Dis/Advantages to a U.S. citizen studying in Canada

[bicycles]

Hello!

I'm new to this forum, and I have sifted through it for over 2 hours not finding a direct response to this question. I'm sorry if it's there, but know it wasn't laziness that kept me from seeing it!

So, I'm currently applying to direct-entry programs in the U.S. (Columbia, Yale, JHU), but I just learned of a direct entry program at McGill in Canada. This seems ideal because 1) I will soon be a permanent resident of Quebec (and speak French fluently), and 2) It is much much much cheaper than any of the programs here in the U.S.

However, the downside is that I can't go right into being an NP (apparently), and I'm also not sure whether--if I ultimately decide to go back to the U.S. to work, or apply for a DNP at Columbia, for example--whether it will be a disadvantage to have obtained my BS/MS in Canada.

Does anyone know?

Is there a disadvantage to me, as a U.S. citizen, obtaining my nursing degree in Canada? And how is McGill's nursing program ranked in comparison to a school like Columbia?

Thank you!

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

One disadvantage I can think of is the requirement you will have to go through to get registered in the state/s you hope to work in. INternational requirements tend to differ slightly to US state requirements so may be worth checking with the state you plan on working in if you decide not to stay in Canada

[bicycles]

Thanks, Silverdragon102.

I'm embarrassingly new to this (hence the direct-entry program), so what organization would I look for, for example, in New York state?

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

As Silverdragon pointed out, licensure requirements will be different for someone educated outside the US. In NY for instance, internationally-educated applicants must go through educational verification with CGFNS: CGFNS International — Global Credibility in Credentials Evaluation, via the CVS-NY service. Each state will have their own distinct requierements should you decide to move to another state. Most require some form of educational verification from CGFNS but there are states (California being the most notorious) that have become stricter and will scrutinize clinical hours spent in the baccalaureate program as well as the sequence and concurrency of the lectures and clinical hours.

The level of difficulty in getting to a graduate school program of your choice depends on the selective-ness of the program itself. Columbia is obviously well known and is perceived as selective but I happen to know a few graduates of that institution who obtained their basic nursing education (BSN) outside of the US. The fact is, graduate programs in nursing evaluate applicants based on points gathered from various factors: GPA, professional experience, achievements, standardized test scores (i.e., GRE), professional references, essay, and such. McGill in Montreal is well respected based on anecdotal evidence on my part (speaking from grads of that programs none of which are nurses, unfortunately).

[loriangel14, RN]

The quality of McGill's nursing program is very high, McGill being a very high ranked university internationally.

[Fiona59]

You also have to factor in tuition fees. Most universities double them for non-resident students. No finanacial aid unless you bring it with you.