Award Competitions

Office of Nursing Research & Teaching Scholarship (ONRTS)

The Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) provides financial support to outstanding students pursuing Master's or Doctoral studies in health sciences. The School of Nursing supports MSN & PhD Students in their CIHR Award Applications through a series of workshops, an internal review process, and individualized application support from the Office of Nursing Research & Teaching Scholarship (ONRTS).

For competitions that require the signature of the Director of Research Services, please visit the Office of Research Services (ORS) website for details about UBC signature policies (ORS signs the application form as the "University Research Administration"). The ORS signature deadline will likely be several days before the agency deadline.

For information please visit the following webpage https://nursing.ubc.ca/research/internal-deadlines or contact ONRTS@nursing.ubc.ca

For a compendium of opportunities for research funding, check the Research Funding page of the UBC Office of Research Services.

There are also a variety of external agencies that provide funding opportunities for graduate nursing students:

• The Canadian Nurses Foundation (All Programs) - Applications will open January 2026
• Registered Nurses Foundation of British Columbia (All Programs) - Applications will open June 16, 2025
• The Skills for Hope Foundation Scholarships (All Programs) - Applications will open January 2026
• Kidney Foundation of Canada (Allied Health Scholarship) (MSN & PhD)
• Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research (STIHR) – Training Opportunities (PHD Only)
• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (Nursing Research Fellowship) (PhD Only)
• The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Trainee Awards (PhD & Post-Doctoral) 

The best way to gain access to external award competitions is to consult with faculty supervisors and professional associations to inquire about past funding students have received funding from, and use those consultations to strategically plan your applications. 

• Scholarships, Awards, Merit and Need Based Funding
• Award Opportunities
• Awards Frequently Asked Questions
• Annual Progress Report for Fellowship Holders
• Awards Guidelines:
  • how to accept and activate Tri-Agency and external awards
  • award holder's guide for 4YF and Tri-Agency award holders
  • award guidelines and conditions

When is my tuition due?

• UBC tuition deadlines can be found here: https://students.ubc.ca/enrolment/dates-deadlines

Does my award cover tuition & fees? 

• Yes, if you are receiving awards or scholarships the funds will be applied to your tuition & fees first, and then you will receive the rest via direct deposit into your bank account
• Award payments are normally paid out over the three terms of the year (September, January, and May).
  • The details of your award payment instalments will be outlined in the award offer you received on Workday.
  • This schedule may or may not line up exactly with your tuition & fee payment schedule, so please plan accordingly.
• For questions regarding your finances, tuition, or fees please contact an Enrolment Services Advisor (ESA) https://students.ubc.ca/about-student-services/enrolment-services-advisors

How does TA Funding work? 

• If you accepted a TAship offered as part of your PhD Funding package, you were instructed to submit a TA application to the School of Nursing https://nursing.ubc.ca/about/careers
• TA appointments require tracking of hours, and TA salaries are paid out bimonthly based on the terms of the TA contract.
• If you have questions about your TA appointment, please contact the School of Nursing Senior HR Clerk at edward.cheng@ubc.ca 

How does RA-ship Funding work? 

• If you accepted an RAship offered as part of your PhD Funding package, this must be set up by the supervising faculty member that has offered you the RAship. The supervising faculty member will make the arrangements with the School of Nursing HR.
• Most RA appointments will be set up as a GRA (graduate research assistant) position with a monthly stipend; some RAships will be set up as a GAA (graduate academic assistant) position that requires reporting of hours. All RA-ships for international students will be set up as GAA positions.
• The actual RA work can be completed in any term over the course of a 12-month period irrespective of the payment schedule. The faculty member and student will be responsible for tracking hours worked according to the expectations agreed upon by the faculty member and student.
• If you have any questions related to your RAship, your best point of contact is the faculty member supervising your RAship. 

What if I have an external sponsor? 

• If an organization is sponsoring your education, that is processed through Sponsorship Billing department at Enrolment Services. More information is available on this program here: https://students.ubc.ca/finances/tuition-fees/sponsorship-billing/
• If you have any questions related to your sponsorship, please contact ubc.sponsorship@ubc.ca

How do I order my transcript?

• https://students.ubc.ca/enrolment/records/ordering-transcript

How do I obtain my proof of enrolment letter?

• https://workday.students.ubc.ca/student-documents/downloading-your-confirmation-of-enrolment-letter/