What Grade 12 Courses Do You Need for Nursing in Canada?

Nursing is one of the most in demand and most competitive university programs in Canada, and the course requirements catch a lot of students off guard. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) has a specific set of required Grade 12 courses, and skipping even one can close the door before you apply. Choosing the right Grade 12 courses for nursing early is the single best thing you can do to keep your options open.

Here is exactly what you need, plus what to expect from the competition, so you can plan your high school OSSD credits the right way.

The required course set

Most Ontario BScN programs require the same four Grade 12 courses. Plan on all of these:

• Grade 12 English
• Grade 12 Biology
• Grade 12 Chemistry
• A Grade 12 U-level math, most often Advanced Functions

You also need your Ontario Secondary School Diploma and six Grade 12 U or M courses to apply. Some universities are specific about which math they want, so always check the exact math requirement for each program on your list.

This is the biggest difference from a program like psychology, where the arts route asks for very little math or science. Nursing gives you no such flexibility. Biology and Chemistry are almost always mandatory.

The averages are high

Meeting the course requirements is only the starting point. Nursing is a limited enrolment program at nearly every university, which means offers go to the strongest applicants and the cut-off average sits well above the stated minimum.

To put it in perspective, recent competitive averages for Ontario nursing programs have reached the high 80s and above. Numbers like that are common across the more sought-after programs, and they shift from year to year with demand. A student aiming for nursing should be targeting strong marks in every one of the required courses, not just a pass.

Some programs ask for more than grades

Several nursing programs add steps beyond your transcript. A few examples of what you might encounter:

• A Casper situational judgement assessment, used alongside your grades in the selection decision
• A written personal statement or supplementary application
• In some cases, an interview

If a nursing program is on your list, check its admissions page early so none of these extra steps surprise you close to the deadline.

University BScN is not the only path

Most of this guide focuses on the university BScN, which leads to registration as a registered nurse. It is worth knowing there is another route. Ontario colleges offer Practical Nursing programs that lead to work as a registered practical nurse, and these often have lighter Grade 12 prerequisites and lower entry averages than a university BScN. If the competitive BScN averages feel out of reach right now, a college pathway can be a strong start, and many students later bridge from practical nursing into a BScN. Check each college’s own requirements, since they differ from the university list above.

Watch your application deadlines

Nursing often has earlier deadlines than other programs. For recent cycles, current Ontario high school students faced application deadlines in mid January, earlier than the general university timeline. Applicants who are not currently in an Ontario high school, including many international and mature students, often have a separate and slightly later deadline. Confirm both the deadline and the applicant category that applies to you on OUAC.

A note for students coming from outside Ontario

Many international education systems do not require Grade 12 Chemistry or senior math the way Ontario nursing programs do, so newcomers often arrive missing exactly the courses they need. This is common, and it is fixable.

At Royal Ontario Academy, we offer a free PLAR assessment to recognize the prior learning you already have, so you only take the credits you still need. That makes it possible to complete missing nursing prerequisites like Chemistry, Biology, and senior math online, at your own pace, while keeping your university timeline on track.

Confirm before you commit

University admission requirements change from year to year, and they differ from one university to the next. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission, because nursing is highly competitive. Always confirm the exact courses, averages, and extra steps on OUInfo or the university’s own admissions page before you finalize your course selection.

If you would like help mapping out the right Grade 12 courses for a nursing degree, reach out to us at Royal Ontario Academy. We take the time to understand your goals and help you build a course plan that gets you there.