Alberta has introduced the Northern Alberta Teacher Award to encourage education students to work in rural and northern communities after graduation.
The program offers Bachelor of Education students $9,000 after two years of full-time teaching or $18,000 after three years in a northern Alberta school division. The return-to-service model requires recipients to commit to at least two years of teaching in eligible communities.
Selection and eligibility
Students in their final year of a Bachelor of Education program at an accredited post-secondary institution can apply for the award. Applications are open until Jan. 19, 2026.
The program aims to attract and retain qualified teachers in areas where staffing shortages affect education quality, according to the province.
Replacing previous program
The Northern Alberta Teacher Award replaces the Northern Student Teacher Bursary program, which supported eligible students during their final year of education and first year of teaching in northern Alberta.
The new funding structure focuses on post-graduation retention rather than pre-service support, with payments tied to completed years of teaching service.
