Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) campus
Halifax, Canada
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Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)

Halifax·college·Est. 1996

$13,000

Tuition/yr

8,000

Enrollment

About Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)

Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) is a publicly funded college with 14 campuses across Nova Scotia, offering over 130 career-focused programs in trades, health, technology, and business.

Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) is a publicly funded polytechnic-style institution established in 1988, operating 14 campuses across Nova Scotia with its main campus at the Institute of Technology in Halifax. It enrolled approximately 11,052 students in credential programs in 2024-25, with over 20,000 students accessing its full course offerings annually.

NSCC offers more than 130 diploma, advanced diploma, certificate, and graduate certificate programs through five academic schools: Business and Creative Industries; Health and Human Services; Technology and Environment; Trades and Transportation; and Access, Education and Language. The college runs four specialized institutes covering nautical studies, fisheries, aviation, and geomatics, the Centre of Geographic Sciences in Lawrencetown is recognized as Canada's largest geomatics-focused learning environment. An annual graduate survey consistently shows 92% employment within one year of graduation.

NSCC campuses are distributed across rural and urban Nova Scotia, with major locations in Halifax, Dartmouth, Truro, Sydney, and Kentville. The college provides the majority of trades apprenticeship training in the province and has appeared on Canada's top 50 Research Colleges list for five consecutive years. It is not ranked by QS, Times Higher Education, or Shanghai rankings, as these cover degree-granting universities rather than community colleges.

Campus & Location

Province

Nova Scotia

Campus setting

Suburban

Cost of living: Housing: CAD 750–1,200/mo | Food: CAD 340–550/mo | Affordable Maritime city.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

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

For Nepali students

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is one of the fastest PR pathways in Canada. Nova Scotia offers additional provincial support for settlement. NSCC is strong in IT, Business, Health Sciences, and Skilled Trades across 13 campuses.

  • NSCC's one-to-two year diploma programs in practical nursing, pharmacy technician, cybersecurity, and trades are directly aligned with Canada's recognized labour shortage occupations, making graduates competitive for permanent residency pathways under Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) and Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), both of which prioritize Atlantic Canada graduates.
  • International tuition is approximately C$12,860 per year (roughly USD $9,800 at current rates), placing NSCC at a significantly lower cost tier than Canadian universities, total annual costs including mandatory fees run C$14,000-15,000 before living expenses, which is manageable relative to other study destinations.
  • The NSCC Foundation distributes over C$5 million annually in scholarships, bursaries, and awards open to international students; Nepali students should check the NSCC Student Awards Portal (nscc.academicworks.ca) each academic year for current opportunities.
  • Graduates from PGWP-eligible NSCC programs can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit of up to three years; however, following IRCC rule changes in November 2024, only programs in designated fields of study qualify, Nepali applicants must confirm PGWP eligibility for their specific program before applying, as approximately half of NSCC's international student intake was affected by these changes.

Programs(2)

PG Diploma — Information Technology

School of Information Technology

Computer Science & IT
PG Diploma~$12k/yr1 yrIELTS 6+GPA 2.5+septemberPGWP

Diploma — Business Administration

School of Business

Business & Management
Diploma~$11k/yr2 yrIELTS 6+september, januaryPGWP

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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Uses published minimum requirements. Final decisions are always at the university's discretion. Use our GPA converter to get your score on the 4.0 scale.

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Data last verified: 2026-06-18 · Source: https://www.nscc.ca. Information may change — verify with Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)’s official website before applying.
Study at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) | Nepali Students Guide · Studination