Indigenous Elements
The Faculty of Nursing is committed to supporting Indigenous nursing students’ success through culturally grounded initiatives that honour Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. Indigenous nursing students are supported from application through to graduation with dedicated academic coaching, Elder support, and access to culturally safe spaces within the faculty.
Indigenous Student Support Team
The Indigenous Student Support Team offers student‑centred support focused on academic success, wellness, connection to resources, and a strong sense of belonging. Students are invited to engage in Indigenous‑led events, gatherings, and circles that foster community, learning, and reflection.
Faculty of Nursing Indigenous Events
Whether you are just starting out or looking to dive deeper, we would love for you to pull up a chair and come be a part of the circle. Led by Indigenous Elders, these events are spaces to learn something new and grow together as we share ancestral wisdom and perspectives that help us see the world a bit differently.
Indigenous Place Making
Indigenous placemaking is an ongoing, collaborative process that restores Indigenous presence, culture, and knowledge in public spaces through art, design, and land-based practices, with a focus on reconciliation. It transforms campus environments into spaces that reflect Indigenous history and contemporary identity, often driven by Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
Indigenous Resources
Several resources for Indigenous students are available on campus to support spiritual, mental, academic and financial well being. Options like scholarships, bursaries, awards help to manage costs, and our Mental Health and Wellness Clinic to balance school and life. Cultural resources are also available for you to connect at many Indigenous led events, access inclusive spaces to celebrate identity, and find community.
Indigenous Admissions
Indigenous students who meet the competitive lottery threshold will be admitted. Students must provide documentation on Indigenous citizenship/membership prior to course registration.
Indigenous students can also be considered through the Indigenous Admission Process (IAP). Through IAP, Indigenous students who have the required courses are automatically admitted with a lower admission average (up to 10% lower for high school applicants, 0.5 GPA below for transfer applicants). Students must provide documentation on Indigenous citizenship/membership prior to course registration.
Indigenous students who have the required courses, but whose average is below the Indigenous Admission Process (IAP) average can be considered through the Indigenous Admission Supplementary Process (IASP).
Centering First Voice in Indigenous Ways of Knowing in a Foundational Indigenous Health Course
In Fall 2024, the University of Calgary Faculty of Nursing launched its inaugural Indigenous health course within the new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) curriculum. Rather than simply providing a stand-alone course, this first-year course provides the foundation for ongoing learning and transformation needed to prepare nursing students to provide culturally safe care to Indigenous peoples.