Scholarships and awards

The RCN currently offers three scholarship schemes for HCAs and APs, the HSA charitable trust award, the Kershaw family bursary and the RCN Foundation professional bursary scheme. Download our HCA and AP scholarships and awards flyer (PDF 174KB) and share the opportunities that the RCN has to offer. Please visit the RCN Foundation bursaries page for information about other awards available.

HSA Charitable Trust health care assistant awards

For health care assistants (HCAs) who have a vocational qualification in health and care. Awards of up to £250 are available for funding courses or study day fees,  or awarding body registration fees. For the purpose of this award an HCA is taken to mean 'an individual employed by the NHS who assists nurses in their practice'.

Christine Shailer is an Assistant Practitioner working in General Practice and is a member of the RCN. She says: “I have used the award to help me fund my final year in working towards a Honours Degree in Health and Social Care at the Open University. The underpinning knowledge I have gained through this study has benefited my personal development and contributed positively to patient care and to the work of the team.”

• Closing date: you can apply any time during the year, however, please ensure you apply well ahead of your proposed study/activity, as it can take up to eight weeks to process an application. There is a limit to the amount of funding available and not all applications will be successful.
• How to apply: please email scholarships@rcn.org.uk for an application form quoting HCA awards or download the Health Care Assistant Awards form (DOC 99KB). 

HCA and AP Bursary - The Kershaw Family Bursary

Bursaries of up to £500 for health care assistants and assistant practitioners to support the development of projects that will have a direct impact on patient care. As well as projects that enhance the quality of life for an individual patient or group of people, this could also include attending a course or a conference. To be eligible health care assistants and assistant practitioners will need to have been in RCN membership for six months' prior to the closing date.

Marvin Shortman, a health care support worker, received the Kershaw Bursary for a Football Association coaching course. He is hoping to break down barriers in his workplace through sport and said: "I applied for the bursary and got something which I can use at work to encourage service users to be more active".

• Closing date: the closing date for 2013 will be announced as soon as possible.   
• How to apply: full details and an application form will be available to download eight to 10 weeks prior to the closing date.

The RCN Foundation Professional Bursary Scheme

The RCN Foundation Professional Bursary Scheme for mid 2013 is open for application and this round includes mental health and paediatrics as well as primary care, long term conditions, dementia and the care of older people.

These bursaries are to support individuals in learning and development activities that enhance the care that patients receive and promote health.

The closing date is 23 May 2013 and funding is offered for activities which commence after 31 July 2013.  Full information, guidance on applying and an application form are all available to download from the RCN Foundation.