Financial Support and Awards

MA students and PhD students are regularly offered funding upon admission to the graduate program in Theatre Studies.  This usually takes the form of stipends, teaching assistantships, graduate assistantships, and/or research assistantships. 

The following are descriptions of financial support available to students posted on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website:

Graduate Assistantships
A stipend may be paid to a full-time degree candidate for various types of activity. The duties of a graduate assistant may include participation in a practicum, as an apprentice in a laboratory or applied setting, library work for the department or for a research group (normally in cases where it is possible for students to make small but constructive contributions to group research projects), administrative, clerical and research work. Formal arrangements for work in this category are made with the program director after admission. It should be noted that neither a master’s nor a Doctoral candidate is permitted, while registered as a full-time student, to accept more than ten hours of paid work per week through the University.

Research Assistantships
A stipend may be paid to a full-time degree candidate for research or academic activities relevant and related to the student’s field(s) of study within the academic program. Formal arrangements are made with the program director after admission.

Teaching Assistantships
A stipend may be paid to a full-time degree candidate who teaches in one of the York Faculties or colleges. Normally, such teaching will consist of a tutorial or seminar work in a timetabled course in which the lectures are given by a full-time member of Faculty, this teaching being considered equal, when preparation is counted, to no more than ten hours of work per week.

Scholarships (Internal)

York Scholarships
York University offers a limited number of scholarships to students entering programs at the master’s and Doctoral level. There are no application forms for these scholarships. Offers are made by the Graduate Program Directors to selected applicants who have unequivocal “A” standing in their previous two years of study.

 Elia Scholars Program
The Elia Scholars Program is York University's most prestigious graduate award for incoming domestic and international doctoral students of the highest caliber. Outstanding candidates who wish to be considered for appointment as an Elia Scholar should identify themselves to the director of the graduate program to which they are applying, by April 15th. Click here for further application information.

Graduate Fellowships for Academic Distinction
The Graduate Fellowships for Academic Distinction are awarded to incoming students with high potential for future leadership in international affairs. The students eligible for these awards will be those engaged in research in the Social Science aspects of environmental protection, Canada as a pacific nation, fine arts, or political economy. Fellowships include a scholarship ($7,000 for master’s students; $15,000 for Doctoral students), a graduate assistantship valued at $7,000, and all tuition fees.

International Tuition Fee Scholarships
The Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University offers International Tuition Fee Scholarships to highly qualified international students. There are a limited number of these Scholarships and they are awarded on the recommendation of the graduate program to which the student is applying. These scholarships are applied directly to the international differential tuition fee in varying amounts (up to approximately $4,800 in 2006-2007) and are awarded at the time an offer of admission is made to the applicant.

Scholarships (External)

Applicants to the Faculty of Graduate Studies are urged to apply for scholarships, fellowships, and other awards tenable at York University. The following are some of the more high-profile external scholarships.

Canada Graduate Scholarships Program—Doctoral Scholarships and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowships  (Highly Recommend)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council offers two types of awards for doctoral-level study to students who have demonstrated a high standard of academic achievement in undergraduate and graduate studies: (i) SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships; and (ii) Canada Graduate Scholarships Program – Doctoral Scholarships. Applicants apply for both awards by completing one application form. SSHRC considers all eligible applicants for both awards. SSHRC Doctoral fellowships, tenable at Canadian universities or abroad, are valued at $20,000 per annum. CGS Doctoral Scholarships are valued at $35,000 per annum, and are tenable only at recognized universities in Canada. The deadline for the submission of applications from full-time registered students is set by the Graduate Program office in early fall. Applicants not registered at a university must apply directly to the Council by November 15th. In the 2006-2007 academic year, 69 SSHRC Doctoral awards and 77 CGS Doctoral scholarships were held by York University students. More information is available at http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Scholarships and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Canada Graduate Scholarships Program—Master's Scholarships (Highly Recommended)
The Canada Graduate Scholarships master’s program offers non-renewable twelve-month awards valued at $17,500, and tenable only at recognized Canadian universities, to applicants who will be registered as full-time students at the master’s level in a discipline supported by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The deadline for the submission of applications from full-time registered students is set by the Graduate Program office in early fall. Applicants not registered at a university must apply directly to the Council by December 1st. In the 2007-2008 academic year, 54 scholarships were awarded to York University students. For more information is available at http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca .

