Internationally Educated Physiotherapist (IEPT) Credential Assessment and Education Bursary

What you will need

• ✓ English-translated copy of your passport (with photo, full legal name, date of birth, and signature)
• ✓ Proof of a university-level entry-to-practice degree in physiotherapy from a country other than Canada
• ✓ Proof that you have initiated or will initiate the CAPR Educational Credential and Qualifications Assessment
• ✓ Signed Return of Service (ROS) Agreement
• ✓ Valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) for reimbursement
• ✓ For Physio Refresh CoRe applicants: proof of payment and course completion

About this award

You can receive a bursary of up to $14,837 CAD to help you become a licensed physiotherapist in British Columbia. This is a grant, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. The funding is broken down by specific steps: $1,486 CAD for the CAPR (Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators — the national body that assesses foreign credentials) assessment, up to $400 CAD per test for up to two (2) English Language Proficiency (ELP) tests, $120 CAD for the CAPR practice exam, $4,000 CAD for the Physio Refresh CoRe, $500 CAD for the Clinical Lab Workshop, and for the Physio Refresh Certificate, up to $5,910 CAD for domestic students or $10,881 CAD for international students. This is for you if you are an internationally educated physiotherapist who wants to bring your skills to the public healthcare system in British Columbia. No deadline is posted publicly — before you start the application, check Health Match BC's program page or call their office to confirm when applications open and close this year. Once you are accepted into the program and have signed your Return of Service agreement, you can submit your eligible costs for reimbursement. You will be reimbursed for your costs via direct deposit. If you are not yet in Canada, you will be paid once you obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN), a Canadian address, a phone number, and a Canadian bank account. To keep this funding, you must sign a Return of Service (ROS) agreement. This means you agree to work in BC's public health system for one year if your employment is over 0.5 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent — over 0.5 means more than half-time), or two years if your employment is 0.5 FTE or less. You must also stay actively engaged in the credentialling process and provide periodic updates to the program.

Who qualifies

You are eligible if you meet all these requirements: you have a university-level entry-to-practice degree in physiotherapy from a country other than Canada, and you have started or will start your assessment with CAPR (the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators). You must have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN), though you can register for the bursary before you have one. You cannot have ever held full licensure as a physiotherapist in any Canadian province or territory. Additionally, you must be willing to sign a Return of Service agreement to work for a qualifying public employer in BC, such as a regional health board, the Provincial Health Services Authority, the First Nations Health Authority, or Providence Health Care. Note that contract agencies are not qualifying employers. If you qualify for both this and the nursing bursary, you must choose only one profession to apply for.

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.

• ✓ Open to certificate students
• ✓ Resident of British Columbia
• ✓ Studying physiotherapy

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Ask for reference letters2 weeks

   Give your referees at least two weeks' notice, and send them your résumé.

3. 3

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• ApplicationAvoid submitting documents without translations. Instead, send an English-translated copy of the passport pages that show your photo, full legal name, date of birth, and signature. You do not need to send every page.
• AgreementAvoid ignoring the Return of Service (ROS) terms. Instead, map out your career plans to ensure you can commit to working in the public sector for one or two years depending on your hours. Confirm with your recruiter how the 0.5 FTE limit is calculated.
• StrategyAvoid applying for both the Physio Refresh CoRe and the Physio Refresh Certificate. Instead, pick the one that best fits your learning style, as you can only receive funding for one. If you want the Clinical Lab Workshop, you must choose the CoRe option.
• RealismAvoid assuming immediate payment. Instead, remember that this is a reimbursement program. Keep every original receipt and your positive CAPR results letter, as you need these proofs before Health Match BC, on behalf of the Province of British Columbia (BC Ministry of Health) will pay you back.

Questions students ask

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