS 6+GPA 2.5+september, january, mayPGWP

Advanced Diploma — Computer Programmer Analyst

School of Engineering & Information Technology

Computer Science & IT
Advanced Diploma~$14k/yr3 yrIELTS 6+september, january, mayCo-opPGWP

PG Diploma in Business Analytics

School of Business

Data Science & Analytics
Details
PG Diploma~$14k/yr1 yrIELTS 6+GPA 2.5+PGWP

PG Diploma in Supply Chain Management

School of Business

Business & Management
Details
PG Diploma~$14k/yr1 yrIELTS 6+GPA 2.5+PGWP

Advanced Diploma in Computer Programming

School of Information Technology

Computer Science & IT
Details
Advanced Diploma~$14k/yr3 yrIELTS 6+GPA 2.5+Co-opPGWP

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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