Ontario Graduate Scholarships (Highly Recommended)
The Ontario Ministry of Education and Training offers the Ontario Graduate Scholarships to individuals intending to pursue master’s or Doctoral studies in a wide variety of disciplines. Applicants need not be accepted to graduate school at the time of application but must apply a year before planning to undertake their studies. International students are also welcome to apply. The value of the scholarship is currently $5,000 per term or $15,000 per year. Full-time registered students in their last year of undergraduate studies must apply through their university. At York they must submit their applications to their graduate program by their preset deadline.

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Abella Scholarship for Studies in Equity
Named in honour of the twentieth anniversary of the Abella Commission on Equality in Employment and in celebration of the appointment of Rosalie Abella to the Supreme Court of Canada, this scholarship is designed to provide support for an outstanding full-time graduate student at York University whose thesis, dissertation or major research paper touches on issues that relates directly or indirectly to the theme of equality. To be eligible, students must have successfully completed all degree requirements but the major research paper, thesis or dissertation. The award is valued up to $5,000 and the deadline for applications will be March 15.

Harry W. Arthurs Fellowship
Harry W. Arthurs was Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School (1972-1977) and President of York University (1985-1992). He established these fellowships upon his retirement in 2005. The Fellowships are awarded to highly qualified candidates with excellent academic records who propose to pursue doctoral degrees in the broad fields of public law, with preference given to candidates proposing to undertake interdisciplinary work. All entering and continuing doctoral candidates are eligible. At the discretion of the Director of the Graduate Program in Law, recipients may be considered for a second or subsequent award. Recipients must be Canadian citizens/permanent residents/protected persons and residents of Ontario and must demonstrate financial need. There are four awards available every year, valued at $8,500 each.

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowships Plan
These funds are available to graduate students for study in a Commonwealth country other than their own. The scholarships and fellowships include funds for tuition, travel, living expenses and books. They are generally tenable for two academic years. The deadline date for most countries is October 25. For New Zealand it is December 27.

Foreign Government Awards Program
These awards are intended to assist Canadian students to further their studies or conduct research abroad at the master’s, doctoral or post-doctoral level and usually cover a period of at least six months. Participating countries include: Chile, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Russia, Spain & Venezuela. The deadline date for receipt of applications varies but can be as early as October 25th.

The John Charles Polanyi Prizes
In honour of the achievement of John Charles Polanyi, co-recipient of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Government of Ontario has established a fund to provide annually up to five prizes to outstanding young researchers who are continuing to postdoctoral studies at an Ontario University. The value of the award is $15,000. The deadline date for applications is in early January.

Organization of American States
The objective of this program is to promote the economic, social, scientific and cultural development of the Member States. Fellowships are for periods of three months to two years. The benefits include a round trip ticket, study materials and tuition fees, health insurance and a subsistence allowance. The deadline date for applications is January 24th.

The Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Scholarship in Rehabilitation-Related Research for Graduate Students with Disabilities
This scholarship for students with disabilities provides $20,000 and an individual supplement for educational expenses incurred as a result of the student’s disability. Applicants must plan to be enrolled in a rehabilitation-related graduate program leading to a master’s or Doctoral degree. Fields of study must relate to rehabilitation but are not limited to any particular discipline. Eligible disciplines may include but are not limited to biochemistry, biology, biomedical science, biostatistics, chemistry, computer science, disability studies, early childhood education, engineering, kinesiology, labour studies, music therapy, nursing, physical education, physics, psychology, public administration, rehabilitation sciences, social work, sociology and women’s studies. Application deadlines for the subsequent academic session are usually in May of each year. For more details visit http://www.torontorehab.com/research/disabilityscholarship.htm .

Awards and Grants (Internal)

Fieldwork Costs Fund
This is a program of funding for master’s and Doctoral students to defray the cost of thesis and dissertation research which must be carried out “in the field.” Up to $50,000 will be available and a maximum of $5,000 will be awarded to each individual recipient. The deadline for graduate programs to submit applications is April 2nd. Students should check for earlier deadlines in their graduate program office.

Graduate Development Fund
The Graduate Development fund subsidizes travel costs for students who are presenting their scholarly or creative work outside the Toronto area. Funding is awarded early Spring and early Fall.

