McGill Community Network Bursary
The Bursary Program
The Community Network Bursary Program offers financial assistance to students pursuing education in health and social service fields.
This initiative aims to address local and regional needs for accessible health and social care in English.
About The Bursary
Bursary Amounts
The value of each bursary varies based on the student’s level of education and whether their school is located inside or outside their home region.
Within Home Region
University: $5,000
Cegep/College: $2,500
Vocational Training: $1,000 - $2,000
Outside Home Region
University: $10,000
Cegep/College: $5,000
Vocational Training: $1,000 - $2,000
Bursaries awarded through this program are tax-free, and there’s no limit to how many a student can receive.
Return for Service
Each bursary recipient agrees to work full-time for at least one year in a public health or social services institution within their home region or the area served by the sponsoring community network after completing their studies for each year that they are awarded the bursary.
E.g. A recipient from Saguenay who receives the bursary twice to study in Montreal must return to work in Saguenay for 2 years.
Application Deadline
All applications and required documents must be submitted to the sponsoring community network no later than May 7, 2025.
Dialogue McGill will announce decisions by July 23, 2025.
Eligibility Criteria
The Community Network Bursary Program is open to full-time students in Quebec who meet the following criteria:
Canadian Citizenship/Residency: Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have lived in their Quebec home region for at least 24 months.
Language Proficiency: Students must possess the necessary language skills in both English and French to provide health and social services within a Quebec health institution.
Study Location: Applicants must be enrolled in a government-recognized educational institution, either within or outside their home region.
Eligible Programs: Students must be accepted into or actively pursuing full-time studies in an eligible health or social service program. Eligible programs are those that allow graduates to work professionally in Quebec upon completion, specifically preparing students for direct care and service roles. A list of eligible programs is available for further details.
Full-Time Enrollment: Students must be registered as full-time for the academic year during the application period.
Commitment to Work Post-Graduation: After completing their studies, recipients must commit to working for a minimum of one year per bursary awarded in their home region or the catchment area of the sponsoring community network, within a recognized public health and social services institution.
Medical Program Graduates: For graduates of medical programs, there is no specific regional requirement due to Quebec’s medical workforce planning system (plans régionaux d’effectifs médicaux, or PREM). However, they must still work in a Quebec public health and social services institution for at least one year per bursary.
Program Follow-Up: Students must agree to participate in any follow-up, monitoring, or evaluation of the bursary program conducted by Dialogue McGill or the sponsoring community network.
Important Notes:
The Bursary Program is not available to students enrolled in independent study programs or those not leading to a degree or diploma.
Students are responsible for ensuring that receiving this bursary does not conflict with other funding sources. We recommend contacting other funding sponsors to resolve any potential conflicts.
Application Process
Students interested in applying should begin by reaching out to the community network in their home region, which will act as their application sponsor.
Step 1
Applicants must complete Form 1: Student Application, which includes specifying their home region and identifying the participating community network that will coordinate and sponsor their bursary application.
Step 2
Applicants must submit the following documents to the designated contact person at their participating community network:
A completed and signed Form 1: Student Application
An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV)
An official letter of acceptance from their educational institution confirming admission to their program
Their most recent academic transcript (first-year students coming directly from high school should include their latest high school transcript)
Step 3
Applicants are also required to submit two (2) references from members of their community.
Students must complete Section 1 of Form 2: Reference Providers and then forward the form to their chosen references.
Reference providers are responsible for filling out Sections 2 through 4.
Once completed, the reference providers must email Form 2 directly to the contact person at the participating community network in the student’s home region.
Selection Process
The selection of bursary recipients follows a structured, three-tiered review process, progressing through the community network, regional, and Dialogue McGill levels.
Step 1: Community Network Review
After the application deadline has passed, sponsoring community networks begin their evaluation process.
The first task is to confirm that submitted applications:
Were received on time,
Are complete, and
Meet the established eligibility criteria.
Once verified, all qualifying applications are forwarded to the Bursary Selection Committee.
Step 2: Regional Selection Committee
Each sponsoring community network convenes a Bursary Selection Committee, which includes representatives from both the community and the public health sector (Dialogue McGill recommends including members from CISSS or CIUSSS).
This committee carefully evaluates all eligible applications to ensure they align with regional health and social service priorities. The committee may recommend up to six (6) applicants for university and CEGEP/college-level bursaries (not including vocational training) to Dialogue McGill, ranked in order of priority.
Vocational Training Recommendations
Community networks may also recommend up to two (2) applicants enrolled in vocational training programs, independent of the limits for university or college-level bursaries. These recommendations can be submitted at any time throughout the year.
Selection Criteria
Applicants will be recommended by their participating community network based on the following factors:
Relevance of the student’s program to the region’s identified priority service areas
Demonstrated commitment to working in a public health or social services institution within their home region (or within the sponsoring network’s catchment area) for at least one year per bursary received
Strength and credibility of reference letters
Academic performance and achievements
Clarity, completeness, and overall quality of the application
While community networks make initial recommendations, the final decision rests with Dialogue McGill’s Bursary Recommendation Committee. Approval is based on the above criteria and the recommendations submitted by the community network.
Recommendation to Dialogue McGill
Once the community network and its Bursary Selection Committee have chosen the applicants they wish to put forward for funding, they must complete and sign Form 3: Community Network Recommendation for each candidate.
It is the responsibility of the community networks to ensure that fully completed application packages are submitted to Dialogue McGill by the specified community network deadline.
A complete application package must include:
A completed and signed Form 1: Student Application
The student’s Curriculum Vitae
An official letter of acceptance from the student’s educational institution
The student’s official or unofficial transcript
Two completed Form 2: Reference Providers
A completed and signed Form 3: Community Network Recommendation
Important: Incomplete applications—those missing one or more of the required documents—may be rejected by Dialogue McGill. Final funding decisions are made solely by Dialogue McGill, and a recommendation from a community network does not guarantee that a bursary will be awarded.
Approval
Dialogue McGill Review Process
The Dialogue McGill Bursary Recommendation Committee will assess all submitted applications using a standardized evaluation grid aligned with the established selection criteria.
Each application is reviewed and prioritized, with funding preference given to those ranked highest by the selection committees. Applications that meet the eligibility requirements but receive a lower ranking may be placed on a waitlist, depending on the availability of remaining funds.
Bursary Payment
Payment to the Community Network
Once a bursary is approved by Dialogue McGill, an amendment to the existing agreement between McGill University and the community network will be prepared. This amendment must be signed by both parties.
Following the completion of signatures, funds will be transferred to the community network within 45 calendar days.
Payment to the Student
The community network is responsible for issuing bursary payments directly to the recipients.
Payments are made in two equal installments each academic year:
Mid-September
Mid-January
Recipient Responsibilities
Bursary recipients must complete and submit the following documentation:
Form 1: Attestation of Student’s Studies — This must be submitted to the community network within 15 calendar days of the official registration deadline at the student’s institution for each applicable term.
Bursary Recipient Contract — Recipients must sign this agreement, which outlines the terms and conditions of the bursary, including any clauses related to default.
Form 2: Proof of Bursary Payment (Section 2C) — This must be completed to confirm that each bursary installment has been received from the community network.
The community network is responsible for ensuring that recipients meet all program obligations. Failure to comply may result in removal from the program and a requirement to repay part or all of the bursary.
Need Help?
We’ve made a handy video guide to help you through your bursary application processes—watch below!
If you need more help or have specific questions about your application, you can send an email to Ashley, here at ECO-02.
For more information, visit Dialogue McGill’s Community Network Bursary Program guide.