Official Guidelines Updated: March 2026
Key Facts for 2025–2026:
The Nurses Education Bursary provides a $2,000 bursary to eligible nursing students who demonstrate the greatest financial need. There is no separate application — you are automatically assessed when you apply for a full-time B.C. student loan. Up to $1 million is distributed annually across three bursary periods.
The Nurses Education Bursary (NEB) is a provincial program administered by the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills through StudentAid BC. It provides financial support to nursing students in B.C. who demonstrate the greatest financial need, with up to $1 million in bursary funding distributed each year across three application periods.
Because the NEB is budget-limited, not every eligible student who demonstrates financial need will receive it. Applicants are ranked against each other within each bursary period, and awards go to those with the highest assessed need until funds for that period are exhausted.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the Nurses Education Bursary, you must:
- Be enrolled full-time in an eligible nursing program of at least 4 months in length at a designated B.C. post-secondary institution.
- Be enrolled in a program that leads to a Certificate, Diploma, or Degree recognized for nursing practice in B.C.
- Have applied for a full-time B.C. student loan for the bursary period (assessment is automatic — see How to Apply below).
- Not be in default on a B.C. Student Loan or have outstanding bankruptcies involving B.C. Student Loans.
Part-time students in nursing programs are not eligible for this bursary.
Pro Tip:
The Nurses Education Bursary is exempt from the StudentAid BC financial need assessment — if you receive it, you do not need to declare it as income on your StudentAid BC loan application. This means receiving the NEB will not reduce the loan or grant funding you are assessed for.
How Much Can You Get?
The bursary amount is $2,000 per recipient. Only one bursary is issued per person in any 12-month period — you cannot receive more than one NEB within the same year, regardless of how many bursary periods you apply in.
How to Apply
There is no separate application for the Nurses Education Bursary. You are automatically assessed for the bursary when you apply for a full-time B.C. student loan for the relevant bursary period. StudentAid BC uses the financial need information from your loan application to rank eligible nursing students and allocate bursary funding.
The NEB operates on three bursary periods each year. To be considered, your loan application must be submitted by the deadline for the period in which your study falls:
| Bursary Period | Application Deadline |
|---|---|
| January – April | January 15 |
| May – August | May 15 |
| September – December | September 15 |
Important:
Errors or omissions on your loan application — such as a missed deadline, incorrect program code, or an incomplete application — cannot be appealed for the current bursary period. If you miss a deadline or make an error, you will be considered in the next bursary period, provided you still meet all eligibility criteria at that time.
Other Financial Aid Options
Nursing students in B.C. may also be eligible for additional support programs. The Nursing Tuition Grant provides a $2,000 annual tuition credit (automatically applied by your institution) for students enrolled in eligible practical nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs at B.C. public post-secondary institutions — available for programs commencing through August 2026. Indigenous nursing students may qualify for an additional Nursing Tuition Grant – Indigenous of $5,000/year for eligible BSN programs.
More broadly, when you apply for your B.C. student loan you are also automatically assessed for the B.C. Access Grant for Full-Time Students and the Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Students. You may also want to explore Canada Student Loans and Federal Student Bursaries.
Ready to find a nursing program? Explore eligible schools today.
