How Funding Works: Research-Stream Programs

“Funding has given me the chance to conduct field research in some amazing places.

Gregory Wentworth

Alumnus, PhD (2016), Chemistry

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Funding for Research-Stream Programs

Securing adequate funding for your studies is an essential component of successfully completing your graduate degree. There are numerous programs in place to ensure you thrive during your time at the University of Toronto. Graduate students are encouraged to seek funding opportunities by applying for major scholarships and by seeking out Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant opportunities. We understand that graduate student support is crucial to help our research-stream master’s and PhD students offset the cost of their education, earn income during their graduate studies, and serve as an important tool to recruit the best graduate students globally.

Students accepted into most research-stream master’s and PhD programs are eligible to receive funding from their graduate unit — in other words, from their supervisor, department and / or Faculty. This funding commitment ensures every student has access to the basic funding level offered by their program should they be unsuccessful in securing external research or scholarship funds that meet or exceed the base funding package. Funding typically covers one year of master’s study and four to five years of doctoral study and may comprised of one or more internal and external funding sources, e.g. U of T fellowships or awards, external scholarships, departmental awards, teaching and research assistantships etc.

Variation in both Base Funding and Actual Income is related to Faculty and graduate unit decisions as well as the composition and sources of funding. Faculties and graduate unit decisions take many things into account, including student recruitment, faculty research foci, program enrolment and resources, and time to degree completion. The amount of your funding package, the number of years you will receive it, and how the funding is composed will depend on your specific program.

Decisions about the availability, composition, sources and annual amount of graduate funding over the course of a student’s program are made primarily at the Faculty and graduate unit levels, not by the University overall. Therefore, your best contact for details about your own graduate funding is your Faculty or graduate unit for your program.

Additional financial support programs and information including UTAPS grants for graduate students, provincial and territorial government financial aid programs, and other sources of graduate support is available on the SGS Financial Assistance webpage.

Visit our Funding FAQ pages below to learn more about Base Funding and the average Actual Income received by full-time, active graduate students in their respective programs.

For more information, visit these pages: