Nurses Education Bursary

Is being a nurse your lifelong dream? Kudos to you! It’s a noble profession that helps people in particular and society at large move towards a better, healthier life. That said, being a nurse isn’t easy. Not only does it require patience and kindness but the course is long and the training is rigorous. Not to mention the expense you as a student of nursing in British Columbia have to bear. 

Sounds pretty daunting at this point, right? Well, worry not dear British Columbian! We have the best news in store for you. If financial burden is weighing you down, you can ease the pressure you feel by taking advantage of the Nurses Education Bursary. Each year, the Ministry of Advanced Education hands out this provincial bursary to deserving candidates, distributing up to $1 million among students annually. 

Curious to know more? Keep reading! 

Nurses Education Bursary – Eligibility, How To Apply

Eligibility Criteria 

It’s natural to wonder at this point if you make the cut for Nurses Education Bursary. If you tick all the boxes below, consider yourself eligible – 

• You must be a student nurse as of 15^th September of the year you’re applying in respectively 
• You must be a resident of the province of British Columbia and by extension of Canada 
• You must be permanent resident or a person who enjoys immigrant or protected person’s status
• You must be enrolled in a full-time nursing education program in a designated institution of British Columbia
• You must not be presently working as an Employed Student Nurse or should have done so in the last one year 
• You must have the intention to stay and work as a nurse in the province of British Columbia after the completion of your course 
• You must be a member of the BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU) in the capacity of a student 

Note – There a few things you need to keep in mind when it comes to eligibility. These have been mentioned below: 

• A full-time course is one which is at least of 4 months in duration
• Your course should result in a recognized diploma, certificate or degree so you can practice legally 
• If you have a default on your BC Student Loan or face bankruptcy, you will not be considered eligible for this bursary 
• If you’re a part-time student, you are not eligible for this program 
• Finally, the amount offered by this bursary is disbursed on the basis of a limited budget and it may so happen that all students who have proven financial need may not receive it; only students who have the greatest financial need will receive this award 

How To Apply 

Ticked all the right boxes when it comes to eligibility criteria? The next logical step for you is to get cracking on the application process. But wait a minute! Before you start getting all your documents in order, we’ve got news for you. You don’t have to separately apply for this bursary at all. If you’ve applied for a full-time BC student loan, your application will be automatically submitted for this bursary too. That means you don’t have to really worry about income thresholds and proving your financial need for this particular bursary either.

With that being said though, you do have to keep track of certain dates if you want to make the cut for the Nurses Education Bursary. This bursary is typically doled out in three phases and the last date of submission for each of these periods varies. 

For example, if you apply in the January to April period, the last date for you is January 15^th. If your application falls between the months of May and August, the deadline in that case will be May 15^th. Finally, if you plan to apply between September and December, the latest date by which you’ll need to submit your application is September 15^th. 

In case you miss your deadline, you will have to wait until the next bursary period and apply again. So be sure you’re on time. 

How Much Can You Get 

The all-important moment is here! As you already know, a total of up to $1 million is disbursed by this bursary every year. But the real question is: how much can you get? 

To be honest, it’s a variable. The amount you receive depends on the financial need you demonstrate. However, you can still expect to receive anywhere between $500 and $2000 as that is the range of this award per recipient. It’s vital to note here that this bursary is issued for a 12-month period only. So if you need it for another year, it’s best to get in touch with the relevant authority of your educational institution. 

Other Student Aid Options 

One of the best parts of studying in British Columbia is that there’s no dearth of options when it comes to financial aid. If you don’t get this bursary, you can always try your luck with other financial aids open to you. These include but are not restricted to BC Access Grant (Full-time), BC Access Grant (Part-time) and British Columbia Scholarships.