Physics Graduate Scholarships and Awards

Graduate Awards (Nominated by Department)

These award amounts are incorporated into regular Physics Graduate Stipends, and do not increase base stipend rates.

Special Graduate Entrance Scholarship

Typically, students entering SFU Physics graduate programs are awarded a Special Graduate Entrance Scholarships (SGES). Effective Fall 2015, MSc Students receive $6000. 

Entering students are automatically nominated by the Department for this award, and will typically receive this award if they meet the minimum entering cumulative grade point average (CGPA) requirement of 3.50 (SFU). SGES award amounts are incorporated into regular Physics Graduate Stipends, and do not increase base stipend rates.

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Graduate Fellowships

Physics PhD students will receive a 0.5 Graduate Fellowship (GF) worth $3500.00 (effective Fall 2020) each year between years two through four of their PhD program. Receipt of this part of the Physics annual graduate stipend is subject to maintaining a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) requirement of 3.50. GF award amounts are incorporated into regular Physics Graduate Stipends, and do not increase base stipend rates.

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President's PhD Scholarship

The President’s PhD Scholarship (PS) rewards PhD students who have made excellent progress in their degree, and who have demonstrated academic excellence, substantial scholarly output and leadership early in their PhD program relative to their peers. The award is intended to provide PhD students with a semester to concentrate full-time on their research. PhD students must have completed fewer than 12 terms of enrollment to be eligible for this award. In the Department of Physics, the President's Scholarship worth $7000.00 (as of Fall 2020) is typically awarded to a student who plans to defend at the end of the term of the award.

This award is not awarded in addition to the Physics annual graduate stipend, but is offered as an alternative to TA and RA funding to allow the recipient to focus on writing their thesis.

Other Departmental Awards

Graduate Teaching Award

Up to five awards per year, valued at $250, will be awarded as an honorarium to celebrate teaching excellence by teaching assistants of physics courses. Only teaching assistants who are graduate students enrolled in a Master’s or Ph.D. program at Simon Fraser University are eligible for nomination.  

A teaching assistant can receive only one such award in a two-year period.

Outreach Volunteer Award

Up to four $100 awards per year, given as an honorarium or gift certificate, to recognize student contributions towards Physics Outreach Events. 

Nominations will be solicited by the ORSEC Chair.  Award winners will be determined by the ORSEC at the start of every Fall semester, with the goal of awarding at least one undergraduate student and one graduate student each year.   

A student can only win the award once every two years.

Graduate Awards (Student Application Required)

These award amounts are offered in addition to regular stipend funding. 

Travel and Research Awards (Application Required)

Graduate Travel and Research Award (TARA)

This award is intended to provide financial support to travel and expenses relating to the research component of the student’s graduate degree. The maximum award amount is $7,000 but individual award values will vary, depending on the expenses being submitted, academic unit approval and budgetary restrictions.  

Eligible students apply using the Graduate Award, Application, and Adjudication System (GA3) and submit all required documentation to their department of enrollment. Departments should advertise their own deadlines for receiving applications. Students should be aware that not all departments hold competitions for this award.

To be eligible for this award, travel must take place during the current academic year (September though the end of August). You may apply for a TARA during any of the competitions that year either before or after travel takes place. Unsuccessful applications will automatically be considered in later competitions.

The Physics Department requires both a Reference from Senior Supervisor (entered into the Reference Section on GA3) and a current, Official or Unofficial SFU Transcript with TARA applications in addition to standard application materials.

Application Instructions for Travel Awards (TARA)

Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (MSFSS) [For TriCouncil Grant Holders]

This travel award opportunity is provided by the TriCouncil granting agencies to holders of NSERC CGS, SSHRC CGS or CIHR CGS awards only.

The value of the CGS-MSFSS award is up to $6,000, based on the information and budget justification provided in the application. Supplements are non-renewable. The related research study period must be between three to six months.

Donor Awards (Application Required)

Donor Awards are made possible by our generous donors, and we're very grateful for their support of our students. 
Donor Award amounts are offered in addition to regular stipend funding. 

Graduate Studies List of Internal and Donor Funded Awards 

General Information About Donor Awards

Donor Awards, Physics Department

Donor Awards, Faculty of Science

Donor Awards, University-Wide

External Awards

Ebco/Eppich Graduate Scholarships in Intelligent Systems

For a list of awards with links to the terms-of-reference for each Ebco-Eppick Award, please visit the SFU Graduate Studies Ebco/Eppich page.

Dissertation Awards

Dissertation Awards

Major External Awards

Major Awards holders have customized graduate stipends, please speak to the Graduate Chair or Graduate Program Assistant for more information.

MITACS Awards

NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarships - Master's Program (CGS-M)

NSERC Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral Program (CGS-D and PGS-D)

Eligibility

To be considered eligible, as of October 15th, each applicant must:

  • be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada;
  • hold, or expect to hold (at the time they take up the award), a degree in science or engineering from a university whose standing is recognized by NSERC. If you have a degree in a field other than science or engineering, NSERC may accept your application at its discretion.
  • intend to pursue, in the following year, full-time graduate studies and research at the doctoral level in an eligible program in one of the areas of the natural sciences and engineering supported by NSERC; and
  • have obtained a minimum first-class average: a grade of "A-" (CGPA of 3.67/4.33) in each of the last two completed years of study (full-time equivalent); and
  • not be applying for graduate funding to this year’s SSHRC Doctoral or CIHR funding programs

Eligibility Window (Eligibility Should Be Calculated as of December 31, 2016

  • 0-24 months of studies in doctoral program for which funding is requested; OR
  • 4-36 months of studies in doctoral program for which funding is requested if admitted directly to PhD from Bachelor's

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

NSERC CREATE Program in Quantum Computing

Other External Awards

Graduate Student Bursaries

Bursaries are a supplemental source of funding for students with demonstrated financial need; that is, they should not be treated as a primary source of funding.

Bursaries are available to Canadian and International students.  You should be aware that you may not be awarded a bursary every term. Due to the high volume of applications received each term, payment of funds may not occur until the middle of the term of application.  We encourage you to plan accordingly.

Mona and Albert Curzon Bursary

Available to graduate students in physics or for majors or honors undergraduate students in physics, mathematical physics, chemical physics, biophysics or other joint programs with physics. These bursaries are subject to demonstrated financial need and good academic standing. Nominations will be made by the chair of the Department of Physics in consultation with Financial Aid and Awards.

Please search the Curzon-Digman bursary on the Scholarship, Awards and Bursaries Database for more details.

For general eligibility requirements and application procedures visit the Financial Aid and Awards Graduate Students Bursaries page.

TSSU Member Childcare Bursary

Visit the Financial Aid and Awards Graduate Students Bursaries page and scroll down for details about the TSSU Childcare Bursary.