Graduate Scholarships and Funding

Base Program Funding

The School of Engineering guarantees financial support to all full-time thesis-based MASc. and PhD students admitted to the program. Financial support is not guaranteed to course-based M.Eng. or M.E.M. students, or any students pursuing their degree on a part-time basis.

Master of Engineering (M.Eng.)

There is no guaranteed funding for M.Eng. students.

Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M.)

There is no guaranteed funding for M.E.M. students.

Master of Applied Science in Engineering (MASc. Engg)

For students commencing their full-time MASc.Engg studies in S25 or later, the minimum guaranteed stipend is $20,000 per year for 2 years for domestic students, and $23,400 per year for 2 years for international students.

PhD in Engineering (PhD.Engg)

For students commencing their full-time PhD engineering studies in S25 or later, the minimum guaranteed stipend is $25,000 per year for 4 years for domestic students, and $35,100 per year for 4 years for international students.

Sources of Funding

As a full-time MASc. or PhD student, you will receive a funding package as part of your offer of admission. Funding packages are composed of the following components:

• Full-time students in both the MASc. and PhD programs will be guaranteed a GRA. The GRA is provided by the faculty advisor to support research being conducted by the advisor and will be used in preparation of the student's thesis. Students in the MASc. program are guaranteed funding for 6 semesters and those in the doctoral program for 12 semesters. GRA stipends are renewable each semester based on satisfactory performance.
• Graduate Teaching Assistantships - GTAs are awarded through an open competition and students enrolled in full-time studies in the School of Engineering are expected to apply for GTA positions within their area of expertise.
• Scholarships & Awards - A number of internal and external scholarships/awards/bursaries are available to incoming and current graduate students. Please visit the MASc. and PhD program pages for more information.
• Needs Based Funding - A number of needs based bursaries and funding opportunities exist for students who can demonstrate financial need. Please review the Financial Aid & Counselling page for more information.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) are essential to support the delivery of our undergraduate programs. Applicants are selected to provide undergraduate students with the best learning experiences possible. GTA work assignments also provide graduate students with employment and experience performing teaching-related duties. A GTA appointment usually spans 14 weeks - 12 weeks of classes plus preparation and/or examination time.

The assignment of Graduate Teaching Assistantships is a complex and dynamic process in the School of Engineering due to the large number of undergraduate courses and applicants for the posted work assignments. The aim is to make the process as transparent, fair and efficient as possible.

The School of Engineering has a Teaching Assistant Guide available on SharePoint, which includes details on GTA applications, levels of consideration, the GTA hiring process, and TA expectations.

GTA positions are available in the Fall and Winter semesters. Students are notified when GTA positions are posted. Fall GTA positions are posted in July, and offers are extended in late August. Winter GTA positions are posted in November, and offers are extended in December.

M.Eng. students may apply to Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) positions, and are considered Level 2 applicants. The GTA application process is a highly competitive process and qualified Level 1 applicants (MASc.Engg and PhD.Engg students) will be given priority consideration.

How to Apply

Candidates need to apply for GTA work assignments using the TA/Sessional hiring website.

The onus is on the applicant to contact the School if a confirmation email is not received upon submission of an application. Only candidates who apply, before the posted deadline, will be considered for a GTA. To be eligible for a GTA, candidates must be a registered student during the term of the work assignment. Applicants who have successfully completed their program or who have a scheduled defense, will be removed from the pool of applicants. Students who are guaranteed a GTA (Level 1) for a particular semester must apply to at least one posting AND identify themselves as Level 1.

Scholarships and Awards

There are many scholarship and award opportunities available to University of Guelph graduate students. Many award opportunities both internal and external to U of G can be viewed on the OGPS Scholarships and Awards page. Another helpful resource when looking for available scholarships is Student Financial Services' Graduate Award Search, which provides a comprehensive list of all internal awards that are available university-wide or specific to a College. The search can be used to find entrance awards, awards for in-course students, and travel awards. Some specific scholarships our graduate students have successfully secured include:

External awards

• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
• Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Program
• Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Schience and Technology (QEII-GSST) Program

Internal awards

• Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) Scholarship
• Arrell Food Institute Graduate Scholarships
• Indigenous Graduate Scholarships
• International Doctoral Tuition Scholarship

Questions about scholarships and awards can be directed to soe.gradawards@uoguelph.ca.

Other Funding Support

• Bursaries are given to students who apply and demonstrate a need for financial assistance:
  • Domestic In-Course Bursaries
  • International In-Course Bursaries
• The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) offers awards and bursaries for students in financial need. You must be a member of the GSA to apply.