Durham College (Oshawa, Canada): Admission and Fees — Not Durham University

Durham College is a public college of applied arts and technology in Ontario, Canada, with campuses in Oshawa and Whitby east of Toronto. It is not Durham University in Durham, England: the two differ in country, visa, qualifications and fees. Nor is it Durham Technical Community College in North Carolina, USA. With a Russian school certificate (attestat), a Durham College diploma requires grades of at least 3 out of 5 in the required subjects and IELTS 6.0, while a bachelor's degree requires a 65% average across six subjects and IELTS 6.5. A first diploma year costs about $13,390–13,590 (CAD 19,072–19,356) in 2026/27 including mandatory fees. Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) eligibility depends on the programme: about 70 programmes are on the college's list, and Accounting – Business, for example, is not.

Durham College vs Durham University

The mix-up even appears in some agency guides, which attach Durham University's UK rankings to Durham College. The differences:

Everything below concerns the Canadian college.

Who Durham College suits

The college trains for specific careers: IT and cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, health care and practical nursing, construction and engineering technology, supply chain, early childhood education and culinary arts. Programmes are built around labs, placements and projects, and some include a paid co-op term.

Oshawa and Whitby are in the Durham Region east of Toronto, where housing is cheaper than in the city itself and commuter transit links the two. The Oshawa campus is shared with Ontario Tech University, a separate university; several Durham College diplomas have transfer pathways to it with course credit.

Durham College fits if you:

• want an applied career and work experience within one to three years;
• already have a degree and want a one-year graduate certificate, for example in cybersecurity or data analytics;
• need a budget roughly half that of a university.

Compare it with colleges inside Toronto — Centennial, George Brown, Humber — or with Fanshawe in London, Ontario. Our guide to colleges in Canada explains how colleges differ from universities, and studying in Canada covers the alternatives.

Requirements for applicants from Russia

Durham College's country table lists the following for Russia:

Required subjects depend on the programme; Computer Programming and Analysis, for example, asks for senior-level English and mathematics.

Practical Nursing is a separate competition. Qualified international applicants outnumber the seats, so they are ranked by grades. In recent intakes offers went to applicants with 85% or more in the required subjects: mathematics, biology and chemistry, plus IELTS 7.0 and at least 6.5 in each band. Applications for September 2027 submitted by 15 January 2027 receive equal consideration, and offers go out between 1 and 15 February 2027. Applicants who fall short are advised to complete the two-semester Pre-Health Science programme first.

English requirements

The Duolingo English Test is also accepted, with minimum scores of 105 (diplomas) or 115 (degrees and graduate certificates). You can skip the test after three or more years of English-medium school or post-secondary study in one of the countries the college lists.

Programmes and the PGWP

If you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024, a non-degree programme leads to a PGWP only if its field-of-study (CIP) code is on IRCC's list, which is not changing during 2026. Durham College publishes the programmes with eligible codes — about 70, some of them currently suspended.

The college points out that a code counts if it was on IRCC's list either when you applied for the study permit or when you apply for the PGWP — another reason to apply while your programme's code is listed.

You also need a language test: CLB 5 in all skills after a diploma and CLB 7 after a degree. IRCC accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada; IELTS Academic does not count for the PGWP. IRCC issues the permit. See working while studying and the PGWP.

Tuition fees

Durham College publishes per-term fees in its programme fee calculator. The amounts above cover the first two terms for a fall 2026 start, including tuition, college ancillary fees and student association fees. The first term costs about CAD 1,200–1,600 more than the second because annual fees are charged then. Your letter of acceptance shows the exact figures: per term in box 25 on page 2, and for the year at the bottom of page 3.

For comparisons with universities and colleges elsewhere, see the cost of studying in Canada.

Scholarships

To keep the Global Entrance Scholarship you must add your Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN) in MyDC and avoid unscheduled gaps between terms; switching programmes cancels the second instalment. The college decides on all awards. More options in scholarships in Canada.

Residence

The residences shared by Durham College and Ontario Tech University — South Village and Simcoe Village in Oshawa plus a building in Whitby — house more than 1,300 students. 2026/27 rates for an 8-month lease:

A one-time CAD 100 application fee applies. First-year students receive a room if they accept the college's offer and apply for residence by the deadlines; January starters are housed subject to availability. Meals are not included.

How to apply and get your PAL

1. Choose a programme. Check its requirements and the country table.
2. Apply. Complete the International Application Form on the college website with scans of your certificate or degree, transcripts, translations, English test and passport, and pay the CAD 100 fee. Upload each document as a separate PDF or JPEG.
3. Portal access. Within 14 business days you receive a student number and MyDC login, where you see your status, missing documents and the decision.
4. Accept and pay. Confirm the offer and pay the first term; the college issues an official fee receipt for your study permit application.
5. PAL. After paying the first term, complete the PAL Eligibility Form in the portal; the college determines whether you need a PAL and requests it.
6. Visa and arrival. Apply for the study permit, then submit a Visa Status Update once approved and attend the mandatory orientation.

