Graduate funding

 

Memorial University offers competitive funding packages to academically eligible full-time graduate students, both Canadian and international, in all eligible research programs. 

In 2017-2018, almost 1,800 graduate students were awarded more than $22 million in financial support.

Students may refer to the Guidelines for the Awarding of SGS Fellowships and Graduate Student Support for more information on internal funding and awards.

Internal funding sources

The value of funding will depend on the graduate program a student is admitted to. Funding sources include:

  • School of Graduate Studies fellowships – ranging from $4,000 to $12,000 per year
  • graduate assistantships (employment) – ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 in accordance with the TAUMUN collective agreement
  • supervisor grants/contracts – ranging from $3,000 to $15,000 per year
  • special initiatives funding – ranging from $5,000 to $8,000 per year


Some international graduate students may be eligible for external funding through Vietnam International Education Development, King Abdullah Scholarship Program, the China Scholarship Council, or the Government of Canada. Please contact the School of Graduate Studies for more information.

External awards

We strongly encourage graduate students to apply for scholarships and external awards to enhance their qualifications and increase your graduate funding. Students should pay particular attention to graduate scholarships offered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Some of the more notable scholarship include:

  • CIHR Doctoral Research Awards
  • CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) Program – Master’s Awards
  • NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) Program – Master’s and Doctoral Scholarships
  • SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships
  • SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) Program – Master’s and Doctoral Scholarships
  • Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Program

Recipients of Tri-Council scholarships are also eligible for the Dean’s Excellence Award valued at $7,500 per year for the duration of the scholarship.

If a student is successful in receiving a scholarship or external funding, that amount may replace a portion or all of the funding offered in the letter of admission. In most cases, however, the student will receive more than the initial funding offer.

Nomination process

Recommendations for funding packages are made by the academic unit at the time of admission and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. There is no separate application process to be considered for graduate student funding. Full-time applicants to eligible programs will be automatically considered.

For external awards, a separate application is normally required. Please consult the website of the appropriate agency or organization and submit a complete application by the deadline.

Eligibility period

The following are funding eligibility periods for Memorial University graduate students maintaining full-time status and academic standing:

  • One-year master’s programs: one year (three semesters)
  • All other master’s programs: two years (six semesters)
  • PsyD: three years (nine-semesters) 
  • PhD programs: four years (twelve semesters)
  • Transfer to a new program: the start of the eligibility period of the program being transferred to is the commencement date of the program being transferred from