Graduate Student Financial Assistance

Graduate students may expect to undertake teaching and research assistantships as an integral part of their academic programs. Before undertaking any kind of assistantship, however, graduate students must note that some fellowships, scholarships, and bursaries awarded by external agencies strictly limit the number of hours of service the holder may render to the university and/or limit the amount of money the holder may receive in some cases, from all sources. Students are responsible for abiding strictly by the terms of any such awards.
Financial assistance may be available to graduate students in several forms and combinations. These may include employment, research awards, scholarships and bursaries. Each of these is described briefly below. Students have the responsibility to ascertain precisely what remuneration will be received, if any, from the department or school in which they propose to register. The department or school has the responsibility to inform students about the duties they associate with that form of assistance.
When departments and schools make admission recommendations to Graduate Program Services, they also decide what funding (if any) will be provided to each person selected. These funding decisions may include one or more of the following:

Employment:

Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA)
Students appointed as graduate teaching assistants will be asked to perform only teaching-related duties. These may include preparing and conducting tutorials, laboratories and seminars; grading assignments, reports and examinations, and performing other related duties. Students may hold a GTA in a department in which they are not registered.
A copy of the collective agreement between the university and CUPE local 3913 unit 1, covering GTA employment, is available for students appointed as GTAs. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with these regulations. The GTA rate of pay is established annually.
The university provides T4 and T4A tax information slips each year to students with GTAs. These forms document the appropriate taxable portions of GTA funding. These slips are mailed to students in late February each year, for the previous tax year.

Graduate Service Assistant (GSA)

   Typically, the services provided by GSAs fall into two categories:

• Work that is directly related to the academic enterprise but not properly a GTA or GRA. Examples of these services include the preparation of academic or administrative reports and the compilation of statistics for departmental use. This work may not contribute to the student's thesis research. A copy of the collective agreement between the university and CUPE local 3913 unit 1, covering GSA(i) employment, is available for students appointed as GSA(i)s. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with these regulations. The GSA(i) rate of pay is established annually.
  
• Work that is not directly related to the academic enterprise. Examples of these services include locking/unlocking doors, cooking, cashiering, snow removal, and lifeguarding. Students are paid at the appropriate hourly rate set by Human Resources for the appropriate kind of work.
  
   The university provides a T4 tax information slip each year to students with GSAs. For income tax purposes, these forms document the money received through any GSA appointment(s). These slips are mailed to students in late February each year, for the previous tax year.



Awards:
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA)
Graduate students may be supported through research grants received by faculty members from external agencies or governments. The student's research must contribute to the research of the faculty member under whose direction it is conducted. It must be used in the preparation of the student's thesis.
   The dollar value of GRA stipends are based on the external granting agencies' guidelines on support of graduate students through research operating grants. GRAs must be approved by the department chair or school director on the recommendation of the adviser.
   The university provides a T4A tax information slip each year to students with GRAs. For income tax purposes, the T4A documents the funds received through any graduate research assistantships. These slips are mailed to students in late February each year, for the previous tax year.



Scholarships
   Following this general description section, there is a list of internal awards grouped by student eligibility, i.e., by college or department affiliation and/or as awards for which students are eligible from across campus. The university reserves the right to amend these awards subject to the availability of funds. Full-time and part-time students are eligible for all internal awards, unless otherwise stated in the eligibility clause.
   Students are eligible for internal award consideration from the time they have accepted an offer of admission to a graduate program until they have graduated from that program; students must be registered in order to receive these awards. Students granted a leave of absence (see section 3.4) may defer acceptance of internal awards or interrupt acceptance of continuing awards until after the approved leave with the permission of the appropriate awards committee.
   The university provides a T4A tax information slip to students each year. For income tax purposes, these forms document the money received by students in the form of awards, including department, school, college and university awards. These slips are mailed to students in late February each year, for the previous tax year.





Entrance awards
   Entry-level (semester-one) students in all departments are considered without award application for most internal awards prior to arrival and registration (see also college/school and university award descriptions). Students will normally be included in entrance-award competitions held after the date on which they accepted an offer of admission. It is strongly recommended that a completed application for graduate study be received at least six months prior to the date when the student hopes to begin graduate study. This will ensure consideration for all possible entrance awards for which the student is eligible. Students who apply less than six months in advance may miss some internal award competitions but will still be considered for appropriate awards not yet distributed.





In-course awards
   Students continuing in a graduate program of study are automatically considered for some awards and must make application for others. A list and description of all internal awards available as of 1997/98 are in this calendar.



