Conestoga College

Conestoga College is a public college in Kitchener, Ontario, founded in 1967 and a member of Polytechnics Canada. It has campuses and training centres in eight Ontario communities, including Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and Milton, and it offers certificates, diplomas, graduate certificates and its own bachelor’s degrees.

This profile is for Nepali students considering Conestoga for a diploma, a graduate certificate or a degree. It covers why students choose it, where its campuses are, what it costs, when programs start, work rights, scholarships and a few programs open to international students. The full list of programs, with credential, length and campus, is in our Conestoga programs guide. Entry requirements, documents and the application steps are in our Conestoga admissions guide.

Why do Nepali students choose Conestoga College?

Because it is a well-known public polytechnic in Ontario’s Waterloo Region, with strong computing, AI and data, supply chain, engineering technology and trades programs, most of them on its PGWP-aligned list.

• Computing, AI and data. The Waterloo campus teaches programs such as Computer Programming and Analysis, Software Engineering Technology and the Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning graduate certificate. All three are on Conestoga’s PGWP-aligned list.
• Graduate certificates for bachelor’s holders. If you hold a bachelor’s degree from TU or another Nepali university, a one-year graduate certificate such as Supply Chain Management – Global, Cybersecurity Response Planning or Financial Technology is a quick route to a Canadian credential. Check the PGWP status first: Human Resources Management and Professional Accounting Practice are offered online only.
• Engineering technology and trades after +2. Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology run at the Cambridge campuses, many with optional co-op. Conestoga also awards bachelor’s degrees in computer science, data analytics and engineering.
• Waterloo Region cities. The main campuses are in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, next to each other in Ontario’s Waterloo Region. Conestoga says to expect at least CAD 750 a month for a single room in shared housing and warns that the rental market is competitive, so plan housing early.

Where are Conestoga College’s campuses?

Conestoga’s main campus is Kitchener – Doon; computing and IT programs are taught at the Waterloo campus, engineering and trades at two Cambridge campuses, and a few programs at Guelph, Milton and Brantford.

All of these are Conestoga’s own campuses; we found no private partner campuses teaching its programs. Conestoga also has sites in Brantford (Early Childhood Education starts there in September), Stratford and Ingersoll. Check your program’s campus on its own page before you apply, and see Conestoga’s campuses and locations page for maps.

How much does Conestoga College cost for international students?

Tuition for two terms in 2026/27 is CAD 15,477 for diplomas and certificates, CAD 16,809 for graduate certificates and CAD 16,933 for degrees, or about CAD 18,200 to 21,800 once compulsory fees are added.

That is roughly NPR 17 to 18 lakh a year. To see what these amounts are worth today, use our CAD to NPR forex converter. Conestoga publishes the tuition for each level on its international fees and payment page, and each program’s page shows the term-by-term fees. A term is about four months, so one semester’s tuition is about half these amounts.

The compulsory fees include the College International Health Insurance Plan and an International Student Recovery fee of CAD 375 each term. Practical Nursing is charged at the degree rate. Books and supplies are extra.

Conestoga asks for a non-refundable CAD 2,500 tuition deposit within 30 days of your offer, and it counts toward your tuition. If your study permit is refused and you send the refusal letter, Conestoga’s fees page says your tuition is refunded minus a CAD 200 administrative fee. Its refunds and withdrawals page adds that the deposit isn’t refunded once a PAL is issued, so read both pages before you pay.

Living costs come on top. For your study permit, IRCC asks you to show CAD 23,448 for a year of living expenses plus your first-year tuition. See our proof of funds guide and the cost of studying in Canada page for a monthly budget.

When are Conestoga College’s intakes?

Conestoga starts programs in September, January and May, but each program sets its own intakes. Right now, 36 programs are open to international students for January 2027 and 25 for May 2027, and most programs list September 2027 as upcoming.

For example, Computer Programming and Analysis, Information Technology Project Management and Supply Chain Management – Global are open for January and May 2027. Cybersecurity Response Planning and the Bachelor of Data Analytics are open for January 2027. The Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning graduate certificate and the engineering technology programs start in September.

Applications are accepted only until a program is full, so a program can close before its start date. Aim to apply 9 to 12 months before your start date so there is time for the offer, the deposit, the PAL, your study permit and travel.

