The University of Western Ontario Faculty of Graduate Studies

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The University of Western Ontario Faculty of
Graduate Studies

• Financing Your Graduate Education

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Average Funding Per Fundable Student - 5 Year
Trend
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Resources

• In 2006, 53.9 million received by graduate
  students at Western
• External Sources
• Tri-Council, other granting agencies,
  donor-funded
• Faculty grant-derived

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Financial Support

• Western aims to provide each qualified student
  offered admission into a graduate research
  program with sufficient financial resources to
  accept the offer.
• The Faculty of Graduate Studies awards student
  support based on the initial nomination of the
  student's graduate program.
• Application by the student is not required.

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Western is committed to generous and competitive
funding of our graduate students

• Further, the guaranteed minimum funding of our
  Doctoral students has been improved. We
  guarantee a minimum financial support package of
  tuition plus 12,000 for all fundable Doctoral
  students. This means that international Doctoral
  students are guaranteed minimum funding that is
  equal to that of domestic students.
• Although we offer no guaranteed funding levels
  for Category I Master's students, the graduate
  program may have its own guaranteed levels for
  Master's students. Refer to your program of
  interest for more info.

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Category I and II Programs

• The Faculty of Graduate Studies distinguishes
  between Category I and Category II programs to
  determine the specific form of FGS financial
  support for students.
• Students in Category II Master's programs are
  expected to fund their own education, for
  example, through OSAP. The Faculty of Graduate
  Studies has a needs-based bursary program to help
  full-time students whose costs exceed their OSAP
  entitlement.

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Category I and II Programs (contd)

• Category I programs (i.e., Doctoral programs and
  Master's programs that prepare students for entry
  into Doctoral programs)Anatomy and Cell
  Biology, Anthropology, Applied Mathematics, Art
  History, Art and Visual Culture, Astronomy,
  Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedical Engineering,
  Business Administration (Ph.D. only), Chemistry,
  Classical Studies, Communication Sciences and
  Disorders (M.Sc.). Comparative Literature,
  Computer Science, Critical Studies in Global Film
  Cultures (M.A. - pending OCGS approval),
  Economics, Education Studies (Ph.D. Only),
  Engineering and Engineering Science(MESc, PhD),
  English, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, French,
  Geography, Geology, Geophysics, Health and
  Rehabilitation Sciences, History, Kinesiology,
  Law, Linguistics, Library and Information Science
  (Ph.D. only), Mathematics, Media Studies, Medical
  Biophysics, Microbiology and Immunology, Music,
  Neuroscience, Nursing, Pathology, Pharmacology
  and Toxicology, Philosophy, Physical Therapy
  (M.Sc.), Physics, Physiology, Plant Sciences,
  Political Science, Popular Music and Culture,
  Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, Statistics,
  Theology (M.A.), Theory and Criticism, Visual
  Arts, Women's Studies and Feminist Research, and
  Zoology.
• Category II programs (i.e., Professional Master's
  programs)Master's in Business Administration,
  Communication Sciences and Disorders (M.Cl.Sc.),
  Education (M.Ed.), Engineering (MEng),
  Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.), Family
  Medicine (M.Cl.Sc.), Foods and Nutrition,
  Journalism (M.A.), Law and Business
  Administration combined program (LLB/MBA),
  Library and Information Science (M.L.I.S.),
  Nursing (M.N. Nurse Practitioner), Orthodontics,
  Occupational Therapy (M.Sc. (OT)), Physical
  Therapy (M.P.T., M.Cl.Sc.) and Social Work
  (M.S.W).

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Minimum Academic Requirement for FGS Financial
Support

• To be eligible for FGS Financial Support students
  must be registered full-time. Incoming students
  must have a minimum admission average of 78 as
  determined by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
  Continuing students must meet the graduate
  program conditions for progression towards the
  degree, as well as a minimum requirement of 78
  based on all graduate courses completed in the
  current program.

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Eligibility for FGS Financial Support is Limited
to the Normal Duration of the Students Program

• The normal duration for Master's programs varies
  from two to six terms, depending on the program.
  Consult the program's regulations for details.
• Doctoral students are eligible for FGS financial
  support for the first twelve terms of full-time
  registration.
• During their period of fundability, Doctoral
  students must apply for Tri-Council (NSERC,
  SSHRC, CIHR) and Ontario government awards
  (OGS/ST) for which they are eligible.
• Students who transfer from a Master's program to
  a Doctoral program are eligible for FGS financial
  support during the first fifteen consecutive
  full-time terms of registration including both
  programs.

