Professional Development

Study and Research Grants

An amount is budgeted annually for Conference Grants, Educational Research Awards, and Full-Time Study Grants. The disbursement of these funds will be on the recommendation of the Professional Development Committee, ratified by the Provincial Executive. Application forms for all Grants, Awards, and Fellowships are available on the NSTU website or by contacting the Professional Learning Department of the NSTU Central Office.

Applications for Conference Grants are open to Active and Reserve Members. Eligibility for all other Grants, Awards, and Fellowships is limited to NSTU Active members.

If the deadline falls on a holiday or weekend, we will accept applications until 4:00 p.m. the next business day.

Conference Grants

Please complete the new application form linked below. Older versions of the form will no longer be processed. Please send completed applications to: appl@nstu.ca

Conference Grants (excluding the October Conference) are provided to support Active and Reserve Members in attending conferences for professional learning. To assist the greatest number of Members, individuals may receive no more than one Conference Grant in any two (2) consecutive school-year period, with funding limited to a maximum of six-hundred dollars ($600) per grant.

Conference Grants Application Form • English | French

Applications must be received at the NSTU Central Office by 4:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday in October and May: October 7, 2026 & May 5, 2027

Education Research Award

Educational Research Awards are provided to support, encourage, and recognize Members who engage in professional inquiry and educational research. Awards are presented once per year at the Local level. To encourage participation among the greatest number of Members, individuals may receive no more than one Educational Research Award in any three (3) consecutive school-year period, with each award limited to a maximum of five-hundred dollars ($500).

Education Research Award Application Form • English | French

Applications must be received at the NSTU Central Office by 4:00p.m. on the first Wednesday in December: December 2, 2026

French Language Professional Development Grant

Criteria regarding this opportunity are currently being updated and will be available in January 2027.

Full Time Study Grants

Full-Time Study Grants are provided to support Members pursuing a full-time program of study for the purpose of professional learning. To assist the greatest number of Members, individual grants are limited to a maximum of two-thousand dollars ($2,000). No individual may receive more than one Full-Time Study Grant in any three (3) consecutive school-year period.

Full Time Study Grants Application Form • English | French

Applications must be received at the NSTU Central Office by 4:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday in April: April 14, 2027

Travel Fellowship – Sponsored by belairdirect

Travel Fellowships, sponsored by Belairdirect, provide financial support to Members participating in educational travel. A total of three-thousand dollars ($3,000) is available for these fellowships, with individual awards limited to a maximum of five-hundred dollars ($500) to assist the greatest number of Members. The eligible travel period is generally the summer break. Exceptions may be made for Members who are assigned to work during this period.

Travel Fellowship Application Form • English | French

Applications must be received at the NSTU Central Office by 4:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday in May: May 5, 2027