Northern B.C. Return of Service Award Program

Launch your career in Northern British Columbia and make a meaningful impact

Program overview

Start your teaching career and gain valuable experience while living in one of B.C.’s amazing northern communities. Many northern schools and districts offer close-knit teaching environments, unique local perspectives, and meaningful ways to grow as a new teacher.

The Northern B.C. Return of Service Award provides financial supports to teacher candidates who commit to working in a participating northern school post-graduation.

Award details

Teacher candidates who commit to working for three years in one of the participating northern schools listed below will be eligible to receive an award of up to $18,000 during the final year of their teacher education program. This funding will be applied directly toward their tuition costs.

Upon graduation, students who receive the award must successfully secure employment as a teacher in one of the participating schools to fulfill the return of service requirement. Recipients who do not fulfill the return of service requirement will be required to repay the award.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible for a Northern B.C. Return of Service Award if you:

• Are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• Are enrolled in an approved teacher education program in British Columbia, and
• Are within 12 months of graduating from your teacher education program

The list of approved teacher education programs in British Columbia is available online.

Application timeline

Teacher candidates will be able to apply for this opportunity through the Ministry and will be required to outline how they meet the requirements for this program through an application form. The application timeline is as follows:

• Application opens August 28, 2026
• Application closes October 9, 2026
• Applicants notified of selection in November 2026

How to apply

Complete the application (PDF, 9.7MB) and submit it to the Ministry of Education and Child Care at Workforce.Development@gov.bc.ca by October 9, 2026.

Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

Applicants must notify the lead of their Teacher Education Program that they have applied for the Northern B.C. Return of Service Award.

An information session on this program will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, September 23 from 4:00-5:00pm. To learn more about the program and participating districts, register here.

Required documentation

As part of the application process, you will be required to provide:

• A completed application form
• Proof of enrolment in a teacher education program
• A statement of interest outlining your commitment to teaching in Northern B.C.
• Documentation from practicum, such as a practicum report or evaluation

Selection process

A committee will select recipients based on the following criteria:

• Interest in teaching in northern British Columbia
• Alignment between the candidate’s interests, experiences, and the needs of Northern B.C. schools and communities
• Quality of the statement of interest
• Strength of practicum evaluation or supervisor endorsement
• Confirmation of enrolment in an eligible teacher education program

Participating school districts