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Minimum Annual Financial Package for Doctoral
Students annual cost of tuition plus 12,000

• with the following caveats
• The financial package can come from a variety of
  sources (and can differ from student to student).
  These sources include supervisor research grant
  support external scholarship support (SSHRC,
  NSERC, CIHR, OGS, OGSST, etc.) Graduate Teaching
  Assistantships internal scholarship support
  (Western Graduate Research Scholarships,
  Program-based scholarships, endowments, etc) and
  employment other than GTAships (ten hour rule
  applies). Students in receipt of external
  scholarship or other income that brings their
  package above the level of tuition 12,000 may
  see a reduction in their support from on-campus
  sources in conformity with current practice.
• OSAP is excluded in the calculation of the
  financial package.
• The student may decline all or part of the
  package without prejudice to his/her admission.
  Where the student declines part of the package,
  the program must submit a written statement to
  FGS, signed by the student, documenting the
  adequacy of the student's financial resources for
  the length of the program and acknowledging the
  University has met its obligations.

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Graduate Student Funding Opportunities

• Teaching Duties (Graduate Teaching Assistant,
  Faculty Salary)
• In 2006 14.9 million paid to graduate students
• Research Activities (Graduate Research Assistant,
  Fellowship and Research Assistant)
• In 2006 13.2 million paid to graduate students
• FGS-based scholarships
• In 2006 11 million paid to graduate students
• FGS needs-based bursaries
• In 2006 500,000 paid to graduate students
• Donor-funded/Private Awards
• In 2006 4.4 million paid to graduate students
• External Scholarships (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR, OGS
  and OGSST)
• In 2006 9.8 million paid to graduate students
• Over 500 graduate students currently hold various
  awards

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Graduate Teaching Assistantships

• Graduate teaching assistants assist with the
  teaching of undergraduate courses. In September
  2007 a graduate student with a full GTAship
  received a base salary of 9,100
• Employment of registered graduate students as
  graduate teaching assistants is governed by the
  provisions of the collective agreement between
  the University of Western Ontario and the Public
  Service Alliance of Canada, which can be found at
  www.uwo.ca/humanresources.

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GTA Collective Agreement

• Article 17
• PAY RATES
• 17.01 The Employer agrees to a pay Graduate
  Teaching Assistantship base salary of 4,550.00
  (i.e., one (1) term at 140 hours).
• 17.02 In the academic year 2008/09, in each
  term that a Graduate Teaching Assistant is
  appointed for a minimum of five (5) hours per
  week they will be paid 705.00 per term. The
  one-time payment will be received on the November
  and/or March and/or July pay.
• In the academic year 2008/09, in each term that
  a Graduate Teaching Assistant is appointed for
  less than five (5) hours per week they will be
  paid 150.00 per term. The one-time payment will
  be received on the November and/or March and/or
  July pay.
• 18.03 All employees shall be entitled to 4 of
  their base salary as vacation pay

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Research Grant Support

• A faculty member can, when applying for research
  grants (e.g. CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC), budget for
  support of graduate students to work on their
  thesis or project research. Research grant
  support is administered by the faculty members
  department in coordination with Research Western.
  Several granting agencies allow the support to be
  treated as scholarship income for the student.
  Among other criteria, granting agencies usually
  specify either a minimum or maximum value for a
  stipend. Students should, at the time of
  admission, enquire with their proposed supervisor
  or department on the availability of stipends.

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Western Graduate Research Scholarship (WGRS)

• The purpose of this scholarship is to aid in the
  support of graduate students who are enrolled in
  Category I programs. The value of the WGRS varies
  by program and/or by student.
• Incoming students must have a minimum admission
  average of 78 as determined by the Faculty of
  Graduate Studies. Continuing students must meet
  the graduate program's conditions for progression
  towards the degree, as well as a minimum
  requirement of 78 based on all graduate courses
  completed in the current program.
• Individual programs may impose a higher minimum
  average for students to be nominated for WGRS.

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Program-Specific Donor-Funded Awards

• Western is proud of its strong tradition of
  corporate and individual support for the
  University. Foundation Western is an incorporated
  charitable public foundation, committed to
  building, maintaining and managing a strong
  alumni endowment for Western.
• In recent years, the Foundation has contributed
  more than 3 million to the University to support
  student aid, program enrichment and learning
  tools at Western.
• A listing of graduate program-specific
  donor-funded awards is available on our Web site.
  Apply for these awards through your graduate
  program.

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Graduate Bursary Assistance

• Bursaries are non-repayable, taxable grants
  issued to students who demonstrate financial
  need. They supplement other sources of funding
  such as OSAP, the student's own resources and/or
  those of the parents/spouse. Graduate bursaries
  are targeted for students registered in certain
  Category II programs
• The bursaries contribute towards the differential
  between Category I and Category II tuition fees
  for those students demonstrating un-met financial
  need through an OSAP-type needs-assessment.
• Application is made online through the Office of
  the Registrars Web site

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Society of Graduate Students (SOGS) OSOTF
Bursaries

• Awarded three times annually to full-time
  students who are members of the Society of
  Graduate Students (Masters or Doctoral levels)
  who have demonstrated financial need.
• These bursaries were created to recognize and
  assist graduate students and were made possible
  through the generosity of the Society of Graduate
  Students (SOGS) and the Government of Ontario.
• Students must apply for these bursaries.
  Completed applications must be accompanied by a
  statement (max. 250 words) describing the extent
  of financial need and must be returned to SOGS by
  November 30 for the winter term, March 31 for the
  Spring term or July 31 for the Fall term.