If you cannot start on time, the college allows one deferral only, requested before day 10 of the term. For the wider process, see colleges in Canada.

Study permit for Russian citizens

Programmes longer than six months require an IRCC study permit and an Ontario PAL. Ontario had 104,780 application spaces for PAL holders in 2026. IRCC sets the 2027 cap in fall 2026, and PALs for studies starting in 2027 will come from it.

For applicants from Russia:

• Funds. From 1 September 2026, IRCC expects first-year tuition, travel and $16,460 (CAD 23,448) for living costs. Under currency controls you must show the money can be transferred abroad. TD's GIC is not offered to residents of Russia.
• Passport and biometrics. Since 28 January 2026, Canada's visa application centres in Russia no longer accept passports or documents, according to IRCC's list of visa application centres. When IRCC asks for your passport, you submit it at a centre outside Russia that accepts documents, for example in Yerevan, Tbilisi, Almaty or Astana. Biometrics are given after IRCC's instruction letter; before booking, check on the chosen centre's website which services it currently offers.
• Medical exam. Mandatory for residents of Russia and Kazakhstan with an IRCC panel physician.
• Fees. $110 (CAD 150) for the permit, $60 (CAD 85) for biometrics.
• Work while studying. Up to 24 hours a week off campus.

More in the Canada study permit guide, studying in Canada as a Russian citizen and how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Recognition in Russia

Canadian colleges are not on Russia's Order No. 186-r list, so a Durham College credential needed for work or study in Russia goes through Rosobrnadzor's recognition procedure.

Application plan

1. 9–12 months ahead. Pick a programme from the college's PGWP list and check the Russia requirements; for Practical Nursing, review your maths, biology and chemistry grades.
2. 8–10 months ahead. Take IELTS Academic or another test; nursing needs 7.0.
3. 6–8 months ahead. Submit the International Application with translated documents; for Practical Nursing in September 2027, by 15 January 2027.
4. After the offer. Pay the first term, complete the PAL Eligibility Form and apply for residence.
5. Right after the PAL. Medical exam, IRCC application, biometrics after IRCC's instruction letter.
6. After approval. Passport to a visa centre outside Russia, Visa Status Update, orientation.

Common mistakes

• Confusing Durham College with Durham University. One is a college in Canada, the other a university in England; the UK university's rankings do not apply to the college.
• Choosing an accounting diploma for the PGWP. Accounting – Business is not on the college's list of eligible programmes.
• Applying to Practical Nursing with minimum grades. Recent cut-offs were 85% or higher in required subjects.
• Expecting a PAL before payment. The PAL form opens only after the first term is paid.
• Taking IELTS Academic for the PGWP. The work permit needs General Training or another IRCC-listed test.

FAQ

Are Durham College and Durham University the same?

No. Durham College is a public college in Oshawa and Whitby, Ontario, Canada; Durham University is a research university in Durham, England. They award different qualifications under different visa and post-study work rules, and each makes its own admission decisions.

Can I enter Durham College straight after Year 11?

Yes. For diplomas and certificates the college accepts the Russian attestat with grades of at least 3 in required subjects; for degrees, a 65% average across six subjects. You also need IELTS 6.0 or 6.5. The college's international admissions team decides.

How much does Durham College cost for international students?

In 2026/27 a first diploma year costs about CAD 19,000–20,400 ($13,330–14,340) including mandatory fees, and a degree about CAD 22,500–22,700 ($15,810–15,960). Housing and meals are extra.

Does Durham College lead to a PGWP?

Yes, if your non-degree programme is on the college's list of eligible codes — currently about 70 programmes; degrees are exempt from the field-of-study rule. You also need an IRCC-approved language test, and IRCC decides whether to issue the PGWP.

Does Durham College offer scholarships to international students?

Yes. The Global Entrance Scholarship of CAD 2,000 is credited when you accept your offer, with CAD 1,000 more in year two for programmes of two years or longer. Degree students with 75%+ can receive a Degree Entrance Award of CAD 500–3,000. The college sets the conditions and decides.

When does Durham College issue the PAL?

After you accept the offer, pay the first term and complete the PAL Eligibility Form in the portal. The college determines whether you need a PAL and requests it from the province; IRCC then decides on the study permit.

Sources

• Durham College International: admission process and programme list, requirements by country and English — checked 2 October 2026
• Durham College: financial information and scholarships, Global Entrance Scholarship
• Durham College: PGWP-eligible programmes and international student updates
• Durham College: programme fee calculator (2026/27 data), Computer Programming and Analysis
• Durham College and Ontario Tech residence: 2026/27 rates, residence FAQ
• IRCC: PGWP eligibility, field of study, language levels, proof of funds, PAL/TAL, 2026 cap allocations, visa application centres, fees, medical exams by country
• Russian Government Order No. 186-r of 30 January 2023, as amended on 19 February 2026

US dollar figures use the ECB reference rate of 1 October 2026 (CAD 1 = $0.7020), rounded to $10. All data checked on 2 October 2026.

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