A bursary fund of £500 may be awarded each year to BVNA members who are, at the time of application, engaged in veterinary nursing or veterinary nurse training in the UK. The bursary can assist student veterinary nurses and registered veterinary nurses in training or furthering their education, and can be put towards course fees. Applicants must have been a member of the BVNA for at least 3 months prior to the closing date.

Applications for 2026 will open soon!

The BVNA Life-long Learner Bursary was set up in memory of Louise O’Dwyer, whose passion centred around the continuous enhancement of the veterinary nursing profession. The BVNA will support RVNs by contributing up to 50% of a course fee, up to the value of £2,000.

Bursary Criteria:
• Applicants must be an RVN, and have been a member of the BVNA for at least 3 months prior
• The course, identified by the applicant, must be an accredited course that leads to a specific qualification from an awarding body/organisation. The application includes a brief outline of the purpose for which the bursary is required. The course should be described e.g., part-time, full time, modular, residential, etc., state the venue, the date, the name of the course organiser and itemise course fees
• The applicant must complete a 500–1000-word report to explain why they want to attend their proposed course, how they imagine that the skills and knowledge they learn will enhance their nursing practice and what support they will receive to complete the qualification

Applications for 2026 will open soon!

A bursary offering student veterinary nurses the chance to attend BVNA Congress. Nick Taylor embarked on VN career in 1985, qualifying in 1988 and working predominantly in small animal and mixed practices and hospitals for 18 years. From 2002 he retrained as a Diagnostic Radiographer and worked for the NHS for a further 18 years before returning to a Veterinary Referral centre as a Referral Radiographer in 2020.

Nick wants to encourage SVN’s to attend BVNA Congress for the wide range of lectures and workshops, to network with colleagues and trade stands, to catch up with friends and inspire future training and career options.

Bursary Criteria:

• A bursary fund will be awarded of between £100-£150 per year
• The bursary may be awarded to BVNA student members who are, at the time of application, engaged in veterinary nurse training in the UK
• The bursary is to give a student veterinary nurse the opportunity of attending BVNA Congress with help towards travelling expenses