Compressed Time Frame (CTF) BScN — Western University

SpaceCat Fit Notes

CASPer: Not used for the CTF program. SpaceCat cannot leverage her very high CASPer score here.
GPA window & upgrading strategy: The GPA is calculated on the most recently completed 10.0 full-course equivalents (10 full courses = 20 half-courses). This is approximately one year of full-time study. If SpaceCat takes 20 half-courses (one full year) with strong grades (75%+), she can fully reset her effective GPA for Western CTF admissions. This is a very favorable window — a single year of strong coursework completely replaces the GPA calculation.
Experiential / written advantage: This program has no written submissions or interview — SpaceCat’s shelter work experience cannot be showcased in the application. Admission is purely GPA-driven with no supplementary components (no essays, no interview, no references, no CASPer).
Out-of-province: Ontario resident. See Out-of-Province section below for details.
Overall assessment: Moderate fit — The fully resettable GPA window is a significant advantage for SpaceCat. However, admission is purely GPA-driven — SpaceCat’s experiential profile and high CASPer cannot help here. She must achieve a competitive GPA through coursework alone. If she commits to a year of strong upgrading courses, Western CTF becomes viable. Ontario residency gives her a tuition advantage and no deprioritization.

Quick Facts

Institution: Western University, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences
Program name: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) — Compressed Time Frame (CTF), Regular Stream
Degree granted: BScN
City, Province: London, Ontario
Program type: Compressed / Second-Entry (for students with prior university education)
Duration: 19 months (5 consecutive terms across 2 academic years)
Delivery format: In-person
Full-time / Part-time: Full-time only. “All students in any stream of the Compressed Time Frame program are expected to maintain a full-time program of study.”
Language of instruction: English
Start date(s): September (Year 1); concludes April (Year 2)
Intake frequency: Annual
Application deadline(s): February 15, 2026 (via OUAC)
Application system: Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC), program code ENS. “The ITR process has been discontinued for all Nursing programs.”
Program URL: https://www.uwo.ca/fhs/nursing/undergrad/bscn_ctf/bscn_reg_ctf/index.html
Accredited: Yes — CASN accredited. Both the “Western University, Compressed Time Frame BScN” and “Western University and Fanshawe College, Collaborative BScN” appear on CASN’s accredited programs list. Accreditation expiry date not publicly listed. Source
Leads to: Eligibility to apply for registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) as a Registered Nurse (RN)
Learn & Stay Grant: The CTF program is “eligible for the Ontario government’s Learn & Stay Grant” (pending renewal).

Other CTF Streams (NOT the focus of this document)

Western’s CTF program has three streams total:

Stream	Duration	For whom	OUAC Code
Regular CTF (this document)	19 months	Students with at least 2 years of university	ENS
RPN Stream A	19 months	RPNs with Ontario PN credentials + at least 1 year university	ENA
RPN Stream B	22 months	Experienced RPNs/LPNs registered in Ontario, no university required	ENB

Combined first-year enrollment across all three CTF streams: 288 students. Source

Admission Requirements

GPA

Minimum GPA: 75% (3.0 GPA) average in the most recently completed 10.0 university-level full-course equivalents (i.e., 10 full courses or 20 half-courses).
Competitive GPA: Not publicly disclosed. The official page states: “Enrolment in the program is limited and possession of the minimum requirements should not be viewed as a guarantee of admission.” Admission is competitive; meeting the 75% minimum does not guarantee an offer.
GPA calculated on: The most recently completed 10.0 university-level full-course equivalents. For applicants with only 10.0 courses, no more than 5.0 courses may be at the introductory level (equivalent to courses numbered 1000-1999 at Western).
Competitive average not published: Western does not disclose the actual average of admitted students or a “competitive range” for the CTF program. No reliable third-party data found.

Source: CTF Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

All prerequisites must be completed at the university level with a minimum grade of 60% in each. Prerequisites must have been taken within 10 years of the year seeking admission. They should ideally be completed by the end of April.

Course	Credits	Min Grade	Notes
Human Physiology	1.0 full-course equivalent	60%	Must be university-level
Anatomy	0.5 full-course equivalent	60%	Must be university-level
Introductory Statistics	0.5 full-course equivalent	60%	Must be university-level

Total prerequisite credits: 2.0 full-course equivalents

Source: CTF Admission Requirements

Can prerequisites be taken online?

Not explicitly stated on the official admission page. Western publishes a Course Equivalency List (PDF) that lists approved prerequisite courses from various Ontario and Canadian universities. The list is described as being “for the purpose of verifying prerequisite admission requirements for the Compressed Time Frame (CTF) BScN program only.” If your course is not on the list, you may submit the course syllabus to welcome@uwo.ca after applying through OUAC for a determination. The equivalency list is available at:

https://www.uwo.ca/fhs/nursing/undergrad/bscn_ctf/files/ctf_equivalents.pdf

Note: The PDF could not be parsed for specific course listings during this research. You should download and review it directly. It reportedly lists accepted courses from multiple Ontario universities. Whether explicitly online courses (e.g., from Athabasca University) appear on this list could not be confirmed.

