Applicants must meet all criteria. The selection committee may also consider factors like high-demand locations and occupations.

General Requirements

• You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person.
• You must have lived in Alberta for at least twelve (12) consecutive months before starting your program.
• Indigenous applicants must provide proof of status if selected to receive a bursary.
• You must be at arm’s length from the sponsor (not related and selected by impartial means).

Employment

• You must not be a current employee of a PHA (ACA, ALA, PCA, or Recovery Alberta) or PHC (AHS, CCA, EHS, or GLA).
  • If you’ve previously held a temporary, student or casual position with an agency or corporation, contact the HR Contact Centre at 1-877-511-4455 to confirm your employment status.
• You must commit to living and working in Northern Alberta upon graduation. Recipients must obtain a position with an eligible agency or corporation, as outlined in the Return of Service agreement.
  • Note: Receiving the bursary is not an offer of employment.

Education & Funding

• You must be enrolled full-time in a clinical, healthcare-related post-secondary program for the 2025-2026 school year. The program must be designated by Alberta Advanced Education and run for at least one full academic year (September – April).
• You must not be in default of a provincial student loan.
• You may not receive funding from both NADB and the Bursary Partnership Program (HSS & NADB) in the same school year. While NADB offers a range of bursaries, you can receive only 1 per academic year. If you receive this bursary in multiple academic years, each year’s Return of Service is served consecutively.

Important: As outlined in the application form, applicants agree to share their personal information with HSS, NADB and Alberta Advanced Education.

• Complete the form in full and include your resume and proof of enrollment in a single email.
  • Do not submit documents via Google Docs, SharePoint, Dropbox, or other file-sharing services.
• Use a personal email address (not a school email) when submitting your application.
• Include your Alberta Student Number (ASN). This 9-digit number is different from your post-secondary student ID number. You can access this information through the Alberta Government Learner Registry.
• Provide thoughtful, detailed answers to the short answer questions. Explain how your goals align with the bursary’s purpose and how you plan to help meet Alberta’s healthcare needs.
  • Tip: Explore northern Alberta and learn about career and lifestyle opportunities. Check out the AHS’ Northern Incentives Program, which offers non-pensionable allowances for eligible roles in northern communities.
• Proof of enrollment documents must show acceptance into your specific program (diploma/degree/certificate).
  • Acceptable documents include your acceptance letter, student portal screenshot or unofficial transcripts.
• Handwritten (wet ink) signatures are required.

Selection Process

All applications are reviewed by a selection committee and evaluated using a standardized scoring system to ensure a fair and impartial process.

Selection Criteria

Successful applicants will be selected based on:

• Alignment with the needs of an eligible agency or corporation (e.g., high-demand occupations, fields of study, and locations)
• Quality of résumé
• Quality and depth of responses to short answer questions

Priority is given to applicants pursuing clinical roles currently in high demand. Applicants in other programs are still encouraged to apply and may be considered if funds are available.

Notification

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by e-mail in mid-December and asked to:

• Sign an HSS Return of Service agreement.
• Complete the Bursary Partnership Program Student Application, which will undergo a separate review.

To avoid missing important updates, ensure your email settings allow messages from

• ProfessionalDevelopment.Funding@healthsharedservices.ca.

A Return of Service (ROS) agreement outlines the recipient’s commitment to work for an eligible agency or corporation in exchange for receiving the bursary. The HSS agreement includes specific terms and conditions, summarized below.

Successful applicants will receive two Return of Service agreements:

• Health Shared Services
• NADB, issued via the Government of Alberta using the email address consignocloud@notarius.com.

Summary of the Return of Service

• Recipients must complete one (1) month of full-time service (or the equivalent in part-time/casual hours as per the applicable Collective Agreement) for every $500 of total bursary funding.
  • Example: A $4,000 bursary requires eight (8) months full-time work.
• The HSS & NADB ROS agreements are served at the same time, but after any other ROS obligations with the eligible agency or corporation or NADB.
• If you receive relocation support from an eligible agency or corporation, your ROS agreement obligations will be served consecutively.
• If you do not fulfill the terms of the ROS agreements, you will be required to repay the bursary funds as outlined in the agreements.
• If your eligibility changes before you begin your service, your bursary amount and required service may also change. You may be required to sign a revised agreement.

Fund Disbursal

• If approved by all parties, bursary payments are issued as two separate cheques: one from HSS, and one from NADB.
• Cheques are mailed between mid-January and late March.

Is this award open to all Alberta residents?

This award is open to all Alberta residents who meet the required eligibility criteria. A portion of the funding is designated to support Indigenous individuals.

I am Indigenous but was not selected for one of the Indigenous bursaries. Am I still eligible for the general funding stream?

Yes. Applications from Indigenous individuals are first considered. If not selected in that round, your application will then be re-evaluated alongside all other applicants for the general funding stream.

Can I receive this bursary more than once?

Yes. You may receive the bursary in multiple years if selected. However, each year’s Return of Service (ROS) agreement must be served consecutively.

Multiple healthcare agencies have been established in addition to AHS. How does this affect the program?

The terms of the ROS agreement permit recipients to carry out their obligation with an eligible agency or corporation. The bursary funds are currently provided by HSS and therefore the ROS agreement is provided by HSS. HSS may assign the ROS agreement to any of the eligible agencies, provided that the assignee shall be bound by the terms of this agreement.