PhD Funding


The Faculty covers tuition and fees for all students, domestic and international, for the first five years of the program. In addition, a typical student receives a minimum base funding of $18,500 for 4 years, which comes in the form of a Teaching Assistantship (TAship) and Faculty scholarship. In some cases, faculty members use grants to fund a student’s base funding, including tuition and fees, which can exceed the minimum funding. If a student receives a SSHRC or NSERC Doctoral Fellowship of $15,000 or greater, the Faculty provides an additional $5,000 excellence award (for a total of $20,000) in the first four years of the program, which replaces the normal minimum funding allocation. In all cases, students build on their base funding by receiving Research Assistantships (RAships), external grants, awards, scholarships, fellowships, and additional TAships from any unit across campus. These do not affect a student’s base funding package. 

The Faculty pays tuition and fees in the 5th year for all students in good standing. Any student who previously accepted a TAship is guaranteed a TAship in their 5th year and subsequent years. The Faculty does not provide a scholarship in the 5th year. However, students can apply for a one-time dissertation completion award in their final year of the program. As in previous years, students can receive additional external grants, awards, scholarships, fellowships, RAships, and additional TAships from any unit across campus.

General Terms and Conditions

In order to be considered for funding, all PhD students must:

  • Be registered full-time and maintain good academic standing in the Faculty of Information during the academic period for which funding is granted.
  • Apply to available teaching assistant and research assistantship positions within the Faculty of Information and other units at the University of Toronto.
  • Apply for external student funding each year. Common external funding sources include competitive scholarships such as SSHRC and OGS.
  • Abide by all the terms and conditions of any awards received.

The Faculty of Information follows the policy for maximum acceptable time spent on employment as defined by the Council of Ontario Universities:

Full-time graduate students are expected to pursue their graduate degree on a full-time basis and make satisfactory progress toward timely completion of all program requirements. It is not possible, or desirable, for the university to monitor and enforce the employment activities of its graduate students outside the university. However, it is both possible and desirable for the university to ensure that it does not itself create a structural situation that jeopardizes the ability of the graduate student to make full-time progress towards the completion of graduate program requirements. Accordingly, OCGS is committed to the principle that full-time graduate students are employed no more than an average of 10 hours per week on campus.

Eligibility

The funding package is available to all students who:

  • Are registered as full-time PhD students. The funding package is not available to those enrolled in the flex-time program;
  • Are in good academic standing;
  • Are in years 1–4 of the PhD program. Determination of year of study is defined by the University of Toronto record which reflects any officially documented leaves of absence.
  • Do not have a major scholarship (e.g., SSHRC, OGS, MITACS, NSERC);
  • Are, apart from approved absence, geographically available to visit the campus regularly;
  • Apply to Teaching Assistant job postings. If no TA applications are submitted students will not be eligible to receive this portion of the funding package;
  • Accept offered TA subsequent appointments as governed by the CUPE3902 Collective Agreement. Participation in Teaching and Research Assistantships is optional but failure to participate will void this aspect of the funding package.

Funding Scenario 1:  Funding for doctoral students who hold major external awards (e.g. SSHRC and NSERC) of $15,000 or greater:

  • Years 1 – 4:  Faculty Covers Tuition & Fee’s and provides a $5000  Faculty Excellence Award
  • Year 5:  Faculty Covers Tuition & Fee’s,  plus TAships as part of Faculty held CUPE Subsequent Appointments

Funding Scenario 2:  Funding for doctoral students who do not hold major external awards (e.g. SSHRC and NSERC) of $15,000 or greater:

  • Years 1 – 4:  Faculty Covers Tuition & Fee’s,  a Faculty Scholarship in the amount of $11,700 and a guaranteed work allocation in the form of TAships for a value of $6800
  • Year 5:  Faculty Covers Tuition & Fee’s,  plus TAships as part of Faculty held CUPE Subsequent Appointments

Funding by Cohort

  • Students Entering in September 2022

  • Students Entering in September 2021

  • Students Entering in September 2020

  • Students Entering in September 2019

  • Students Entering in September 2018

  • Students Entering in September 2017

  • Students Entered in September 2016

  • Students Entered in September 2015

  • Students Entered in September 2014

  • Students Entered in September 2013

  • Students Entered in September 2011 or September 2012

  • Students Entered in September 2009 or September 2010

  • Funding for doctoral students who hold major external awards