Prior University Requirement

Minimum: At least 2 years of university education (i.e., at least 10.0 full-course equivalents).
For applicants with only 10.0 courses, no more than 5.0 may be introductory-level (1000-1999 level at Western).
No specific degree required. Any field of prior university study is acceptable.

Supplementary Application Components

CASPer

CASPer does NOT appear to be required for the CTF program. Based on all official sources reviewed:

The CASPer requirement is explicitly stated as being for “All applicants to the Direct Entry 3.5 year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) Program.”
The CTF admission requirements page makes no mention of CASPer.
The supplementary forms page at Western lists CASPer under “Nursing (Direct Entry only – not required for Compressed Nursing).”
The Snapshot and Duet components are also NOT required.

Source: Submit Supplementary Forms Source: Direct Entry Admission

Interview

No interview requirement found. None of the official CTF admission pages mention an interview component.

Personal Statement / Written Components / Essays

No personal statement, supplementary essay, or written component identified for the CTF program. The official admission page lists only academic requirements (GPA + prerequisites). The supplementary forms page does not list any written component for compressed nursing applicants.

References / Letters of Recommendation

Not required. No reference requirement is mentioned on any official CTF admission page.

Resume / CV

Not required. No resume or CV requirement is mentioned.

Volunteer / Work Experience

Not required. No volunteer or healthcare experience requirement is mentioned for the Regular CTF stream. (Note: RPN Stream B requires 2 years of full-time RPN experience / 3,640 hours, but this is a different stream.)

How Applications Are Evaluated / Weighted

Not publicly disclosed in detail. The official admission page states only the minimum requirements (75% GPA on last 10.0 courses + prerequisites with 60% minimum). There is no published information on:

Weighting of GPA vs. prerequisites
Whether prerequisite grades factor into the competitive ranking
Whether recency, course load, or institution type are considered
Any holistic review process

The Senate Academic Policies document on nursing applicants was available as a PDF but could not be parsed. It may contain additional detail: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/admission/nursing.pdf

What is known: “Enrolment in the program is limited and possession of the minimum requirements should not be viewed as a guarantee of admission.” Admission appears to be primarily GPA-driven for the CTF stream, given the absence of any supplementary components.

Out-of-Province Applicants

Out-of-province Canadian applicants are eligible to apply.
“Priority consideration shall be given, all other things being equal, first to Canadian citizens and permanent residents from Ontario, and second to Canadian citizens and permanent residents from other Canadian provinces.” Source: Western Senate Academic Policy — Nursing
Out-of-province domestic tuition is higher: $7,352/year vs. $6,050/year for Ontario students. Source
International applicants are also eligible but pay significantly higher tuition (see below).
English language proficiency requirements for nursing programs differ from other Western programs. Acceptable tests include TOEFL (92-93 overall), IELTS (7 overall), Duolingo (135 overall).

Tuition & Fees (2025-2026)

The CTF program is classified as Years 3 and 4 of the nursing program for fee purposes.

Fee Category	Fall/Winter	Summer Term	Total (approx.)
Domestic (Ontario)	$6,050/year	$3,025	~$9,075 for first year; ~$6,050 for second year
Domestic (Out-of-Province)	$7,352/year	$3,676	~$11,028 for first year; ~$7,352 for second year
International	$58,055/year	$27,952	~$86,007 for first year; ~$58,055 for second year

An additional $100 faculty donation fee applies to the first installment.
These are tuition fees only; ancillary fees, textbooks, equipment, uniforms, and placement-related costs are additional.
One third-party source (hotcoursesabroad.com) listed fees of CAD $46,014.60/year, but this appears to be an older or international-focused figure. The registrar’s fee schedule is the authoritative source.

Approximate total program cost (domestic Ontario): ~$15,125 over 19 months (tuition only, excluding ancillary fees).

Source: 2025-26 Program-Specific Tuition Fees Source: Fee Schedules page

Cohort Size & Acceptance Rate

Cohort size (Regular CTF): Approximately 64 students per year (per hotcoursesabroad.com). However, a 2022 Western News article reported that the total number of nursing students in the CTF program grew to 232 (up from 100 in 2020 and 135 in 2021), suggesting significant expansion across all three CTF streams combined.
Combined CTF enrollment (all 3 streams): 288 per the welcome.uwo.ca page.
Acceptance rate: Not publicly disclosed. The program is described as competitive and applications were reported up 20% in 2021.

