With the support of the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES), the Autism Scholars Award Program 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 of child autism, and its translation into health care for children, more effective services for children with autism, and increase the province’s capacity for diagnosis and assessment of autism and a strengthened treatment system.

The Burstow Scholarship for Studies in Activism from the Margins was established with the support of Professor Bonnie Burstow and other donors. This scholarship is awarded based on academic merit to registered graduate students working on a thesis focused on activism by populations traditionally thought of as mad, or which would once have been so conceptualized.

The C. David Naylor University Fellowships, funded by the late Arthur Irving and his wife, Sandra Irving, at the University of Toronto were established to support outstanding scholars who are active in community service and commencing the first year of a graduate degree program. 

Created by Arthur and Sandra Irving through the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation, this program honours the University of Toronto’s 15th president, Professor C. David Naylor. During his eight-year tenure, President Naylor worked to ensure the global success of the University. As he elevated its academic quality, he brought greater awareness to the country and the world of the University’s prominent faculty, students, alumni, and their many contributions.

As a Rhodes Scholar, world-class researcher and teacher, President Naylor epitomizes a distinct combination of academic excellence, leadership and commitment to our country’s continued growth through education. The fellowship bearing his name embodies this ideal.

Much like the man this fellowship is named after, The C. David Naylor University Fellowships focus on developing strong leaders who demonstrate leadership, academic excellence, and community commitment.

The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M) is a scholarship in the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS) administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The CRTAS supports outstanding graduate students in developing their research skills and provides the funding and flexibility needed to support their contributions to building world-class research capacity and to Canada’s prosperity and competitiveness.

The tri-agency allocates CGRS M awards to universities specifying the number of awards that each may offer to their students annually. CGRS M awards can only be offered to students pursing graduate studies at eligible Canadian universities. A CGRS M award is intended to be held at the institution where the offer of award originates.

The Canada Research Training Awards Suite – Research Travel Supplements (CRTAS-RTS) provide additional funding to active master’s and doctoral award holders to help offset the costs of undertaking research travel within Canada or outside Canada for a defined period.

The CRTAS is administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), NSERC and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and aims to support the next generation of innovators by providing funding and high-quality research training, cultivating research skills, fostering creativity and empowering awardees to make significant contributions to Canada’s research ecosystem, economy and prosperity.

A total of 250 awards are available Canada-wide each year. The current distribution of supplements among the three agencies is: 125 for SSHRC, 80 for NSERC, and 45 for CIHR.​

Note: CRTAS-RTS has replaced the former Michael Smith Study Supplements (CGS-MSFSS).

The COLFULTURO joint Graduate Loan-Scholarship program aims to foster cooperation and enhance the links between institutions by providing shared financing for talented Colombian students admitted to graduate degree programs at the University of Toronto. 

The mission of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is to promote the professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. The World Fellowship Fund was established to provide opportunities for international women to pursue graduate studies in Canada and the United States.

The Office of the Governor General annually awards Gold Academic Medals to students who achieve the highest academic standing at the graduate level. The assessment of highest academic standing includes an examination of the following:

• Academic performance in degree courses (first class average);
• Evaluation of the thesis and the thesis defense; and
• Originality and significance of the research.

Three (3) gold medals are available at the University of Toronto.

One medal will be awarded to a candidate from Division I or II; one medal will be awarded to a candidate from Division III or IV; the third medal will be awarded to an outstanding candidate from any division.  The recipients will receive a Gold Academic Medal and personalized certificate signed by the Governor General of Canada

REMINDER: All nominees for the GG Gold Medals will automatically be assessed for eligibility by the Graduate Awards Office, with recipients/nominees also being selected by the SGS Awards Committee for the following awards:

• Chorafas Prize – two awards of $10,000 USD to graduating doctoral students, age 32 or under, whose research benefits humanity in the following areas: Life Sciences & Medicine, Physics, Chemistry (incl. nanotechnology), Mathematics, Informatics/Computer Science, and Engineering of Finance & Risk Management. The Chorafas Foundation confirms eligibility of the University’s selected nominees and issues the awards each year.
• CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards – two nominees to the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) for two $2,000 prizes for doctoral dissertations that represent original work and make an unusually significant contribution to the fields of mathematics, physical sciences and engineering (1 nominee), and social sciences (1 nominee). Fields of study awarded rotate every other year. 
• NAGS Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Awards – two nominees to Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools (NAGS) for $1,000 prize for outstanding master’s thesis (Social Sciences & Education for Jan. 2027 submission to NAGS) and a doctoral dissertation (Physical Sciences, Mathematics, & Engineering fields for Jan. 2027 submission to NAGS). Fields of study awarded rotate every year, with any discipline category recurring every fifth year within its degree level.

