The Ontario Government is extending their Learn and Stay Grant.
The grant was announced in March of last year and was originally just for nursing students, but now it includes paramedic and medical laboratory technologist programs in priority communities.
Eligible students will receive full funding for tuition, books and other educational costs in return for working and caring for people in the region where they studied for a term of service after they graduate.
Grant applications for the 2023-24 academic year open this spring, targeting 2,500 postsecondary students who in enroll in the following programs and regions:
Nursing programs in northern, eastern and southwestern Ontario
Medical laboratory technologist/medical laboratory sciences programs in northern and southwestern Ontario
Paramedic programs in northern Ontario
You can see full details here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-learn-and-stay-grant?utm_source=newsroom&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=%2Fen%2Frelease%2F1002652%2Fontario-expanding-learn-and-stay-grant-to-train-more-health-care-workers&utm_term=media#section-4
To be eligible for the grant, students must:
– be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person and live in Ontario
– enrol in an eligible diploma, advanced diploma, undergraduate, masters or post-graduate program in a priority region
– commit to work in the region where they studied for a minimum of six months for every year of study funded by the grant.
– Students can also apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to help pay for other costs, such as living expenses.
– The program is responsive to evolving labour market needs and could be tailored for any program, profession or region. In future years, the grant may be expanded to include more programs and regions to help respond to localized labour market needs in underserved communities in Ontario.
– As part of the Learn and Stay Grant, $81 million will be invested to expand the Community Commitment Program for Nurses for up to 1,500 nurse graduates in 2022-23 and 2023-24 to receive full tuition reimbursement in exchange for committing to practice for two years in an underserved community.