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Work Study Program

• A limited number of work-study positions have
  been identified for graduate students in this
  program.
• To be eligible, students must have qualified for,
  and taken, their OSAP maximum for the current
  year, and still have un-met need.
• Graduate students in either Category I and
  Category II programs may apply for a work-study
  bursary.

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Loans

• The principles behind the OSAP program are as
  follows
• The cost of post-secondary education is a shared
  responsibility among students, parents, spouses
  and government.
• Assistance is intended to supplement student and
  family resources.
• Assistance is issued based on financial need.
• OSAP is a joint venture of both the federal and
  provincial government it is comprised of CSL
  (Canada Student Loans) and OSL (Ontario Student
  Loans). A single application is used in assessing
  a student's entitlement however, the two
  government bodies use different policies to
  review the information provided. OSAP provides
  financial assistance for educational costs and
  basic living expenses. For further information go
  to osap.gov.on.ca

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Joint Fund for Support of Graduate Student
Research and Scholarship

• Graduate students present their research in
  numerous venues on and off campus. There are also
  on-campus events (conferences, lectures) that
  bring external speakers who present their
  research and scholarship to audiences that
  include UWO grad students.
• Research Western, The Society of Graduate
  Students (SOGS), and the Faculty of Graduate
  Students (FGS) have formed a partnership,
  annually contributing to a jointly-administered
  fund, designed to aid these events.

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External Scholarship Opportunities

• Currently, the value of a graduate scholarship
  offered by outside agencies, including the
  Canadian and Ontario governments, varies from
  approximately 15,000 to 35,000 per year, and up
  to 50,000 for health professionals. Many may be
  renewed.
• Application deadlines for the majority of
  external granting agency scholarships and
  fellowships fall during October and November, for
  tenure beginning May or September of the
  following year.

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External Scholarship CompetitionsNational

• Graduate scholarships, valued between 17,300 and
  35,000 annually, are available on a competitive
  basis from the three Canadian research granting
  councils, collectively known as the Tri-Council.
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR),
• Natural Science and Engineering Research Council
  (NSERC), and
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
  (SSHRC).

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External Scholarship CompetitionsProvincial

• For 20082009, the maximum value of an Ontario
  Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and an Ontario
  Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology
  (OGSST) is 15,000 for one year, or 5,000 per
  term.
• The OGS Program is designed to encourage
  excellence in graduate studies at the Masters
  and Doctoral levels. For the 20082009 academic
  year, a total of 2,000 scholarships will be
  awarded. Of these, a limited number will be
  awarded to students who have been admitted to
  Canada with a valid student visa.
• The OGSST Program provides support for qualified
  Master's and Doctoral students currently enrolled
  in research-based graduate programs in applied
  science, biological and life sciences, and
  physical sciences.

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External Scholarship CompetitionsAdditional
Competitions Coordinated in FGS

• Autism Scholars Awards (18,100-21,500)
  Announced October
• Heart Stroke Foundation of Ontario Master's
  Studentships (18,000) Announced January
• Mackenzie King Open (9,000) and Travelling
  Scholarships (10,000) Announced November
• Richard J. Schmeelk Fellowships (20,000)
  Announced February
• Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada
  (SWAAC) Graduate Student Awards of Merit(1,000)
  Announced in relevant years in October
• Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships
  (50,000) - Announced October
• Womens Health Scholars Awards (18,100-21,500)
  Announced October

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How do the Competitions Work?

• Instead of applying directly to the outside
  agency, you prepare your application and submit
  it to your Graduate Program Office by its
  deadline. In many cases there is an internal
  review and ranking process that needs to be
  completed in each participating program.
• Each program forwards their applications to FGS.
  For certain competitions, an internal FGS
  selection committee is convened to select a quota
  of top meritorious applications to be forwarded
  onto the outside agency for a higher-level
  competition.
• Competition information and results are
  communicated to you and the programs by the
  Faculty of Graduate Studies.
• Bookmark the FGS External Scholarship Competition
  Web page and check it frequently for upcoming
  competition information and documents.
  http//www.grad.uwo.ca/current_students/external.h
  tm
• Consult your Graduate Assistant for your
  programs various application deadlines.

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Western Graduate Studies Welcomes You!

• Visit our Faculty of Graduate Studies Web site
  for more detailed information.
• http//www.grad.uwo.ca/
• We are all about you and your success in graduate
  studies at Western!
• Enjoy your visit!