Please find below our answers to some frequently asked questions. If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact us at info@csnndistanceeducation.org.
CSNN offers one of the most in-depth, comprehensive and practical programs in the industry. Our 2,100 hours deliver a solid foundation of cutting-edge science, and include 900 hours of real-life case studies. It goes well beyond health coaching, giving you the tools to be a true high-level holistic nutrition professional and address the unique individual needs of each client.
Our online program uses a variety of teaching methods – interactive exercises, video lectures with your instructors, recorded and live webinars, group forums, etc. We currently have over 200 hours of video content and are continuously adding more. You have access to your learning materials 24/7, and the ability to study from anywhere in the world there is internet at any time that is convenient for you.
CSNN has been operating for more than twenty-five years and has over 12,000 graduates in 29 different countries. All of our instructors are professionals in the fields they teach; many have holistic nutrition practices.
Please check our Tuition & Fees page for costs of CSNN programs and workshops.
When comparing our costs to those of other schools, be sure to compare the TOTAL. Some schools quote a tuition cost only and then add on hundreds of dollars in fees, plus require you to source your own textbooks, which adds several hundred dollars more to the total cost of the program. At CSNN we will never mislead you into registering by initially only disclosing a partial quote. The cost given on our Tuition & Fees page is what you pay for everything you need to complete the program, including textbooks (there is a reduced-fee option for those who prefer to source their own texts). There is a small fee for writing the final exam (currently $204.25), payable only once you have completed all course work. No additional or hidden fees.
Educational institutions that care about protecting the reputation of all of its graduates provide their students the necessary information and tools to practice as a holistic nutrition professional in a safe and responsible manner. CSNN has done this by providing a Scope of Practice that is supported by industry insurers and clarifies to the public and other health practitioners the role CSNN graduates play in the health care industry. CSNN students learn about the nutrients found in supplements, natural health products, and food. Also, many health food and whole food stores, and natural pharmacies look for CSNN graduates because of their level of understanding and knowledge about these nutrients. Staying within the bottle recommendations in regards to dosing levels protects both graduates and their clients. CSNN’s Scope of Practice is just another example of how its Natural Nutrition Program is truly a Holistic Nutrition Practitioner’s program in contrast to other programs that teach various modalities of wellness, but lack practitioner focus, or that teach only portions of a practitioner’s responsibility such as ‘coaching’. Also, by supplying a Scope of Practice, CSNN demonstrates how much it cares about the safe practice of its graduates, the health and safety of the public, and how much CSNN and its graduates respect the unique scopes of practice of other health care practitioners.
No. Distance education programs do not meet the requirements to obtain a student visa in Canada. However, some of our in-class branches do accept international students. If you are interested in studying with CSNN with a Canadian Student Visa, please contact the following branches:
The main difference between in-class and distance education is method of delivery. In-class students studying with the Zoom option have scheduled classes they must attend and they can only register when a new class is starting – once or twice a year, depending on the branch. Distance Education students can set their own study schedule to fit their busy lives, and can register at any time of year. Which is best for you depends on your lifestyle and learning preferences.
Students at CSNN Distance Education follow the standard CSNN curriculum and the standard case study requirements, and must write the same final board exam. As of June, 2021, practical hours are not included in the Natural Nutrition Distance Education program. However, these will be available soon. Students registering after implementation of practical hours will be required to complete them. Those who register before that time will have the option of completing practical hours, but will not be required to do so.
The Holistic Culinary Certificate is available through Distance Education and Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Certificate is coming soon.
As of June, 2021, Distance Education students do not attend practical sessions as the in-class students do. These sessions are not clinical hours. They are held in a classroom setting and provide an opportunity for students to present the findings of their case studies and receive feedback from the instructor, and from other students. Distance Education students have an instructor to call upon should they require help with these, or any other, assignments. There are a few practicals in which mandatory information is provided that does not involve case studies. That information is provided to Distance students in the form of notes.
Currently, practicals are being developed for Distance Education students. Every student who registers after practicals have been made available will be required to complete them, just as in-class students are. Students who register before that time will have the option of completing them, but will not be required to do so.
All CSNN Distance Education programs and workshops are delivered 100% online with the exception of the Advanced Holistic Nutrition workshops. AHN workshops are delivered via paper-based correspondence.
All course tests* are done within our on-line learning system. These tests are open-book and you have a maximum of three hours to complete each one. The final exam for the Natural Nutrition Program is proctored on-line through Proctor Free. It can be done in your own home at your own convenience.
*The exceptions are tests for the Advanced Holistic Nutrtion workshops, which are done via paper-based correspondence.
Every course in the on-line learning system has a forum where students may talk to each other. In addition, CSNN Distance Education has an official Facebook page. All registered students may participate in these.
You have a maximum of three years to complete the Natural Nutrition program, but if you have the time to devote to it, the program can be completed in a little over a year (please note that in order to complete sooner, you must make payments sooner). An additional two months are allowed in which to prepare for and complete the final exam. Should you be unable to complete your program within three years, it is possible to arrange an extension (fee applies). Upgrading may be required before you can write the final exam.
The distance education program runs on a continual intake model. This means you can register at any time that is convenient for you, other than our annual holiday closure. Your three-year timeline starts at the end of the month of registration. Our shipping warehouse and financial office close over the New Year’s period. Registration is not possible at this times.
Yes, all required texts are included in the course fees.
Within a few business days of submitting the registration form on-line, you will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to access our on-line learning system, which you may do right away. Textbooks are shipped at about the same time and how long they take to get to you depends on where you live, but typically within a week for Canadian addresses.
Yes, our fees are tax deductible in Canada. Receipts for income tax purposes will be issued, at year end, for fees paid for subjects completed within the current tax year, plus applicable taxes.
Yes, we have instructors on staff and they can be reached through the on-line learning system. In addition, each course within the program has a forum where you can interact with faculty and other students.
There are three designations that are exclusive to graduates of CSNN’s Natural Nutrition Program. These are: R.H.N. (Registered Holistic Nutritionist™ or Registered Holistic Nutritional Consultant™), C.H.N. (Certified Holistic Nutritionist™ or Certified in Holistic Nutrition™), and C.H.N.C. (Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant™). Which designation(s) and accompanying title(s) you may use depends on the regulations in the province(s) where you practice and the province(s) where your clients reside.
Our Natural Nutrition program is one of only a few in Canada which meets qualifying standards set for status with one or all of the professional organizations for holistic nutrition professionals. Thanks to the undying efforts of CSNN founding director Danielle Perrault, the CSNN Registrar, individual branch managers, CSNN students and graduates, our school has grown from a single classroom location in 1995 to multiple classroom branches in major cities across Canada, and the Distance Education program. Anyone considering our school can be confident that CSNN will continue to provide the type of curriculum for which we have become known.
PLA stands for Prior Learning Assessment. You only need to apply for it if you have done some previous education and you are hoping to get exempted from one or more subjects in our program. If you do not want exemptions, you do not need to apply for the PLA. Please note that a maximum of four exemptions is allowed in order to qualify for the Natural Nutrition Diploma and that courses completed more than five years ago are not eligible for advanced standing (some exceptions may apply if you work with the subject matter).
The warehouse/financial office for Distance Education closes for holidays during the New Year period. We do this during the slow times of the year in order to spend time with our families. No materials will be shipped; however, academic advisors will still be marking tests and assignments and addressing student questions. Students are all advised of closure times well in advance and are given the opportunity to change arrangements for shipping of materials if desired. Notices of holiday closures will also appear on this website.
