Paying for grad school

The topic of financing your graduate education is important. Not being able to make ends meet and cover the costs associated with your education can be stressful.

Throughout our conversations with graduate students, we are often struck by two themes regarding funding:

• Students are sometimes not aware of the financial resources required to fund their graduate education.
• Students are largely unaware of scholarship and funding opportunities.

Be Aware of the Cost of Grad School

No matter what type of graduate program you wish to pursue, you should be well informed regarding the cost of graduate studies before making your decision to enrol in a graduate degree program. Be sure to view our tuition and fees pages and estimate the cost of living in the city in which the Laurier campus you are attending is located. 

In order to help graduate students manage the cost of their program, Laurier provides graduate students with a unique tuition payment option designed to help alleviate the financial pressures of pursuing graduate studies. Students can apply each term to enrol in the Graduate Student Tuition Payment Plan Program.  The plan allows students to pay their tuition fees in three (3) equal instalments throughout the term rather than paying tuition fees in one payment at the start of the term.

Financial support is available to students enrolled in full-time graduate studies at Laurier. If you're a domestic student, enrolled in a full-time research-intensive program, we guarantee competitive funding to help with the cost of your graduate studies. For students applying to professional programs, funding opportunities also exist, and you should consult the program’s graduate coordinator.

Apply for Major Competitive Scholarships

Governments and universities offer the opportunity for prospective and current graduate students to compete in scholarship competitions to help students finance their education and living expenses, to help students develop research skills, and to assist in the training of highly qualified personnel.

Normally, a first-class average (A-/80%) is required, and depending on your program, you could be eligible to compete for $15,000-$35,000/year of scholarship support. Applying to these opportunities may make your application to a graduate program more competitive. More importantly, winning any of these scholarship competitions will help fund your graduate education (it also looks great on a CV!).

Some of our major scholarship competitions are below. We encourage you to learn more about the scholarships for which you may be eligible.

Be sure to apply. Don’t leave money on the table!

Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)

The OGS program is jointly funded by the Province of Ontario and Ontario universities. OGS awards are merit-based scholarships available to domestic and international graduate students in most disciplines of academic study (all research-intensive and some professional graduate programs are eligible).

An OGS is valued at a maximum of $15,000.

Tri-Agency Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s (CGSM)

The objective of the CGSM program is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting graduate students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement from undergraduate degrees and early graduate studies. 

CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC CGS M scholarships are valued at $17,500 for 12 months.

Tri-Agency Doctoral

• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC): The SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships (SSHRC DF) and Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS D) aim to develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of scholarly achievement in undergraduate and graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities. Valued at $20,000 (SSHRC DF) to $35,000 (CGS D) per year up to 36-48 months.
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC): The Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships-Doctoral Program (CGS D) and NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships-Doctoral Program (PGS D) provide financial support to high-calibre scholars who are engaged in a doctoral program in the natural sciences or engineering. Valued at $21,000 (PGS D) to $35,000 (CGS D) per year up to 36 months.
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): The Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships Doctoral Awards (CGS D) Program provides financial support for high-quality health research training experience to awardees. Valued at $35,000 (CGS D) per year up to 36 months.