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CNF Diversity Fund

Get up to $3,000 for internationally educated nurses enrolled in a Canadian nursing program — applications open each December.

Reviewed by G Paul · verified August 21, 2026

$3,000

Total value

Dec 1, 2026

Next deadline

Canadian Nurses Foundation

Administered by

What you will need

Complete the single online application at cnf-fiic.ca/scholarships/
Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residency
Proof of enrollment in a Canadian nursing program (RN, IEN, NP, LPN, or RPN)

About this award

You can receive up to $3,000 through this award. As a scholarship, this money is yours to keep and you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are an internationally educated nurse working to integrate into the Canadian healthcare system. Applications open each December for the following academic year and typically close in late January. No specific date is posted publicly for the current cycle, so you should check the Canadian Nurses Foundation (CNF — the national organization supporting nursing education) website at cnf-fiic.ca/scholarships/ to confirm the exact deadline. You will hear back from the provider via the methods listed on their application portal. Winners are chosen based on merit by the CNF awards committee. They award over 135 scholarships per year across all their different funding tiers, though they do not publish the exact number of winners for this specific diversity fund. 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 an internationally educated nurse. You must also be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and currently enrolled in a Canadian nursing program, such as those for Registered Nurses (RN), Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN), Nurse Practitioners (NP), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), or Registered Practical Nurses (RPN).

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

Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Studying nursing

How to apply

Read the award's own 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.

More details

Professional Experience

Avoid simply listing your previous nursing roles.

Instead, highlight how your international experience prepares you to contribute to the Canadian healthcare system.

Detail specific clinical skills you bring from your home country.

Support

Avoid providing a generic character reference.

Instead, secure letters from Canadian clinical instructors or supervisors who can vouch for your current integration into the local nursing program.

Strategy

Avoid treating this as a separate application from other CNF awards.

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