Financial Assistance

The Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics makes an attempt to guarantee a certain minimum level of funding to all MSc and PhD students for a period of two and three years, respectively, where external funding is not available.

Students are expected to apply for external funding to defray the cost to the Department. 

The main forms of funding are as follows:  

  • Graduate Research Assistant (GRA): The student works on a research project under the direction of a faculty member and the research may be used in the preparation of the student's thesis.  
  • Graduate Service Assistant (GSA): Students work not more than 10 hours per week on a research project, which may or may not contribute to their thesis [GSA(R)] or handling tutorial classes, grading papers, preparing bibliographies, preparing indices, or similar teaching duties [GSA(1)].
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA): A student is expected to contribute not more than 10 hours per week in duties associated with assistance to a faculty member and his teaching responsibilities (for example demonstrations, tutorials, discussion groups, lecturing, or marking assignments).   Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) are assigned in the Department according to the financial commitment made to students in their offer of admission and seniority in terms of experience and qualifications.
  • Scholarships: A wide range of scholarships are available, including:

      • Graduate Support Fund

        The University of Guelph will provide Graduate Support Funds which will replace the former University Graduate Scholarships (UGS). Details of these funds will be forthcoming.

      • Board of Graduate Studies Research Scholarships (BGS)

        The University of Guelph provides 125 awards on a competitive basis to graduate students who have achieved at least a first-class average in the previous one-year of full-time, or equivalent, study. The award is valued at the semester rate of domestic tuition at the time of the award; they are available in selected colleges in each year. Students do not apply for these awards; the departmental Graduate Program Committee nominates students each semester. All eligible students are considered although preference is given to entering and first year students. Students must have a Grade Point Average of 80% or above, although students with a GOPA of 75-79% can be nominated under ‘alternative criteria’.

      • Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS)

        These are awarded through an annual competition for students. OGS eligibility regulations are subject to change. There are two competitions:

        •  Applicants who are Canadians or permanent residents.  

        •  International students who are in a graduate program in Ontario and on a student visa.

        Eligible applicants must have at least an 'A-' average (first-class standing) in each of the last two years of full-time study or equivalent part-time study, as of the September of application. Eligible undergraduate students must apply in the September that is at least eight months prior to the tenure of the award. Continuing graduate students must apply in the September before receiving an award for the second year of a master's program or any of the first five years of a doctoral program.

        Students registered at an Ontario university must apply for an OGS through the appropriate awards office at the university where they are currently registered and follow its procedures and deadline dates for application submission; students should investigate this opportunity early in September. At Guelph , applications for OGS are made through Student Financial Services.

        Canadians and permanent residents who are not currently registered must apply directly to the OGS program and follow OGS application procedures and submission deadlines. Applications are available at any Ontario university or write to the OGS program just prior to the September application period at: Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program, Student Support Branch, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, P.O. Box 4500 , 189 Red River Road , 4th Floor, Thunder Bay , Ontario , P7B 6G9 .

Additional Scholarships and Awards can be found at  

http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/graduatestudies/index.cfm?finance

From this index page, applicant links for graduate students in Food, Agricultural & Resource Economics would be:

"University-Wide Internal Awards"

"Ontario Agricultural College Internal Awards"

"Other sources"

Additional information on fees and funding can be found in the Graduate Calendar:

http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/graduatestudies/index.cfm?finance

For guidance on the funds required for one year of study at the University of Guelph please see the Graduate Student Funding Guidelines for Domestic and International Students at:   http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/graduatestudies/index.cfm?apply

Student Financial Services   http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/studentfinance/

Other sources applicants might like to consider are as follows:

- International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
- Association of Commonwealth Universities
- World Bank