CD Area Graduate Funding

Please note: The following information was obtained from: a) Graduate Program in Psychology Handbook, 2007-2009; http://www.yorku.ca/grdpsych/handbook/handbook%202007-2009.doc; b) Guide to Funding of York Graduate Students in Psychology, David Rennie, April, 2003)

The funding of students in the Graduate Programme in Psychology is rather complex. The following guide clarifies how it works. Keep in mind that what follows is good for the present; it may not hold for the future. Also keep in mind that in terms of contractual agreements such as the minimum guarantee, it is written in layman's language. As such it is no substitute for the contract language; for that the latest CUPE Unit 1 Collective Agreement must be consulted.

For more information on fees and funding please see: http://futurestudents.yorku.ca/graduate/fees_and_funding

The Minimum Guarantee

First, the student must be at least a PhD 1 student, and no more than a PhD 5 student, and registered full time. Second, the student must have done a full TA or equivalent prior to an imminent summer term. Third, under these two conditions, the student is guaranteed a minimum of $3900 above the amount paid for the TA. Fourth, this amount may be accounted for by funding the student has from other sources, such as a scholarship.

If the student does not have outside funding, then, as stipulated by the CUPE Unit 1 Collective Agreement, they must work for the minimum guarantee. Normally, the work is to be done in the summer following the TA. Under this Collective Agreement, if they do not hold a scholarship etc., then they must apply to Atkinson College for a Summer TA of $3900, which, it will be noticed, is the same amount as the minimum guarantee.  If the student cannot get a summer TA at Atkinson, then he or she must do something else. From the point of view of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), the best way for the student to do this is to get hired as a summer GA.

As an incentive to faculty members to contribute to a summer GA, and thereby help students to fulfill their requirements for the minimum guarantee, FGS will match up to half of $4000 for a 135-hour summer GA. Hence the expression, “the student can do a matching-fund summer GA in order to meet the requirements for the minimum guarantee.” If FGS finds that a given faculty member requesting a GA cannot match what FGS gives in this regard, then FGS will prevail upon that faculty member to contribute some amount, even a few hundred dollars, to help defray FGS's costs.

The GA may not necessarily be for assistance to the student's supervisor. This is a matter of concern for some faculty members and students. It is necessary to keep in mind that at any moment in time, FGS has a pool of students for whom funding has not met the requirements for the minimum guarantee. This pool is thus a “priority” pool (the same term is also used to classify students most eligible for TAs; see below). If FGS is to make the most of the limited student support funds at its disposal regarding the minimum guarantee, it needs to make most effective use of all sources of funding, including faculty members' funds. If a given faculty member proposes to put up the matching fund necessary to finance a summer GA, and if that member proposes to hire his or her own student, FGS will not allow that faculty member's student to be the student awarded the summer GA if that student has already met the requirements for the minimum guarantee for that particular year (by being on scholarship, for example). Instead, FGS will assign another student whose funding has not reached the level of the minimum guarantee. (It is important to note in this context that FGS has a small amount of GA money to support research activities and/or projects that promise to benefit the Graduate Programme or the FGS as a whole. These GAs are valued at $4000 and are awarded to students needing to meet the requirement for the minimum guarantee).

If the student has exhausted all ways of satisfying the requirements for the minimum guarantee, FGS will give the money to the student on the understanding that it will later find ways for the student to meet the requirement.

Summer GAs for Full-Time Master’s Students

Each year FGS makes available funds for summer GAs for MA students. These GAs are worth, currently, $3,760, and faculty members are encouraged to match half of that amount (i.e., $1,880). The requirements that students must meet are the following: First, they must be registered full-time. Second, they must be MA 2. Third, they cannot hold a summer TA and this GA at the same time. Thus, if the student has appropriately applied for a summer GA prior to the deadline (which, e.g., this year was March 3), then if that student subsequently gets and decides to take a TA (which pays more), then the student must give up the GA if it has already been awarded to him or her. Third, those students holding scholarships will have lower priority than PhD students.

TAs

To be eligible for a TA, a student must be registered full-time as either a MA 2 or PhD 1-6. But, there is a priority pool for TAs: first priority is given to PhD 1-4, second priority to PhD 5-6, and third priority to MA 2. Nevertheless, the priority pool has proved not to be a problem for students of low priority because of the number of TA positions available, especially when Atkinson College is taken into consideration along with the Faculty of Arts. As indicated above, once a student has done a full TA or equivalent, that student becomes eligible for the minimum guarantee unless that student is a MA 2 student, in which case the minimum guarantee provision does not apply because the minimum guarantee is for PhD students and does not apply to Master's students.

Most graduate students have to face funding issues at some point in their career, whether it be personal or professional expenses. Here is a breakdown of funding resources, each requiring some degree of patience and persistence, and, of course, paperwork. This is only a partial list of the many sources of funding available to graduate students. For more information on internal and external scholarships, grants, and other funding opportunities, visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) office at 283 York Lanes, or check their website at: http://www.yorku.ca/grads/gen/awards.htm

Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS)

This provincial scholarship is open to students of all disciplines at the Master’s and Doctoral levels. You must have at least an A– average on previous grades to apply. Forms are available from 297 BSB or the Faculty of Graduate Studies, 283 York Lanes, or from the OGS website (http://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/NOT_SECURE/Plan_Grants_full_sepapp_OGS_12345.htm), usually at the end of August. The deadline for applications is usually early to mid-October.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

Master’s and Doctoral candidates can apply to this agency for funding on the merit of their research plans. Awards range from one to four years. Forms are available on the SSHRC website (http://www.sshrc.ca/web/apply/students_e.asp). The deadline for applications is usually the end of October. 

