OISE Graduate Funding Package

OISE offers funding packages to registered students in the first year of full-time non-professional MA programs and for the first four years* of study in the PhD program (excluding the Flexible-time PhD).  This financial package is part of OISE’s ongoing commitment to support students to be successful, and is intended to help offset the costs of graduate education.

It is currently estimated that the minimum value of the 2023-24 funding package will be at least $25,054 (including tuition and incidental fees); in the case of international students, UHIP will also be covered.

This Funding Package may be composed of external scholarships, OISE fellowships, funding grants, and/or employment opportunities.  Funding packages are subject to terms and conditions. It is a student responsibility to ensure that they are fully aware of the terms, conditions and procedures pertaining to the Graduate Funding Package as found on the OISE Graduate Student Funding website. 

*NOTE: Students in years one and two of the MA in the School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) program in the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development will receive funding for the first two years of the MA, but are then eligible for funding in years one to three only of their PhD programs.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) scholarships as eligible simultaneously with their applications. 

Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries

Notices pertaining to awards, other than those listed here, are posted on the OISE Tuition & Financial Support website. In addition, a comprehensive listing of University of Toronto award opportunities is available on the Award Explorer website.

OISE Awards Available Faculty-Wide

Visit the OISE Tuition & Financial Support website for information about eligibility, applications and deadlines for the following Faculty-wide awards, and for a list of department-specific awards. 

• Alexandra & Leonid Semeniuk Award
• Azim Premiji Foundation Fellowship
• Christopher Parker Memorial Fund
• Dr. Bonnie Burstow Scholarship in Antipsychiatry
• Hetty C. Chu Memorial Fellowship
• Indigenous Students Bursary Fund
• Keith A. McLeod Bursary
• Margaret I. Hambly Memorial Scholarship
• Mary Stager Graduate Student Award
• Master’s Students Inclusive Excellence Admissions Scholarship
• OISE Alumni Association Doctoral Fellowship
• OISE Scholarship Program for Indigenous Students
• OISE Scholarship Recognition Award
• Wilfred Rusk Wees Fellowship
• William G. Davis Golden Anniversary Leadership Scholarship
• William Pakenham Fellowship
• William Waters Scholarship in Urban Education

External Scholarships

Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program (OGS)

Ontario Graduate Scholarships are available to students with a high level of academic achievement. A Scholar receives $5,000 per session.  Awards are for two or three consecutive sessions. International students are eligible for this scholarship.

Visit the School of Graduate Studies website for detailed information on how to apply, and award eligibility, terms and conditions.

Students currently enrolled in a graduate program, must submit the application to their department by the deadline which will be announced in early Fall on the OISE Graduate Student Funding website. Prospective students must submit an application to each institution for which they are seeking admission. OGS awards are no longer transferrable from one university to another.

The deadline will be announced in early Fall on the OISE Graduate Student Funding website. 

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral Fellowships (SSHRC)

Awards offered by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada are available to Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada living in the country at the time of application. Scholarships are currently valued at $20,000. Scholarships of $35,000 are also available to students with high academic merit.

Visit the SSHRC website for application forms, eligibility information, and details about the selection process. 

1. For students currently enrolled in a graduate program, applications must be submitted to your department by the deadline. The deadline, usually early October for the following academic year, will be announced in early fall on the OISE Graduate Student Funding website.
2. For prospective full-time students, please refer to the SSHRC website.

Fulbright Student Awards

These awards are intended for Canadian and American graduate students and junior professionals who wish to enrol in a graduate studies program or continue their current course of graduate study and/or research at a university or research centre in the United States or Canada, respectively. They provide an opportunity for outstanding Canadian students to study and/or conduct research in the United States.

Students must apply for this award prior to acceptance to their graduate program. The application deadline is usually in the Fall. For complete information, please refer to the Fulbright website.

Other External Student Awards

Information about other external awards can be found at the OISE webpage: External Graduate Funding. 

Information about awards offered by external agencies for teacher education students can be found at the OISE webpage: External Awards for Teacher Education Students. 

Student Employment Opportunities

OISE offers students four types of employment opportunities that provide financial assistance and experience in the research and teaching fields. For students in the funded cohort, employment is included in your funding package. Students offered employment positions represented by CUPE 3902 Unit 1 or Unit 7 will have access to benefits, including a top-up health and dental plan. Detailed information is available on the OISE Graduate Student Funding website within the section about Student Employment Opportunities.

