Alice Girard Award

Canadian Nurses Foundation

Get up to $10,000 for your PhD in nursing — apply online between December and late January.

Published by G Paul · last checked August 14, 2026

Up to

$10,000

Next deadline

Dec 1, 2026

Level

Graduate

Open to

Across Canada

Apply on the official site ↗

What you will need

Online application submitted via cnf-fiic.ca/scholarships/
Canadian citizenship or permanent residency
Enrollment in a Canadian nursing program (RN, IEN, NP, LPN, or RPN)
PhD-level study in nursing

About this award

You can receive up to $10,000 for your studies. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are a dedicated nursing student pursuing your doctoral degree. Applications open each December and close in late January for the following academic year. No specific time zone is posted, so check the Canadian Nurses Foundation (CNF — the national organization supporting nursing education) program page at cnf-fiic.ca/scholarships/ to confirm the exact closing time this year. You will hear back from the organisers after the committee review, though the exact notification date isn't listed. Winners are chosen based on merit by the CNF awards committee. They award over 135 scholarships per year across all their different funding tiers, so you are competing with a large pool of nursing students nationwide. Ask the Canadian Nurses Foundation during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with the Canadian Nurses Foundation whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. You must be currently enrolled in a Canadian nursing program (such as RN, IEN, NP, LPN, or RPN) and specifically be a nursing student at the PhD level.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Open to graduate students
Studying nursing

How to apply

Read the award's official page
Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.
Submit your application
Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.

Tips for applying

StrategyAvoid treating this as a separate application from other CNF awards. Keep in mind that a single online application covers every scholarship you are eligible for. Focus on one high-quality submission rather than trying to find multiple forms.
RealismAvoid ignoring the competition. With over 135 scholarships spread across all levels from diplomas to PhDs, the doctoral tier is highly selective. Treat this as a bonus to your funding plan rather than your primary source of tuition.

Questions students ask

How do I apply?

Use the Apply on the official site button on this page: it opens the official application page in a new tab.

When is the deadline?

Applications close on December 1, 2026. Submit a day or two early: application sites get busy at the end.

Can international students apply?

No. You need to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

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FundMyCourse.ca · checked Aug 14, 2026