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)

Master’s and Doctoral candidates can apply to this agency for two-year scholarships based on their research plan. The deadline is usually in November and forms are available at the Faculty of Graduate Studies, 283 York Lanes, and on the NSERC website (http://www.nserc.ca/).

Master’s and Doctoral candidates can apply to this agency for funding on the merit of their research plans. Deadlines are usually in August-September and February/March, and are dependent on whether you are a Master’s or Doctoral student. Forms are available on the CIHR website (http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca).

If unsure whether research falls under SSHRC, CIHR (or NSERC), check with the Tri-Council Guidelines for Psychological Research.

Generally, SSHRC focuses on research with humans as “social and cultural beings,” CIHR focuses on research with a clear health-related focus, and NSERC on “fundamental psychological processes.”

Lillian Wright Maternal-Child Health Graduate Scholarship

The Lillian Wright Maternal-Child Health Graduate Scholarship is awarded to graduate students in the Faculty of Health who have a minimum A average in their graduate courses, or for new graduate students in their first year of study and for incoming graduate students, a cumulative grade point average of 7.5 based on undergraduate courses. Areas of research study may include, but are not limited to: Maternal-child health; maternal-child mental well-being; early child development; mother-infant relationships, mothers, stress and coping; developmental pathways in infants and young children; pre-natal and post-natal interventions; health promotion for mothers and children; environmental considerations in infant/child health and development; patient safety issues relating to maternal-child health; health policy and practice in relation to mothers, infants and children; and other topics in maternal-child health. Deadline is at the end of February.

Autism Related Funding

OCGS-Autism Scholars Awards
With the support of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, a Scholar Awards Program in Autism has been established to ensure that Ontario attracts and retains pre-eminent scholars. The community of autism scholars fostered by this Awards Program will excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge concerning child autism, and its translation into improved health for children, more effective services and products for children with autism, and increase the province’s capacity in diagnosis and assessment of autism and a strengthened treatment system. Master’s and Doctoral students can apply.

Autism Ontario Research Scholarships

Conference Presentations

There are three sources of funding available to students who are presenting their own work (this means actual credited authorship) at a Psychological conference. All of these sources require receipts and documented proof of your presentation:

Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

You may apply to the Graduate Development Fund in the fall and spring for funds up to $500 to defray the costs of travel to one conference per academic year. Forms are available in 297 BSB or from 283 York Lanes.

Graduate Students’ Association (GSA)

Up to $400 may be awarded to presenting students to cover the costs of travel to a conference. Forms are available at the GSA office, 325 Student Centre Complex.

Psychology Graduate Students’ Association

The PGSA will cover the cost of conference registration and accommodation up to a total of $150. However, you must also apply to FGS and GSA and submit copies of those applications with your PGSA form. These forms are available on the PGSA website.

Thesis and Dissertation Costs

FGS — Scholarship and Grants Committee

Up to $500 can be sought from the Research Costs Fund for expenses such as participant payment, experimental equipment, and field research costs associated with your thesis, dissertation, major or minor area paper and course work. You must apply for funds before the fact, providing a budget of anticipated expenses.

PGSA

A maximum of $150 can be sought once per degree for thesis and dissertation expenses such as test booklets, transcribing, videotapes, article photocopying, and equipment costs. PGSA does not cover purchase of books, typing, thesis production costs, parking, or meals. These forms are available on the PGSA website.

The PGSA will award up to $150 to students for the costs of preparing manuscripts for publication, as long as no faculty members are credited as authors (faculty members are usually expected to provide funding for publication preparation). Included in the costs covered are preparation of photographs and reprints. You’ll need to submit a copy of the manuscript and all receipts. These forms are available on the PGSA website.

All members of CUPE (past and present) may apply for coverage of thesis production costs. The necessary form is provided to you by the thesis secretary when you submit your final copies. For more information, call CUPE at (416) 736-5154.

Other Funding Opportunities

Throughout the year, you will receive notification from the graduate office and the PGSA of funding opportunities as they arise. There are numerous grants directed to specific research interests. For example, the LaMarsh Centre offers up to $1000 for research focused on child and youth mental health. Doctoral students may apply for the Dean’s Academic Excellence Award after their first year of doctoral studies. The President’s Dissertation Scholarship can be applied for when all requirements of the programme have been met except for the dissertation and only one more year is required to complete the dissertation. Details of this fund are usually distributed in February. Other agencies, such as Sylff, offer funding for collaborative efforts with researchers in other countries. Avid funding seekers should check the mailroom bulletin board and the Faculty of Graduate Studies to keep tabs on new funding opportunities. It is also recommended that students check websites for organizations that fund student research (e.g., Autism Society of Ontario).