Costs & funding

Learn about graduate program costs and funding available to students.

Graduate program costs

SIAT tuition is consistent with the university standard for graduate programs. There are different forms of financial aid available to students, including scholarships, awards, bursaries, research assistantships and teaching positions. Some scholarships are specific to incoming students and may require an application. Checking the SFU Financial Aid & Awards website for opportunities relevant to your situation is recommended.

International students may work while going to school, but work permits may be necessary. Check with International Student Advising and Programs office about if work permits are necessary.

Funding

There are a variety of funding opportunities within SIAT and at SFU:

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

Graduate fellowships of $7000 are available each year to highly qualified students within SIAT.

ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIPS

SFU awards a small number of entrance scholarships of $18,000 to exceptional new students. Application is by invitation from the admissions committee.

NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Canadian citizens and permanent residents may apply for Canada Graduate Scholarships, NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR Scholarships. These multi-year awards are national and competitive. Applications are due in the fall and awards are announced in the late spring.

RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS

Research Assistantships vary widely in duties and stipends. Typically, graduate students are paid from research grants. Research assistantships are administered by the departments and faculty members holding the research grants or contracts.

TEACHING POSITIONS

Teaching Assistantships and Sessional Instructorships in the undergraduate program provide a large part of SIAT's graduate student support. You are encouraged to apply for these positions and will be invited to do so at or before the time of offer of admission. A full Teaching Assistantship position for a Masters student is valued at approximately $4,900; at the PhD level the value is $5,800. Position sizes vary according to course need and registration; compensation can range between $2,000 - $5,000.

LOANS & BURSARIES

Graduate students may receive need-based financial support from external sources. They can be supplemented through various work/ study program. Students are responsible for identifying and applying to these programs. Additional funding sources include:

  • University administered bursaries
  • University administered student loans
  • Government loans/ grants