Source: Western News 2022 Source: CBC News

Curriculum & Program Timeline

The 19-month program spans 5 consecutive terms across 2 academic years:

Level 1 — September to December (Year 1)

Nursing 1120A — Community Models of Care
Nursing 1140A — Introduction to Health Informatics Within Nursing
Nursing 1201A — Foundations of Nursing Practice
Nursing 2440A — Pathophysiology
Nursing 3820A — Microbiology and Immunology for Nursing Students
Nursing 1335A — Health Assessment (Theory/Lab)

Level 2 — January to April (Year 1)

Nursing 2600B — Mental Health Care
Nursing 2630B — Nursing Care for Clients with Acute and Chronic Health Challenges I
Nursing 3456B — Indigenous Health: The Influence of Policy and Practices
Pharmacology 2060B — Introduction to Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Nursing 2500S/T — Laboratory: Medication Administration
Nursing 2660S/T — Simulation: Mental Health

Level 3 — May to August (Summer, Year 1)

Nursing 2250A — Understanding and Using Research
Nursing 3500A — Nursing & Family Health
Nursing 3630A — Nursing Care for Clients with Acute & Chronic Health Challenges II
Nursing 3700Q — Laboratory: Clients with Health Challenges
Nursing 3800Q — Simulation: Clients with Health Challenges
Nursing 3900B — Clinical Application: Nursing Care of Clients with Health Challenges

Level 4 — September to December (Year 2)

Nursing 3310A — Health in a Global Context
Nursing 4320A — Professional, Ethical and Legal Obligations: A Critical Appraisal
Nursing 4401W — Integration of Advanced Concepts for Nursing Practice
Nursing 4440A — Nurses as Leaders in System Transformation
Nursing 4410A — Clinical Application: Applying Advanced Care Concepts

Level 5 — January to April (Year 2)

Nursing 4461X — Integrative Practicum

Source: Curriculum & Program Timeline

Clinical Placements

Geographic area: Southwestern Ontario. “The practice settings accessed by nursing students in both BScN programs are located in the southwestern Ontario geographic area.”
Out-of-London placements: “Students can expect to receive at least one placement outside the city of London.” Approximately 2 of 12 clinical groups per placement may be placed outside London.
Special placement sites: The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto is available for the Integrative Practicum only. Bluewater Health in Sarnia is also used.
Specialty areas: “Experiences in specialty areas (e.g. obstetrics, pediatrics, mental health) are limited and not guaranteed for all students.”
Transportation: “Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from placements (e.g. vehicle, public transit, carpool, car share, etc.) and for any associated costs of travel and accommodation (if required).” A transportation fund is reportedly available for students placed out of town.
Placement assignment: The Placement Office coordinates all placements. “Placements are assigned with the goal of providing a diverse placement experience.” Students cannot find their own placements.
Pre-placement requirements: Mandatory requirements exist (likely including immunizations, police checks, CPR, etc.) but specific details are circulated to students before placement start dates.
Clinical courses appear in: Level 3 (Nursing 3900B), Level 4 (Nursing 4410A), and Level 5 (Nursing 4461X — Integrative Practicum).

Source: Practice Placements

Progression Requirements

Students must “successfully complete all courses for each level of the program before proceeding to the next level’s lab, sim, or clinical courses.”
Students must “complete the program within four academic years calculated from the initial date of registration.”

Source: CTF Program main page

Student Reviews & Anecdotal Information

Limited student review information was found. AllNurses.com forum threads exist but could not be fully scraped. Key anecdotal points from search results:

Clinical placements are sometimes out of town; usually about 2 of 12 clinical groups are placed outside London per placement rotation.
The program is described as intensive given the compressed 19-month timeline with no breaks between terms.
Applications have been increasing significantly (20% increase reported in 2021).

Relevant forum threads (content could not be fully extracted): - https://allnurses.com/compressed-time-frame-nursing-western-t608564/ - https://allnurses.com/compressed-accelerated-second-entry-nursing-t676512/ - https://allnurses.com/western-ctf-nursing-may-round-t759147/

No Reddit threads specifically about Western CTF nursing were found in search results.

Key Contacts

Academic Advisor: Jessica Patterson — jessica.patterson@uwo.ca
Admissions questions: welcome@uwo.ca
Booking appointments: https://bookedin.com/book/compressed-time-frame-nursing-program-1

Information NOT Found (Gaps)

The following information was explicitly sought but could not be confirmed from official sources:

Competitive GPA / average of admitted students — not disclosed
Exact acceptance rate — not disclosed
Detailed application evaluation criteria / weighting — not disclosed
Whether online prerequisite courses are accepted — not explicitly addressed (check equivalency list PDF)
Specific pre-placement requirements (immunizations, police check, CPR, mask fit, etc.) — referenced but not detailed publicly
Exact cohort size for Regular CTF stream alone (64 is from a third-party source; official combined CTF is 288)
Whether CASPer is definitively NOT required for CTF — strongly implied by all sources but no single source says “CASPer is not required for CTF” in those exact words. The supplementary forms page lists CASPer as “Direct Entry only – not required for Compressed Nursing.”

Information Not Found

No specific gaps identified for this program.