OISE Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships (GAs) are opportunities for students to engage in research and/or field development projects that contribute to their academic and professional development. GAs are unionized positions represented by CUPE 3902, Unit 7.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships (TAs) are given opportunities to assist in teaching and course activities, including conducting lectures, facilitating  discussions, organizing group work and preparing course materials. TAs may also gain experience in student evaluation and supervision of students in the field. TAs are unionized positions represented by CUPE 3902, Unit 1.

Research and Development Graduate Assistantship (R&D GA)

Research and Development Graduate Assistantships (R&D GAs) are opportunities for students to engage in research and/or field development projects contributing to their academic and professional development. These opportunities are offered for applications by the Office of the Associate Dean of Research under CUPE 3902 Unit 7.

Course Instructor (CI)

Course Instructors (CIs) are  have responsibility for teaching.  CIs are responsible for preparing courses materials, lecturing, and communicating with students about the course, as well as supervising and evaluating student performance. 
 
CIs are unionized positions represented by CUPE 3902 Unit 1.

Financial Assistance Programs

OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program)

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a government financial aid program that assists eligible Ontario residents attending university through a combination of loans and grants. Students from outside Ontario who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons may be eligible for financial assistance from their provincial or territorial governments.

• Full-time students: OSAP can help pay for tuition, books and equipment, fees, living expenses, and child care.
• Part-time students: OSAP support can help cover the cost of tuition

Application processing time

OSAP processing time can vary from 3 to 8 weeks depending on the time of the year and the nature of the student’s application. Errors, outstanding documents, and missing information related to the student’s application can lengthen the processing time, so apply early.

Loan status

Students can check the status of their loan processing by logging in to the website of the National Student Loans Service Centre or by phone at 1-888-815-4514.

Application deadline

For a two-term enrolment: The OSAP application deadline is 60 days prior to the end of the study period
For a one term enrolment: The OSAP application deadline is within the first 30 days after the start of classes

NOTE: Part-time students can apply for OSAP support to help cover the cost of tuition.

Professional Masters Financial Aid (PMFA)

OSAP may assess students as having an "Unmet Financial Need” above their OSAP maximum funding.  

For full-time students in MEd, Master of Teaching or MA-Child Study and Education programs, any unmet financial need above the OSAP maximum is expected to be covered by a combination of non-repayable grants from the University of Toronto [OISE's Professional Masters Financial Aid (PMFA)] and other funding sources, such as loans or lines of credit.

Full-time students who are Ontario residents and receiving OSAP are automatically considered for PMFA. Students will be notified in the fall of any grant for which they may qualify.

The PMFA covers a portion of unmet financial need as assessed by OSAP. Students are expected to cover the remainder by other means. One option is to borrow funds from the Scotiabank Line of Credit for Students (ScotiaLine).

Students interested in the lending products offered by Scotiabank should contact the Queen and McCaul Branch, Georgios Stathopoulos at georgios.stathopoulos@scotiabank.com or 416-866-3940 ext. 4209 to set up an appointment.

Students admitted to Professional Masters programs will be encouraged to apply for the ScotiaLine before the beginning of school in September as part of financial planning for their studies.

University of Toronto Advance Planning for Students (UTAPS)

This is a grant awarded to full-time students in EdD and PhD and research MA programs whose financial need exceeds the OSAP maximum.

Ontario residents do not need to apply as they will be considered automatically if they receive OSAP.

Out-of-Province students can apply for UTAPS through a new online process. The application can be found at the U of T website under Visit UTAPS Application Procedure for Current U of T Students. 

OISE Bursary Program

This program provides non-repayable grants to full-time OISE graduate students who have unanticipated personal living expenses and education related expenses. Visit www.uoft.me/oisebursary for information about eligibility and how to apply.

Emergency Student Loans

The SGS Emergency Loan alleviates temporary cash flow problems for students who are expecting the release of funds in the near future (i.e., 30 to 120 days) from employment (U of T internal), a major award instalment, OSAP (Ontario Students’ Assistance Program), teaching assistantship, or research assistantship payment.

OISE has a small short-term loan fund for full-time students experiencing an unexpected emergency financial situation. Students must be able to demonstrate that their need is urgent, of an unanticipated nature, and from what resources the loan would be repaid. Emergency loans are not awarded in order for the student to pay another outstanding debt to the University, such as tuition or library fines.

For further information about financial assistance options, contact:
Email: oise.financialaid@utoronto.ca