Graduate Funding Package

OISE offers OISE funding packages to students in full-time PhD programs and non-professional MA programs (referred to as the funded cohort).

OISE funding is designed to provide students in the funded cohort a minimum level of support to offset the cost of graduate education.

Students in the funded cohort can expect to receive a letter providing the details of their funding package between August 15th and September 30th of each year in which they are a funded student.

Package value

In 2022-2023, the minimum funding package was $25,054 including tuition and incidental fees ($8054). The minimum value of the 2023-2024 package will be determined after tuition/incidental fees for 2023-2024 are published in July 2023. Funding packages may be compsed of fellowships, grants, awards, scholarships and employment income. For international students the value of the funding package will be increased to cover the mandatory University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) for registered international students. For historic information on average funding for both domestic and international PhD students at the University of Toronto, see the School of Graduate Studies Funding Webpage.

There is no formal application process for the OISE funding package.

Students who are eligible for the OISE funding package will be provided details as part of their offer of admission. As the academic year approaches, each student in the funded cohort will receive a personalized information package. The information package will confirm the composition of their funding for the year and provide students with required documents and next steps for securing their funding.

There are four types of packages, which dictate how the funding package is comprised. Students will move between the four packages during their time at OISE. See the "types of packages" section below.

Terms and conditions

The following conditions must be met to remain in the funded cohort:

1. Registration and maintained status as a full-time student

Funded cohort students must be registered full-time in both fall and winter sessions to qualify for funding in those sessions. A funded student must be registered as a full-time degree candidate for a minimum of 14 weeks in the fall term and 17 weeks in the winter term to be eligible for the OISE fellowship tuition and grant funds. If a student takes an approved leave of absence, the funding package will be revised to reflect the student's enrolment status. This also applies in the event of a retroactive leave of absence.

2. Employment status

Full-time employment is defined as 35 hours per week, or where different, the number of hours specified in an employment contract as full-time employment. Students working on a full-time basis either within or outside the University during the fall/winter session (September to April) are not eligible for funding.

It is strongly recommended that students who take paid employment limit their hours of work to no more than 10 hours per week, on average, in all forms of employment including Graduate Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships, Course Instructorships, other employment at the University or employment outside the University, while receiving a funding package.

Students may be offered employment as a GA, TA or CI as part of their funding package. To accept these positions and receive your full funding, students are required to have a Canadian bank account, a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) and for international students, a valid Study Permit is also required. For more information on types of packages, see the section below on “Types of Packages”.

For more information on how to receive your funding, please see the section on “Receiving your Funding”

3. Maintain good standing and satisfactory progress

Good standing and satisfactory progress includes:

Satisfactory completion of graduate courses with a minimum A- average;
Timely completion of program requirements; meaning a minimum enrolment of four (4) half courses per year and completion of all required course work before or by the end of year two (2), (with the exception of SCCP PhD students who are required to complete additional courses in year three (3), not including the internship)
Supervision and satisfactory progress per SGS regulation 7.5.2 which requires the establishment of a supervisory committee by the end of the first term of the second year (or as indicated by your program), and meeting with the supervisory committee at least once a year.
Achieving candidacy by the end of year three (3). To learn more about candidacy requirements, contact your department or see the School of Graduate Studies website.

4. Applying for External Scholarships

As a condition of funding, graduate students are required to apply for and accept external awards for which they are eligible. It is an honour to receive a prestigious award and should be included on a student's cv. Writing applications for such awards is part of academic training.

MA SCCP Funded Cohort students in year one (1) of the SCCP program are required to apply for at least one large external award ($15,000 or over) for which they are eligible (i.e., CGSM or OGS) in year one (1) of their program and if successful, accept the award in order to qualify for funding in year two (2).

PhD Funded Cohort students starting from years one (1), two (2) and three (3) of their program are required to apply for at least one external award ($15,000 or over) for which they are eligible (i.e., OGS, SSHRC, Vanier) and if successful, accept the award in order to qualify for funding in the following year.

When a student is successful in receiving a major external award, the award will be applied to their funding in accordance with SGS policy and guidelines. The award will become part of or replace the student's funding package. Examples of major awards are SSHRC, NSERC, OGS and foreign government awards, such as the CONACyT or China Scholarship. Students who receive major awards such as SSHRC, OGS, Vanier and any other major award are expected to request their award activation commences in September.

Eligibility

MA programs listed below are eligible to be funded for first year except for the School & Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) which is eligible for funding for first 2 years

PhD programs listed below are eligible to be funded for first 4 years except for the School & Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) which is eligible for funding for first 3 years

Eligible Full-Time MA and PHD Programs by Program

Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development

Counselling & Clinical Psychology (CCP)

Developmental Psychology & Education (DPE)

School & Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP)

Department of Curriculum, Learning and Teaching

Curriculum Studies and Teacher Development (CSTD)

Language and Literacies Education (LLE)

Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education

Adult Education & Community Development (AECD)

Educational Leadership & Policy (ELP)

Higher Education (HE)

Department of Social Justice Education

Social Justice Education (SJE)

Types of packages

1. Scholarship Package

Funding consists of the major scholarship and/ or OISE Fellowship
Large scholarships of $10,000 or more will be included in the value of the OISE Funding Package.
- For example, if the domestic funding level is set at $25,000, a student holding a scholarship valued at $10,000 or more falls under this category.
A student who holds a scholarship valued at less than $13,382 may be eligible for a Graduate Assistantship (GA).
For more information please see Applying for External Scholarships.

2. Graduate Assistantship/Research Fellowship (GA/RF) Package

Funding consists of a Graduate Assistantship (GA), a Research Fellowship (RF) and an OISE Fellowship.
The GA Role occurs in the Fall (September 1 to December 31) and consists of 120 hours.
The RF role occurs in the Winter (January 1 to April 30).
For more information, please see Student Employment Opportunities.

3. Graduate Assistant (GA) Package

Funding consists of employment as a Graduate Assistant (GA) or Research and Development GA (R&D GA) and an OISE Fellowship.
Graduate Assistants are hired to undertake research or field work under the supervision of a Faculty Member.
GA and R&D GA roles occur September 1 to April 30 and consist of 240 hours.
For more information, please see Student Employment Opportunities.

4. Course Instructor (CI) or Teaching Assistant (TA) Package

Funding consists of a Course Instructorship (CI) or Teaching Assistantship (TA) and an OISE Fellowship.
Course Instructors are hired to lead teaching and course activities.
Teaching Assistants are hired to assist in teaching and course activities.
CI or TA roles vary in hours and can occur in the Fall (September 1 to December 31); Winter (January 1 to April 30); or Fall/Winter (September 1 to April 30).
For more information, please see Student Employment Opportunities