NTHSSA Bursary Program

Your Gateway to Healthcare Opportunities in Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services System Bursary Program is available each academic year to students from the Northwest Territories pursuing an education in a high-demand field related to health and social services.

The number of applicants supported through the program will vary from year to year, depending on the availability of funding and the number of eligible applications.

Ready To Apply? Submit Your Application !

Reference the High Demand Occupation List for eligible careers.

Read the Program Guidelines and FAQ

Complete an application Package found in the Program Guidelines and send it to us using the contact form to the left. E-mail us directly for questions or check out the FAQ, below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common inquiries we receive.

The program is available to Northwest Territories (NWT) students pursuing an education in high demand health and social services fields, including allied health, midwifery, nursing, social services, and medical occupations in the NWT Health and Social Services System (NWT HSS System).

The Bursary Program is intended to support NWT students in the pursuit of high demand health and social services occupations. This will:

Encourage NWT students to consider careers in the health and social services occupations.
Help address future staffing and vacancy needs within the NWT HSS System.
Build and enhance local capacity, by increasing resident health and social services employees within the community.
Help support continuity of care to NWT residents.

To be eligible for a bursary, applicants must:
Be accepted (or have applied to) an approved, post-secondary program at an accredited post-secondary institution that is directly related to identified high demand occupations;
Be physically residing in the NWT for 12 continuous months or more; or be in full-time post-secondary studies and had physically resided in the NWT for 12 continuous months or more immediately prior to your studies;
Be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, or a protected person of Canada;
Not be receiving any form of direct funding or financial sponsorship for their program of study from an employer;
Agree to complete a Return of Service (ROS) in the NWT HSS System; and not have a ROS Agreement or other contractual obligations that may prevent him or her from fulfilling the ROS commitment.

Proof of NWT residency includes things such as copies of rental agreements or mortgage documents, utility bills, high school transcripts that cover the required length of time. Alternatively, a completed Residency Statutory Declaration Form, can be provided as Proof of NWT residency.
NWT Residency must be able to prove the 12 months of continuous residency.

Yes, all application forms, requirements, and grading criteria will be revised on a yearly basis.
It’s recommended that the applicant revise their Letter of Interest, Resume, and Recommendation Letters on a yearly basis to ensure that they are as up to date as possible. Previous receipt of the bursary does not guarantee the bursary funding in future years.

If you are unsure if you program would qualify you for a position on please send an email to us using the contact form above. The NWT HSS Bursary Team may consult with Hiring Managers and the Talent Acquisition team to determine vacancies and eligibility for academic programs that could equate to the listed education requirements.

The NWT HSS Bursary Team works with the Talent Acquisition Team and Hiring Managers to determine the number of vacant positions in the NWT HSS
This list is reevaluated yearly based on which occupations are needed.

If applicants are in Yellowknife, they may contact the Program Specialist to see if there is someone In the Yellowknife office that can notarize your document(s).
Other options include:
For those currently in the NWT: https://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/en/notaries-public/ or https://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/en/commissioners-for-oaths/
For those outside the territory: search your area for a list of Notaries or Commissioners with your territory/province. This can often be done at a courthouse or city clerks office. Please note, there may be a fee associated with commissioners or notaries.

The last page of the Application form includes an Application Checklist. Please go through the checklist and attach all the necessary documents for your application in an email to be sent to NWTHSS_Burasry@gov.nt.ca.

Required documents include:

Application
Student Enrollment Form
Letter of Interest
Resume
Recommendation Letter 1
Recommendation Letter 2
Proof of NWT Residency
Proof of Canadian Residency

Additional documents to include if applicable for your application:

Residency Statutory Declaration Form
Verification of Indigenous Status
Disability Assessment Form

Your resume should highlight any education, work, or volunteer experience you have. Ideally, this should highlight any qualifications for or interest in studying and working in your selected area.

You should include your current education path, any relevant courses, your student number (if known), any experience mentioned in your Letter of Interest and Recommendation Letters.

Your Letter of Interest should be tailored to the NWT HSS Bursary program and explain why you are interested in working in the system as well as:

Your academic information
What qualifications or experience that you have gained that would make you an asset to the NWT HSS System.

Your reference letters should be written by someone who knows your professional and/or educational background well. The letters should speak to who you are as a person and why you are deserving of the bursary. If you have previous experience in health or social services, one of the letters must be written by your most recent supervisor. Other references can be instructors, coaches, mentors, or advisors.

Yes. Please note that applications that are considered too like one another may be asked to resubmit documentation. Your screening documents should be unique to you.

Yes, part time ROS will be pro-rated.

The program specialist will help guide the recipient to network with potential managers within the NWT HSS System and support them to seek, apply for, and secure employment within the NWT HSS System. Receiving the bursary does not guarantee the recipient a position within the NWT HSS System.

Relocation would be necessary if there are no open positions for your occupation in your region. If you are unable to relocate to fulfill the ROS, the bursary recipient will be responsible to repay the bursary funds as outlined in their ROS Agreement.

ROS Commitments should be secured within six months of successful completion of the bursary recipients’ final year of academic, residency or practicum requirements. If additional licensing or exams are required after graduation, the ROS will begin once the recipient is reasonably able to start work. The recipient should let the NWT HSS Bursary team know of anything that may delay fulfilling their Return of Service.

Any position under the NWT HSS System (Northwest Territories Health and Social Service Authority, Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, the Tłįchǫ Community Services Agency, or the GNWT’s Department of Health and Social Services) will go towards your Return of Service.
The goal of the program is to fund the education for students that are pursuing careers that are in high demand.

The Return of Service will be placed on hold until the applicant is able to obtain the experience needed to qualify for their position within the NWT HSS System.

Yes, NTHSSA Employees must meet the following criteria to apply:
Have not received funding for from the Targeted Academic Support Program (TASP) or the Professional Development Initiative (PDI) for their current academic pursuit.

Are not seeking a certification that could be funded through the TASP or PDI programs while remaining an active employee.
Meet all eligibility requirements listed in the Program Guidelines.

Yes. Pre-existing Return of Service Agreements with the NTHSSA such as Leave Without Pay and/or Education Leave will be done concurrently with the NWT HSS Bursary Program Return of Service.