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PhD Research Scholarship starting fall 2023
We are pleased to announce that eligible SFU PhD students entering programs this fall as well as those within their first four years of their PhD program will be conditionally awarded an annual scholarship of $5,400 (PhD Research Scholarship).
SFU graduate students undertake significant research that supports not only their own contributions to scientific discovery and knowledge systems, but also for SFU’s status as a world-class institution and this award helps to recognize these contributions.
SFU recognizes that further support for research graduate students is needed, and is committed to consistent progress towards minimum funding guarantees for research-based graduate students.
This award is a step in the process regarding SFU’s efforts to address the realities many graduate students face in our current economic climate. Another proposed step is to establish funding minimums of guaranteed support for all eligible PhD students.
Click the '+' to read the Terms of Reference for this award
Terms of Reference
This scholarship is used to support new and current research-based PhD students at SFU as long as they meet all the eligibility requirements and conditions as outlined in these Terms of Reference.
- Enrolment eligibility: This scholarship is only offered to research-based PhD students who are enrolled (i.e. not on leave) and within their first up to and including, twelfth terms.
- Performance eligibility based on the following three criteria:
- satisfactory assessment on their progress report (a minimum of one report per year)
- CGPA equal to or greater than 3.5
- S (satisfactory) in all completed courses that have S/U assessment.
- For students in their first term only, the performance eligibility requirement is waived.
- Value: the scholarship is valued at $5,400 per year ($1,800 per term).
- Other sources of funding: although students are eligible to hold other sources of financial support, this scholarship is included within SFU’s annual maximum support permitted from university administered awards and scholarships.
- Tuition waivers: students who have an SFU tuition waiver must declare this status and may hold this scholarship but there is no dollar value in these instances.
- Employment: students who are employed full-time must declare this status and may hold this scholarship but there is no dollar value in these instances.
July 2023
FAQs regarding this scholarship
Q: Does time in a master’s program count toward the 12 term limit on time in the PhD program?
A: If a student transfers from a master’s to a PhD without completing the master’s, the count will start at the start date of the master’s.
Q: Do leaves of absence count toward the 12 term eligibility limit?
A: Only active enrolled terms count (terms on leave do not count)
Q: How and When Will I get Paid?
A: Students enrolled in their PhD program will receive an award offer email at the beginning of each term. Only eligible students should accept the award. Students who accept the award, but do not meet the eligibility (including students who are receiving the tuition waiver or working full time) will have their award reversed at a later date. The award policies and payment schedule can be found here
Q: If I’m eligible in the fall term, will I be guaranteed the funding in the subsequent spring and summer terms?
A: Eligibility will be assessed each term, based on the eligibility criteria defined in the Terms of Reference.
Q: How is this award paid?
A: Funds will be applied to your student account, paying any tuition and fees as per these schedule and rules.
Q: Is this funding considered part of my admission funding offer (ie., if I was offered $20,000 in my admission letter from a combination of sources, does this count?)
A: For the first year (2023-24), the PhD research scholarship was in addition to a student's funding offer. As of Fall 2024, the PhD research scholarship does count towards the admission funding offer for PhD students, current and incoming.
Q: Why can’t students with tuition waivers be awarded this scholarship?
A: Working within the available financial resources from the University, the PhD scholarship assists students with a cost that students who have a tuition waiver are already receiving.
Q: How is full-time employment defined?
A: Full-time employment, for the purposes of this scholarship, is defined as a usual work week 30 hours (60 hours bi-weekly) or more per week at a main or only job.