Scholarship Opportunities for BC Residents

PCU-WHS offers scholarship opportunities for BC residents through the WDA Grant.

Application Deadline: May 31, 2026

FINAL INTAKE: Fall 2026, for maximum 1 year of scholarship towards part-time or full-time study

  • Scholarship towards either full- or part-time study in the
    2+2 Bachelor of Disability Management (BDM) program
    at Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS).
  • Made possible by funding to the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR),
    provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement (WDA).
  • $6,500 for the first year only of as few as two years of full-time study, or $3,250 for the
    first year only of as few as four years of part-time study, applied towards tuition fees.
    The scholarship grant expires in 2027.
  • Scholarship funds will cover most (but NOT all) of the course tuition for the
    2026-27 academic year, and can only be applied to tuition for the specialized courses required to complete
    the 2+2 BDM program.[1]

This is a critical gateway to a highly desirable and rewarding professional career opportunity in the rapidly
expanding field of Return to Work and Disability Management not only in BC, but across Canada and internationally.

Candidates must:

    • Have permanent resident (landed immigrant) or Canadian citizenship status and be permanent residents of
      British Columbia;
    • Meet the admission criteria of PCU-WHS, and
      must qualify for Admission Directly into Year 3 of the Bachelor of Disability Management (BDM) program
      (i.e., the 2+2 program). To qualify for Admission Directly into Year 3, applicants must:

      • Have graduated with an associate degree, 2-year diploma, or other relevant educational prerequisite
        which provides 57-60 transferable academic credits (or equivalent) in a range of disciplines;
        [2]
      OR
      • Be eligible for Admission Directly into Year 3 (i.e., the 2+2 BDM program) on the basis of Prior Learning
        Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). A combination of professional experience and career education will
        be assessed under Flexible Admission policy on a case-by-case basis. Applicants under Flexible Admission
        should have a minimum of 5-10 years of relevant experience in a related field.
      OR
      • Hold a verifiable Red Seal Certification (Trades To Academic (TTA) admission into Year 3). Students holding
        a verifiable Red Seal Certification may be granted 57-60 transfer credits towards admission into the
        2+2 BDM. Pre-entry assessment of English command/Writing skills typically needed for success in BDM
        coursework will be required. Applicants are asked to apply under Admission Directly into Year 3.
    • Be in a position to register for full-time (11[3] 3 credit courses) or part-time (5[4] courses 3 credit) study in the
      2+2 BDM program for the 2026-27 academic year, beginning in September 2026, and to complete the degree
      within a 7-year period.
      The Scholarship will apply to the first year only of the 2+2 program for either full- or part-time study.[5] [6]

Successful applicants may be eligible for an additional $1000-2000 scholarship towards their second year of study.

Scholarships are awarded on a first-come-first-qualified basis.

WDA Scholarship Information Booklet-
WDA Information Booklet 2026

WDA Scholarship Application Form-
WDA Grant Scholarship Application Form 2026

This Scholarship is designed to significantly increase the availability of disability management professionals and practitioners for British Columbia employers across all public and private sector organizations and be a major long-term strategic and sustainable workplace approach to “Building a Culture of Accommodation”. This strategy mirrors the successful outcomes seen in other jurisdictions across Canada and around the world where greater professionalization in the Return to Work and Disability Management field is significantly improving socio-economic outcomes for disabled workers, employers, and society at large. Individuals having completed the BDM will be encouraged to write the professional certification examinations for the designations of Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP) and Certified Return to Work Coordinators (CRTWC) once they have completed relevant work experience to meet the eligibility requirements.

[1] All students who do not have suitable research coursework or experience will be required to take an additional 300-level research course prior to entering their final year of the program.

[2] Preferred domains of previous study include human resources, occupational health and safety, healthcare, business, and social work.

[3] The eleventh course is WHDM 306; if required, WHDM 306 can be taken in Year 1 of full-time study, once credit has been obtained for the prerequisite courses.

[4] To complete the program in 4 years of part-time study, an additional course (WHDM 306), if required, can be taken in Year 2 of part-time study, once credit has been obtained for the prerequisite courses. If applicable, Year 2 would have six 3-credit courses.

[5]The scholarship grant expires in 2027.

[6] Please note that, although PCU-WHS is a statutory, degree granting, post-secondary teaching and research institution, and the Bachelor of Disability Management program is offered under the written consent of the Minister, academic programs at PCU-WHS are not eligible for Canadian or Provincial Student Loans because they are offered exclusively online.