If you track document dates and deadlines in Bikram Sambat, our Nepali date converter turns B.S. dates into A.D. dates. For the full calendar, read our guide to Canada intakes.

Can you work while studying at Conestoga and after you graduate?

Yes. You can work up to 24 hours a week off campus while classes are on, and many Conestoga programs lead to a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), but not all of them.

For the PGWP, the rules depend on your credential:

• Bachelor’s degrees, such as the Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) or the Bachelor of Data Analytics, have no field-of-study requirement. Degree graduates need an English result of at least CLB 7.
• Diplomas, advanced diplomas and graduate certificates must be in an eligible field of study if you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024. Conestoga keeps a list of PGWP-aligned programs with each program’s CIP code; it has 189 programs, and 96 of the 132 programs on its international list are on it.
• College graduates also need an English test result of at least CLB 5 in all four skills when they apply for the PGWP.

At least half of the program must be taken in class, and online study doesn’t count. Popular diplomas such as Business – Accounting, Business – Finance, Business – Human Resources and Business Administration – Management are not on the list. Human Resources Management and Professional Accounting Practice are offered online only. Our PGWP guide for Nepali students explains each rule.

Which scholarships can Nepali students get at Conestoga?

Conestoga has no automatic entrance scholarship for international students; degree students with a 70% admission average may get the Degree Entrance Scholarship of CAD 1,500 to 2,500.

How the entrance scholarship works:

• Amount: CAD 1,500 for a 70 to 79% admission average, CAD 2,000 for 80 to 89% and CAD 2,500 for 90% or more.
• Who can get it: students accepted into the first year of an eligible Conestoga degree program. The BScN is excluded, and the listing doesn’t say whether international students qualify, so ask the awards office.
• What you have to do: be admitted with the required average and register. Other awards need the General Awards Application, which international students can fill in once enrolled; need-based bursaries are not open to them.
• When: paid to registered students after the tenth day of the fall, winter or spring term.

Conestoga’s Student Financial Services runs more than 400 awards, bursaries and scholarships a year. Details are on Conestoga’s awards page and its international awards page. Our Canada scholarships guide lists other awards that Nepali students can apply for.

What do you need to get into Conestoga College from Nepal?

Conestoga accepts the NEB +2 (Higher Secondary) certificate for diplomas and degrees, and a completed diploma or degree for graduate certificates; you also need IELTS 6.0 for diplomas or 6.5 for degrees and graduate certificates.

Conestoga doesn’t publish a Nepal minimum percentage, so each program’s required subjects decide. Computer Programming needs Grade 12 English and Math, and the Bachelor of Computer Science needs a 65% average. Practical Nursing has no direct entry for international students, who must first complete the Pre-Health Sciences Pathway. PTE is 53 for diplomas and 58 for degrees and graduate certificates.

To see where your +2 grades stand, convert your NEB GPA to a percentage with our NEB GPA calculator. Documents and the application steps are in our Conestoga admissions guide.

What can you study at Conestoga College?

Conestoga lists 132 programs for international students: certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, graduate certificates and bachelor’s degrees.

The programs below are a selection open to international students in IT, AI, data, supply chain, health and engineering, each checked on Conestoga’s own program pages. Several popular programs are not PGWP-aligned, including the Business – Accounting, Business – Finance and Business – Human Resources diplomas. Our Conestoga programs guide lists more programs with their credential, length and campus. For each type of program, see our guides to postgraduate diplomas in Canada, studying AI in Canada and engineering in Canada.

Program Details

Where do Conestoga College students live?

Conestoga has its own residence at 99 Conestoga College Blvd. in Kitchener, for students at the Doon and Cambridge campuses, plus Conestoga off-campus housing in Waterloo, Milton and Brantford.

Residence suites are furnished, with utilities and internet included, and cost about CAD 8,000 to 8,800 for the fall and winter terms depending on the room style, plus a CAD 100 application fee. You can apply before you are accepted into your program. Otherwise, Conestoga suggests a homestay or a room in shared housing from about CAD 750 a month; start with its housing resources for international students and beware of rental scams.

Official Conestoga College links

• International students at Conestoga
• How to apply (OCAS International applicant portal)
• International fees and payment
• Admission and English requirements
• PGWP-aligned programs and the programs for international students
• Campuses and locations
• Confirm Conestoga’s designated learning institution (DLI) number on IRCC’s DLI list

Frequently asked questions about Conestoga College