Funding for my degree!

[student_nursecanada]

Hello All

I have recently been accepted to a nursing program here in Canada. Ever since I have been thinking about ways to fund the four year degree. I have come across student loans and scholarships, however i have also heard that it is posible to recieve funding from a recruitment agency or a staffing firm that is linked with a medical facility either here or in US. The way i heard it works is by signing a contract agreeing to work for a firm for an x amount of years, providing that they in some ways help to fund your nursing degree. Im not sure if this sounds familiar to any of you out there but please let me know if this is at all possible.

Thanks,

Yaroslav

[Fiona59]

Honestly never heard of it happening in Alberta.

You can get part of the loans written off after graduation, check with your financial aide office, its the provincial portion I think, came into effect back in 2000. It is available, but you have to ask for it and do the appropriate paperwork.

Everyone has a right to work where ever they choose, but it bothers me that so many new grads who have been educated (partly at public expense) leave the country because of higher pay in the US. What we need to be doing is providing full time jobs upon graduation, not casual or .2 positions.

[student_nursecanada]

Thanks for the info. Very helpful and i will inquire further into it

As for leaving Canada to go and work in US, I totally agree that its quite unacceptable. I guess some people also leave for other factors such as weather and of course the lifestyle that US might provide. Diminishing public funds certainly isnt helpful when US simply gets already trained nurses at the expense of our taxpayers.

[fergus51]

The Canadian system has only itself to blame for losing new grads and experienced nurses alike. I have no sympathy for them anymore.

I do know many hospitals in the US provide "tuition reimbursement" for new grads in lieu of a signing bonus and that will pay a portion of your loans. I don't recommend commiting to a contract for a facility in exchange for them paying for your education, cause you never know what they unit will be like by the time you start working there.