LPN to RN/RPN Laddering Fund

BCNU will issue a T4A by the end of February of the following year which must be reported on personal income tax to the Canada Revenue Agency. Your social insurance number will be required to issue the T4A. Recipients are encouraged to reach out to a tax advisor for support in filing personal tax returns.

LPNs must meet the same hours required to maintain their registration with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives. This means they must practice a minimum of 1,125 hours within the five-year period immediately preceding registration renewal. Review further detail on the BCCNM website.

Yes, BCNU is proud to offer a series of bursary funds and other avenues of financial support including the Member Education Bursary, Student Nurse Education Bursary, and Indigenous Student Nurse Education Bursary. To learn more about these and other financial supports for members, visit our bursaries and funding page. 

No, you will only be reimbursed for the cost of tuition, associated fees and textbooks, up to a maximum of $3,000 per semester. Other costs are not covered by the fund.

No, only those courses offered as part of an accredited RN/RPN program are eligible for reimbursement of up to $3,000 per semester. Other bursaries are available to members, including the Debra McPherson Member Education bursary.

There is no cap on the number of semesters you can apply for. Each member is entitled to an overall maximum of $20,000 to complete their program, with a maximum per semester of $3,000, until the funding runs out.

Yes, if you are licensed to practice as an LPN in BC with more than three years’ experience and meet the rest of the eligibility criteria, you are eligible to apply for this fund.

Yes, online courses are eligible for reimbursement provided they are part of an accredited RN/RPN program.

This is a one-time $20-million-dollar fund; once depleted it will not be replenished without further negotiation with the government.

Members will only receive money for each semester once. If a member fails to complete a semester, they will not be eligible for additional reimbursement to retake the semester. If you are no longer able to complete the laddering program, you will not be eligible for the funding. 

Yes, you must reapply for the funding each semester and provide proof of registration and enrollment.

To find out which schools offer this training program, you can look up the various schools of nursing in your region on the contact page of the BCNU.org site. Select your region from the drop-down filter and you’ll find not only the regional council member for your region, but also the schools in your area that offer nursing programs.

Any classes completed by eligible members as part of an accredited RN/RPN program that began on or after March 31, 2023 are eligible for reimbursement through the fund. Classes that began before March 31, 2023 are not eligible for reimbursement.

Applications for the bursary funding will be reviewed by the bursary committee on a rolling basis, in the order they are received. Once an application is approved, funds will be administered as soon as possible.

Yes, you are eligible to receive the funding.

We accept original receipts, scanned original receipts or downloaded original receipts. These must be submitted through the online application form. Photocopies of printed downloaded receipts will not be accepted. Please ensure that all documentation submitted includes your full name and the name of the educational institution.

The amount of funding you receive is based on the cost of tuition and textbooks. If the total cost of tuition and textbooks is less than $3,000, you will receive the amount you paid for these items only, based on your submitted receipts. The fund does not reimburse for other costs associated with schooling at this time.

The one-time $20 million funding agreement providing the funding for the LPN to RN/RPN Laddering Fund was made between BCNU and the Ministry of Health and included certain criteria that recipients would have to meet. One of those criteria was that recipients must be considered ‘mid-career’ nurses. It was determined that a minimum of three years’ experience was sufficient to be considered a mid-career nurse. 

Other bursaries are available to members upgrading their skills and/or designation with less than three years’ experience, including the Debra McPherson Member Education Bursary.