Rural Education and Advanced Learning Program (REAL)

Who is REAL For?

The REAL Program is designed for nurses, midwives, nurse practitioners, and allied health professionals working in rural Alberta. REAL serves those who may face greater challenges accessing training or who can share new skills with colleagues. This includes professionals working:

• In a primary care network
• In out-of-scope or non-union roles
• In independent or private practice
• As clinical educators, resource nurses, specialists, or hospital department leads

In addition to the above, applicants must also meet the following expectations:

• Have worked in their current position for at least six months
• Hold an active practice license, and be in good standing, in Alberta through their applicable professional regulatory body.
• Currently live and practise and do the majority of their work (must be at least 10 hours per week) in a rural Alberta community located outside the Census Metropolitan Area boundaries of Calgary or Edmonton, with a population of fewer than 15,000 people, or fall within Alberta’s North Zone.

Please note: Starting in 2027, health professionals working in North Zone communities with a population larger than 15,000 will no longer be eligible for REAL funding.

What funding supports

Each application cycle, eligible applicants may apply for funding for:

• A single course
• A semester of courses
• A comparable training opportunity

Funding amounts vary by cycle and are distributed to support as many eligible applicants as possible.

The training you’re asking to fund must fit these criteria: 

• Be relevant to your current role and scope of practice
• Benefit patients and your rural community
• Be upcoming, ongoing, or have started within 90 days of application (with limited exceptions)
• Not have received funding from REAL or another source