Canadian Nurses Foundation · National
Karen Graham Northern Nursing Award
About this award
Get up to $3,000 for your baccalaureate nursing studies if you are from Canada's North — apply between December and late January.
You can receive up to $3,000 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 nursing student from Canada's North pursuing a baccalaureate degree. Applications open each December for the following academic year and typically close in late January. No specific date or time zone is posted publicly — before you start the application, check the Canadian Nurses Foundation (CNF — the national organization supporting nursing education) program page or call their office to confirm when applications open and close this year. You will hear back via the method specified in the application portal. Winners are chosen based on merit by the CNF awards committee. They award over 135 scholarships per year across all tiers, but they do not publish the exact number of winners for this specific award or the total number of applicants, so ask the CNF how many people typically apply to judge your odds. 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.
Can you get it?
- Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident — citizenship requirement
- Undergraduate — study level
- Studying nursing — field of study
How to apply
Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour
Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.
Submit by No deadline~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
The biggest mistake is listing your duties without explaining your connection to the North.
Winners instead describe how their background in northern communities drives their passion for nursing and provide a specific story about the challenges faced by northern patients.
The biggest mistake is providing a generic character reference.
Winners instead secure letters from clinical instructors or community leaders in the North who can vouch for their resilience and commitment to rural healthcare.
The biggest mistake is treating this as a standalone application.
Since a single online form covers every CNF scholarship you qualify for, you should carefully review all their criteria to ensure you are considered for every possible tier of funding.