Sawer Sisters Nursing Award

Nurses or nursing students in Nova Scotia advancing their skills in palliative care may apply for this Canadian Nurses Foundation award; if no Nova Scotia applicant qualifies, the award may go to a palliative care student elsewhere in Canada.

Award value depends on level of study: up to $3,000 at the baccalaureate level, up to $5,000 at the master's or nurse practitioner level, and up to $10,000 at the doctoral level.

One Canadian Nurses Foundation application covers every award you qualify for. The application opens January 1 and closes in mid-March each year (the 2026 cycle closed March 17, 2026); recipients are notified in July, and each applicant can receive at most one award per year.

Applicants submit a resume or CV, confirmation of registration from their school, transcripts (unofficial accepted), and one or two references from academic supervisors, who complete a short competency assessment through the application portal. Canadian citizenship or permanent residence and enrollment in a Canadian nursing program are required.