Graduate Student Funding Policy

La version française de la politique d'aide financière sera mise à jour sous peu.

Given the unique nature of the graduate programs offered at the School of Population and Global Health, we developed a funding policy for students enrolled in our graduate programs.

MSc (Thesis) students 

The financial resources of the School do not permit guaranteed minimum funding for MSc-Thesis students. The available options for funding depend on the year of study and funding sources.

It is not necessary to identify a supervisor prior to applying for admission or initiating your MSc-Thesis program. However, funding support is often possible if the student identifies a supervisor who has grants or other funds that can be used to support students whose thesis research topic aligns with the focus of their funding sources. Therefore, students are encouraged to identify a supervisor who has funds available for students prior to the start of their studies. The School recommends that this type of funding support meet a minimum threshold of $22,500 per year, but the exact funding amount and duration are up to the supervisor’s discretion. Funding from a supervisor is usually available after the successful completion of all of the required coursework.

MSc-Thesis students may also apply for a range of internal and external awards to support their graduate studies. Students may also apply to external awards in the year prior to the start of their studies to secure funding from their first year or in the first year of their studies to secure funding for the second year. The most common awards for MSc-Thesis students in the School are the FRQS Master’s award and the CIHR Master’s award (CGS-M). Note that external awards cannot be extended beyond the second year of funding, but the School recommends supervisors continue to fund students to the recommended $22,500 annual minimum threshold.

The School actively supports students to secure funding sources, including scholarships and paid work such as research or teaching assistantships. If students are unable to obtain funding through their supervisors and do not receive an external award, the School works to ensure funding for students after completion of two semesters of coursework. However, this funding is not guaranteed, as the number of students in this circumstance varies from year to year, as do the financial resources of the School.

MSc (Non-Thesis) students   

The financial resources of the School do not permit guaranteed minimum financing. The School actively supports students to secure funding including scholarships and paid work such as research or teaching assistantships. The McGill Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies website has a comprehensive page of funding opportunities for master’s students.

MScPH students   

The financial resources of the School do not permit guaranteed minimum financing. MScPH students are eligible for some of the fellowships listed on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website for Master’s non-thesis students. MSc students can also apply for practicum-related funding, such as the Global Mobility Award offered through Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Global Health Programs likewise offers a travel award called the Global Health Scholars for Graduates, for students going abroad to do a practicum in a Lower Middle Income Country. In addition to internal funding, there are external funding opportunities such as MITACS to help cover the cost of tuition and living expenses. Students are expected to apply for any funding for which they are eligible.

Ph.D. students

The School aims to ensure excellent doctoral students can pursue higher education in its Ph.D. programs. For this purpose, the SPGH provides a guaranteed minimum funding threshold as indicated in the table below to support doctoral studies. 

*The SPGH has a limited number of Differential Fee Waivers available.  These Waivers, which offset the difference in tuition between international and Canadian citizens/permanent residents, are provided to students (in addition to the funding listed above) as available.

Doctoral students are required to seek funding to support themselves during their studies through McGill and external academic sources, such as scholarships, awards, stipends, and teaching and research assistantships. Student awards, funding, and employment opportunities are posted on the SGPH website. 

To maintain eligibility for minimum funding, Ph.D. students must: 

• Be studying full-time, as defined by McGill Graduate Student policies. 
• Be in academic years 1-4 of the Ph.D. program; 
• Maintain good academic standing according to EBOH annual progress assessment;
• Apply for external awards for which they are eligible.

Sources of Funding 

Every student’s funding situation may look different because the minimum funding threshold is derived from many sources and may include (but is not limited to) any one or combination of the following: 

• External competitive awards (e.g., CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC, FRQ, or any other major grants/scholarships/fellowships) 
• McGill, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, or Department awards
• Research institute scholarships 
• Research or Training Stipend (T4A income) 
• Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant income (T4 income) 

The funding sources may vary from year to year throughout the student’s progress through the program.The School will review this policy on an annual basis and update it accordingly.