Finances
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program is a fee-per-unit program, which means that you pay tuition for the units you enroll in, rather than per semester. The unit fee is set by Simon Fraser University each calendar year.
To complete your MPP degree, you are required to complete 70 units (see MPP Curriculum), and the current (2024) cost per unit is $305.73. First year MPP students typically take 40 credits ($12,229.20) and second year MPP students typically take 30 credits ($9,171.90). During the summer between year one and two, students typically undertake a co-op work position (which is typically full-time paid work at a government agency, for which students receive around $27-30 per hour depending on the employer) and are required to pay a co-op practicum fee (in 2023, $861.09); the practicum fee is payable only once you have secured a work term. As such, the base tuition for the MPP program is currently around $22,260.
However, the final tuition cost will also include various ancillary fees charged by the university. include things like medical and dental coverage, a universal transit pass, and usage of recreation and athletic facilities. At current rates, we estimate that the total cost of these fees for a full-time domestic student is around $1,600 per year.
At present, domestic and international students pay the same fee-per-unit but pay different amounts for the required dental and medical insurance.
More information on graduate tuition and fees is available in the most recent version of the academic calendar. The university also has a free budget calculator that you can use to estimate the cost of your program.
Note: MPP program does not currently have a part-time option. However, occasionally, students need to take a leave of absence from the program or take less units than anticipated. Please keep in mind that this will impact funding eligibility (including for scholarships, awards, loans, and bursaries). Students must be enrolled in courses in all three semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer) to maintain full-time status in the MPP program.
OPTIONS FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT
A variety of sources and forms of funding are available to help you with the cost of the MPP program. These include: merit-based fellowships, scholarships and awards; need-based financial aid, loans, and bursaries; and university employment (for instance, teaching and research assistantships). The list below provides an overview of the most commonly accessed sources of funding.
Financial Aid
Master of Public Policy students may be eligible for financial aid through Simon Fraser University. You can read more about the eligibility criteria, application processes, and various forms of aid available on the University’s Student Services Financial Aid and Awards website.
Graduate Bursary
Graduate Bursaries are awarded each semester and are issued on a need-based system. Students are required to submit an application for each semester in which they are interested in receiving funding. The application deadlines are normally six to eight weeks before the semester begins. For more information and application procedures go to graduate bursaries webpage.
Funding for Indigenous Students
SFU offers extensive financial support for Indigenous peoples of Canada. We will nominate all qualified Indigenous applicants for Indigenous Graduate Awards.
Fellowships
The School distributes Graduate Fellowship Awards annually on the basis of academic achievement and excellence. Graduate Fellowships may be awarded to both incoming and returning students with cumulative grade point averages (CGPAs) of 3.5 or higher. The final amount awarded to select students is variable and at the discretion of the School of Public Policy.
The School also has a number of donor awards which are offered to the strongest applicants and returning students, including the Andrew Petter Graduate Scholarship in Public Policy, Maureen Maloney and Andrew Petter Fellowship in Public Policy, and the Master’s in Public Policy Scholarship. You can find the full list here.
Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS) M (funded by SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR)
Scholarships worth $17,500 are available and competitively awarded to Master’s students through the Canada Graduate Scholarship program funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and Canada Institutes of Health Research. The School’s internal deadline is typically mid-Fall and our program offers tailored advice on applications.
Travel and Research Awards (TARA)
TARA awards are intended to provide financial support to travel and expenses relating to the research component of student’s graduate degree. Students can apply for TARA awards where this is necessary to conduct data collection for research or present research findings at a conference. The TARA program is administered through the SFU Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies office drawing on School of Public Policy funding and the competition is adjudicated by the School’s Director and faculty.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPs
From time to time, faculty members advertise Research Assistant positions through our student listservs. These are usually linked to grant-funded research projects. Existing students are welcome to reach out to faculty aligned with their expertise and background to see whether opportunities are available.
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP
A small number of Teaching Assistant positions may be available through the School of Public Policy linked to our undergraduate minor program (to be launched in 2023-2024).
STUDENT LOANS
Canadian citizens and permanent residents may apply for funding through the student loan programs. Please visit www.bcsap.bc.ca for details on the application procedures for BC residents.
OTHER FUNDING AND SCHOLARSHIPS
In addition to need-based and merit-based internal funding awarded by the University and School, Master of Public Policy students are eligible and encouraged to apply for external awards from foundations, research councils, governments, and other organizations. You can find an overview of opportunities here.