ACCESS awards
   The university has established a number of ACCESS awards in 1997 through the generous contribution of over 6,000 donors, and then matched through the provincial government's Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund program. All ACCESS awards are designed to support students in financial need studying at the university. Some of these awards will start to be available in Fall 1998. Students must complete a needs assessment application in order to be considered. These awards will be available within colleges and university-wide.





Bursaries awards
   A limited number of emergency bursaries and/or student loans are available for students who unexpectedly find themselves in difficult circumstances. Students should discuss these unexpected difficulties/costs with their adviser and graduate co-ordinator. If unresolved financial difficulties remain, they should then proceed to Student Financial Services. These funds are specifically designed to cover emergency/acute/unexpected/one-time-only situations requiring compassion and are not designed to cover registration and living costs associated with the normal continuation of study.



From Other Sources



Awards    A listing and description of external scholarships/fellowships/ awards that students may hold while registered at Guelph are maintained in Student Financial Services.
   Students interested in any of the three external awards listed below are urged to direct enquiries to the address listed in each description just prior to the appropriate time of application each year:



1)    Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)


NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships


   There is an annual competition for entry-level/continuing master's scholarships and entry-level/continuing doctoral scholarships. NSERC eligibility regulations are subject to change. Eligible applicants must be Canadians or permanent residents and 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 August 31 of the year of application.
   Eligible undergraduate students must apply in the September that is at least eight months prior to entering a graduate program.
   Eligible graduate students must apply in the September that is at least eight months prior to when the award would begin.
   Students currently registered at a Canadian university must apply for NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships (PGSA or PGSB) through the appropriate office at the university of registration and follow its procedures and deadline dates for application submission. At Guelph, applications for postgraduate scholarships are made through the Student Financial Services.
   Students who are not currently registered (more than 12 months since the last month of registration) in a Canadian University must apply directly to NSERC and follow NSERC application procedures and submission deadlines. Applications are available at any Canadian university or write to NSERC just prior to the September application period at: Scholarships and Fellowships Division, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Constitution Square, Tower 11, 14th Floor, 350 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 1H5.
   NSERC offers a limited number of specialized postgraduate awards which are listed in the application materials each September. Students in the appropriate disciplines are advised to review these annually.

NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships:
   Application forms are available for Canadians and permanent residents in the office of research at Canadian universities. There are various application deadline dates and postdoctoral award programs; doctoral students should note that some awards require application up to one year before doctoral degree completion.



2)    Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS)


   These are awarded through an annual competition for students. OGS eligibility regulations are subject to change.
   There are two competitions: (i) for applicants who are Canadians or permanent residents, and (ii) for 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 Education and Training, P.O. Box 4500, 189 Red River Road, 4th Floor, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 6G9.



3)    Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)


SSHRC Doctoral Scholarships
   There is an annual competition for entry-level and continuing doctoral students. SSHRC eligibility regulations are subject to change. Eligible applicants must be Canadians or permanent residents and 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 master's students must apply in the September that is at least eight months before either (i) entering a doctoral program or (ii) entering years two, three or four of a doctoral program.
   Eligible students who entered a doctoral program directly upon undergraduate degree completion are not eligible to hold an award in their first year of doctoral study; they may apply in the September that is at least eight months before commencement of years two, three, four or five.
   Students registered at a Canadian university must apply for SSHRC doctoral fellowships through the appropriate office at the university in which they are registered and follow its application procedures and deadlines. At Guelph, applications for these scholarships are made through Student Financial Services.
   Students who are not currently registered at a Canadian university must apply directly to SSHRC and follow SSHRC application procedures and submission deadlines. Applications are available at any Canadian university or write to SSHRC just prior to the September application period at: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 255 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1610, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 6G4.
   SSHRC provides a limited number of awards in addition to the doctoral scholarships. These are listed in the application materials each September. Students in the appropriate disciplines are advised to review these annually.



Grant
   Some governments/agencies provide research support for students to enter and complete graduate degrees. Common examples would be (i) international government agencies funding students from their home country to study abroad, including in Canada (students should review what is available through their home country) and (ii) Canadian agencies funding study in specific areas of research (students should review opportunities through the office of research and/or appropriate office at the university in which they are registered).

Student Loans
   Each provincial government and the Canadian government provide loans for undergraduate and graduate education to Canadians and permanent residents (subject to minimum residency requirements). These funds are not available to international students. Students should review the student loan policies of their home province; student loan information is normally available through universities but students should note that provincial loan forms and initial application procedures may only be available through a student's home province.

Bursaries
   Some agencies, clubs and private organizations provide student bursaries for members and their immediate families; students should review what is available through any of these organizations.