Research Costs Fund
The Research Costs Fund helps subsidize students’ own research expenses that are above and beyond those costs that are typically associated with graduate work, such as travel to sources of research, payment of subjects, supplies, services, photocopying, etc.

The Fund generally does not cover books, conference costs, subsistence and tuition fees. (“Generally” means that the Committee will award funds if they are convinced that the expenses are essential for the completion of the research and/or a cheaper alternative is not available.) All full-time registered graduate students who are members (past and present) of CUPE are eligible for a grant. Master’s students should note that Doctoral students take priority. Funding is awarded early Spring and early Fall. Application forms are available for printing on the FGS website from mid-August through September and from mid-January to February. Deadline for application submissions are set by individual program offices.

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Chancellor Bennett Bursary
This award was established to recognize and celebrate the naming of Avie J. Bennett as the 10th Chancellor of York University. The purpose of this award is to recognize a student’s commitment and excellence in the study of Canadian Literature to Master’s of Arts candidates. Eligible applicants must be incoming Master’s of Arts students with financial need. This annual bursary is valued at $500.

The Kent Haworth Fellowship
This award is proffered annually to a doctoral student from any discipline from anywhere in the world who intends to use the archival holdings of York University in their research. The deadline to apply is September 15. Click here for further application information.

The CCCJ- John Lockwood Memorial Award
The CCCJ- John Lockwood Memorial Award, which is valued biannually at $3,750, is to be given to a graduate student who is focusing her or his studies on issues related to cultural diversity or crosscultural understanding in Canada. Among other things, the student’s research may focus on prejudice in Canadian society and/or proposals for its elimination. Nominations must be received by April 1st, each year, in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, 283 York Lanes.

Mariano A. Elia Scholarship
The Mariano A. Elia Chair in Italian-Canadian Studies offers annually three $1,000 awards to students whose research contributes to our understanding of the Italian-Canadian (or related) experience. These scholarships may be applied for by graduate students currently pursuing a degree in any program. The deadline date is in early February.

John Gellner Graduate Scholarship in Strategic Studies
The Centre for International & Security Studies offers the above scholarship to a student entering a master’s program at York University, who will be working in an area related to strategic studies. The award is valued up to $10,000 and the deadline for submission is March 1st.

David Hunter Jorgensen Memorial Award
David Hunter Jorgensen was a graduate of the master’s program in English at York University and a member of the Doctoral program. His family has established this award in his honour valued at $5,000 biannually to candidates who at the time of taking up the award, will be enrolled in a master’s or Doctoral program at York University and who are physically disabled. The deadline date for completed applications is April 15th every other year.

David Leyton-Brown Award
This award will be offered annually to an entering graduate student at the masters or Doctoral level, with preference given to students specializing in international relations. The student will be judged, according to his/her academic excellence and financial need, by the Director and the Admissions Committee of the Graduate Program in Political Science. This award is valued at $1,200.

Susan Mann Dissertation Scholarships
These scholarships are awarded to encourage and assist outstanding students in their final year of doctoral study to concentrate exclusively on their dissertations. Candidates must be nominated by their graduate program and all nominations must be submitted by April 1st. The value of the award is a $15,000 stipend, $1,000 accountable research grant and $1,000 additional stipend payable upon successful defense.

Ambassador Gary J. Smith Award
Vice-President Smith is pleased to show his support for York University by establishing an award for an excellent master’s or Doctoral student in need whose area of specialization includes an international focus, preferably relative to Canadian foreign policy. Preference will be given to a Glendon College graduate studying in this area. The value of this annual award is $1,750 and the deadline date for receipt of applications is mid-January.

W. Lawrence Heisey Award
The W. Lawrence Heisey Graduate Awards in Fine Arts recognize outstanding ability and achievement in scholarly and/or creative work. Five awards valued at $3,000 each are given annually to students entering their second or higher year of study in any Fine Arts graduate program. Eligibility criteria include financial need, Ontario residency and Canadian citizenship or permanent residence status. The Awards were established by W. Lawrence Heisey, Chairman Emeritus of Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. and a long-serving member of York University’s Board of Governors.

Zdenka Volavka Research Fellowship
The goal of this award is to stimulate and support the study of art history of the indigenous people of Africa and North America through fieldwork and to provide opportunities for comparative study through field activities and related collections research. The annual award of $6,000 has an application deadline of April 15th.