The University of Toronto has established the Iranian Student Memorial Scholarship Fund in honour of those who lost their lives in the crash of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight PS752, including eight members of the University of Toronto community. This endowed fund will provide needs-based awards to international undergraduate and graduate students from Iran who have been admitted to the U of T or students from any background studying Iranian studies at the U of T. The first of these needs-based awards were awarded in the Spring of 2020 for students studying at the U of T in the 2020-21 academic year.

The Mackenzie King Scholarships were established as an independent trust under the will of the late Rt. Hon. William Mackenzie King (1874-1950). Two types of Mackenzie King Scholarships were established to support graduates of Canadian universities who are pursuing graduate studies. U of T is permitted to nominate two (2) candidates from each category to the national competition.

The Travelling Scholarship is awarded to applicants who have a degree from a Canadian university and are pursuing graduate studies in the areas of international or industrial relations within the United States or the United Kingdom. The Mackenzie King Board receives about 25-30 nominations annually for four scholarships, each of approximately $15,000 (number of recipients and value are subject to change).

The Open Scholarship is awarded to an applicant who has a degree from a Canadian university and is pursuing graduate studies in any discipline, within Canada or elsewhere. The Mackenzie King Board receives approximately 80-90 nominations annually from all universities to award one scholarship of approximately $13,000 (value is subject to change).

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) program encourages excellence in graduate studies at publicly-assisted universities in Ontario. Since 1975, the OGS program has been providing merit-based scholarships to Ontario’s best graduate students in all disciplines of academic study. The scholarship program at U of T is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and the University of Toronto. The Province allocates OGS awards to universities specifying the number of awards that each may offer to their students annually.

The Ontario Women’s Health Scholars Award Program aims to establish a research community that meets or exceeds internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence in its creation of new knowledge about women’s health and its translation into improved health for women, more effective health services and products for women, and a strengthened health care system.

The Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII‐GSST) program is designed to encourage excellence in graduate studies in science and technology. The program is supported through funds provided by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and funds raised by the University of Toronto from the private sector.

Established with initial funding from the Donner Canadian Foundation, the School of Graduate Studies and Massey College provide this Fellowship, on an annual basis, as an established mechanism through which the University of Toronto is able to support eligible U of T graduate students who meet the criteria listed below. The Fellowship offers financial support for academic endeavours and the opportunity to participate in the Massey College community.

Please note that the SGS Scholars-at-Risk Fellowship is separate from the Scholars and Students at Risk Award Program administered by the University Registrar’s Office (URO).  Students should apply to only one of these opportunities per academic year; either the SGS Scholars-at-Risk Fellowship OR the URO’s Scholars and Students at Risk Award Program.

The SGS Accessibility Grant supports significant educational expenses not normally covered by the student, the graduate unit, provincial, or federal agencies. We recognize that each student’s situation is unique and funding will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The grant was established to assist with accommodations necessary to meet unexpected needs arising from the particular demands of the graduate program.

The School of Graduate Studies is pleased to provide funding for bursaries, developed in collaboration with Massey College, which is a graduate students’ residential community affiliated with, but independent from, the University of Toronto. Designed for Black Canadian, Indigenous, and International graduate students, these bursaries create opportunities that can provide academic and personal enrichment for high-achieving candidates who would not be able to afford the Resident or Non-Resident fees associated with the Junior Fellowship.

In joining Massey College, recipients will be welcomed into a community of scholars and professionals from across Canada and around the world.

Please review Massey College’s Junior Fellows webpage for more information.

The SGS Conference Grant provides financial support to encourage eligible students to actively present their research at an academic conference during the course of their graduate studies. The grant will provide successful applicants with funds sufficient to cover the applicant’s minimum registration fee for the proposed conference. Students may apply for an SGS Conference Grant to support conference presentations occurring – either virtually or in-person.

