North West College

North West College (NWC) is located in a region of Saskatchewan that has a diverse set of labour needs, with growing sectors in forestry, agriculture and service. It has campuses in North Battleford and Meadow Lake, and provides programming for 30 communities, including 20 First Nations communities, spread over 44,000 square kilometres—an area roughly the size of Switzerland. The college offers programs in trades, health and community services, academic upgrading and university transfer, where students can complete credits to use toward an undergraduate degree at a partner university. Residences with space for both students and their families are available at the Meadow Lake campus. Accommodations include a mix of one- to four-bedroom units.

Hands-on experience is an important part of many North West programs. The school operates salons at both campuses, which provide training for hairstyling students. Newly renovated and updated lecture theatres on both campuses make for a more modern learning environment. At the Battlefords campus, the Cenovus Energy Simulation Learning Centre recently upgraded to a state-of-the-art, high-quality learning environment for students. This facility enables students to gain valuable hands-on experience and further develop their skills as they prepare for clinical placements in health care. It includes 10 bed stations and a simulation lab with life-like mannequins and real medical equipment.

North West is one of Saskatchewan’s seven regional colleges that offer courses created by other educational providers. NWC students can take first-year university classes in partnership with the universities of Saskatchewan and Regina. Many courses are taught in-person by university instructors, while others are broadcast to the college. Students can complete a full four-year bachelor or a master of education degree at the Meadow Lake campus. NWC also offers a direct-entry stream into the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan. 

Quick facts

School size:
Small

Tuition:
Degree $9,600 
Diploma $12,500
Certificate $5,200

Residence offerings:
Yes

Popular programs

Early Childhood Education Diploma
Continuing Care Assistant Certificate
Psychiatric Nursing Diploma
Business Certificate and Business Management Diploma

Cool options

Forest-to-Fork: In response to local demand, North West launched this new microcredential in 2024, which introduces students to the integrated resource management diploma, retail meat specialist applied certificate and the professional cooking certificate. 
Hairstylist: In this certificate program, students learn how to perform techniques on hair, wigs, skin and nails in an on-site hair salon at the Meadow Lake campus.
Carpentry: This program includes site layout, framing and exterior and interior finishings, as well as trade math and communications. Graduates can work at companies, as contractors or in the maintenance departments of organizations.