Graduate students are expected to begin their studies with a solid financial plan in place. The SGS Emergency Grant provides short-term financial relief when those plans are disrupted and a student is facing an immediate and unexpected financial crisis during their program. The grant is not intended to cover shortfalls in OSAP, other financial aid, graduate funding, or personal resources.

As a first step, students should contact their Faculty Registrar’s Office or Graduate Unit to discuss their financial situation and explore available options.

The SGS Emergency Loan alleviates temporary cash flow problems for students who are expecting the release of funds in the near future (i.e., from 30 to 120 days) from a major award instalment (internal or external), OSAP (Ontario Students’ Assistance Program), teaching assistantship, research assistantship payment or other university fund source. Students will be asked to acknowledge and agree that the amount loaned to them is for the purpose of providing funds to assist in paying and/or maintenance of expenses while attending the University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies.

The SGS Indigenous Graduate Travel Award provides financial assistance to University of Toronto Indigenous graduate students to travel and participate in educational and experiential learning in Canada or abroad in activities specifically focused on Indigenous student or educational issues. Possible activities include Indigenous-focused events, workshops, meetings, field trips, competitions, and other educational-related activities, online or in-person, approved by the Supporting Aboriginal Graduate Enhancement group (SAGE) and First Nations House at the University of Toronto.

Ten (10) awards of up to $1,000 each, will be available annually, and applications will be considered on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Amounts are based on the recommendation of the S.A.G.E. Award committee, in conjunction with the Centre for Indigenous Studies.  ​

The SGS Sponsorship Fund supports initiatives designed, led, and attended by graduate students and / or postdoctoral fellows at U of T that contribute to the SGS mission of:

• Working collaboratively to advance excellence and innovation in graduate research and education
• Fostering an outstanding graduate experience for our diverse student population
• Creating and promoting opportunities for graduate student and postdoctoral fellow professional development
• Advancing integrity and ethical conduct in graduate research and education

Following the publication of the Report of the Working Group on Civil Discourse, SGS encourages initiatives that foster respectful dialogue, critical thinking, and inclusive engagement across the graduate community. Examples of programming can include but are not limited to: dialogue-based workshops and events, peer-led discussion groups, speaker series and panels and / or training and skill-building programs.

With an aim to foster the health and wellness of graduate students, the SGS Summer Gym Bursary offers students a reimbursement for up to 100% of their campus summer athletic membership or program fees.

The SGS Summer Gym Bursary is open to registered professional and research stream graduate students who purchase memberships at a participating St. George Campus facility. These include Hart House Fitness Centre and Sport & Recreation athletic facilities (which include the Athletic Centre, Goldring Centre, Varsity Centre, and Back Campus Fields).

With the SGS Summer Gym Bursary, students will receive a maximum reimbursement of $145.00 (plus HST) to apply towards the cost of their purchase to access either in-person or on-line programs through a campus athletic facility.

 

UTM and UTSC Facilities: 

Graduate students are eligible for bursaries and rebates to support the purchase of on-campus summer gym memberships at the following facilities:

UTSC Graduate Student Gym Rebate supports graduate students with the cost of purchasing a summer gym membership at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre Athletic Centre (TPASC).

UTM Graduate Student Summer Gym Bursary supports graduate students with the cost of purchasing a summer gym membership at the Recreation, Athletics & Wellness Centre (RAWC). 

The Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada (SWAAC) organization was founded in 1987 to provide a forum and a collective voice for women in senior administrative ranks in Canadian universities, colleges and technical institutes.

For 2027, five awards of $4,000 each will be offered across Ontario to women graduate students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the university or general community while maintaining exemplary academic records. U of T is permitted to forward one nominee to the regional competition.

The School of Graduate Studies offers between 15 to 20 awards annually through its University-Wide Awards (UWA) competition. Awards vary in terms of the specific eligibility criteria (merit, financial need, student citizenship, area of research, etc.). Accordingly, applicants are encouraged to review the award-specific criteria outlined within each award description, to ensure they are eligible before submitting their application. Refer to the University-Wide Awards: Award Details and Eligibility web page.