Scholarships and Awards

To be considered for an entrance scholarship, applicants must submit the full application package for admission into the academic program by the individual program's application deadline or the entrance scholarship deadline, whichever is earlier.

At the time of admission both Canadian and International full-time applicants to research-based programs with an admission average of at least 80% (or equivalent) will be considered for entrance scholarships upon the recommendation of their program.

FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES - ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIPS
ENTRANCE AWARD*	TOTAL VALUE	PAYMENT TERMS
Doctoral Entrance Award	$ 30,000	$2,500 X 12 Terms
Master’s Research Entrance Award	$   7,500	$2,500 X   3 Terms

*Students in the following programs are not eligible for funding:

• Master of Actuarial Science
• Master of Applied Computing
• Master of Applied Economics and Policy
• Master of Arts – Criminology (Coursework)
• Master of Arts – English (Coursework)
• Master of Arts – Philosophy (Coursework)
• Master of Arts – Sociology (Coursework)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA,MBA/JD)
• Master of Economics
• Master of Education (Online, Coursework)
• Master of Engineering
• Master of Engineering Management (Online and In-person)
• Master of Management
• Master of Materials Chemistry and Engineering
• Master of Medical Biotechnology
• Master of Science – Physics (Coursework)
• Master of Science - Nursing (Coursework, Nurse Practitioner)
• Master of Social Work (MSW, MSW/JD)
• Master of Social Work for Working Professionals
• Master of Sport Management and Leadership (Internship)

Conditions of Entrance Award 

• This scholarship will be available for the stipulated number of terms, provided the cumulative average of 80% or better is maintained.
• Must be continuously registered as a full-time student in the program to which you were offered scholarship.
• Must register by the posted late registration deadline in each term or forfeit this scholarship and a term of eligibility.
• Must maintain satisfactory academic progress as confirmed annually by your supervisor and by the Graduate Coordinator of your academic program.
• If you are a recipient of any the following scholarships, you may not hold an Entrance Scholarship concurrently: Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS); Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST)
• In order for your scholarship to be paid to student account, ensure that the University has a record of your Social Insurance Number as this information is required in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency regulations.

Acceptance of Entrance Scholarship Offer

• Acceptance of admission offer and the first registration in the graduate program will signify acceptance of the conditions of this award.

Scholarship Deferral Policy

• Deferral of admission may result in a change to financial support.

Scholarship Payment Procedures

• Payments of the award are made automatically to your student account at the beginning of each term, if you are registered for that term.
• The student’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) must be entered on the UWinsite Student Homepage > Profile > Personal Details > Add SIN, for tax reporting purposes.
• Subject to the conditions specified within this document, awards will be credited one semester at a time. The scholarship will appear on the UWinsite Student Homepage > Financial Account > Payment History as “Anticipated Aid” before the ensuing term fee deadline date (August 15 for Fall; December 15 for Winter; May 15 for Summer).
• Scholarship payments are made directly to the student account the first week of the month in each start term (eg. May, September, January).
• In cases where payment of funds results in a credit balance on the student’s tuition/financial account, a refund can be requested after the first day of classes by logging on to UWinsite Student Homepage > Financial Account > Account Services > Online Refund Request
• In cases where a rescinded award results in a balance owing to the University, the student must promptly make payment to ensure that their tuition account remains in good standing.
• Ontario Student Assistance Application (OSAP) (available to Canadian and Ontario Residents only) – Process for Declaring Awards - Students applying for government student aid funding through the Ontario Student Assistance Program, are NOT required to report the expected value of their graduate entrance scholarship(s).  The University of Windsor will report all entrance awards (both UWindsor and External scholarships) that are paid through the student’s account at the University of Windsor to OSAP on the student’s behalf by mid-August.  Students must self-report on the OSAP application, any external scholarships paid directly to the student that are not sent to the University of Windsor for processing.  Scholarships and awards may reduce a student’s OSAP entitlement once they are reported. If you have any questions regarding OSAP please email award1@uwindsor.ca. 

Additional support

• For additional information regarding other award and financial aid opportunities, please visit: https://www.uwindsor.ca/graduate-studies/
• Apply for additional awards starting August 1st by logging on to UWinsite Student > Student Homepage > Award Profile.
• If you have any questions regarding your scholarship offer, please email gradaward@uwindsor.ca
• International students may also be eligible for scholarship and bursary support through programs based in or administered through their home country. We recommend that international students investigate potential sources of support prior to making an application to graduate school, noting that, in Ontario, tuition costs for international students are higher than those for Canadians and Canadian permanent residents (landed immigrants). 

 

Recipients of awards from CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC will automatically be offered a University of Windsor entrance scholarship for the duration of the tri-agency award provided the student is registered for the term.  This does not apply to paid parental leaves or other additional tri-agency award extensions.

---

Eligibility:

Current graduate students and new applicants who hold the following awards:

NSERC - national postgraduate scholarship competitions only (excluding Vanier scholarships)

SSHRC - national postgraduate scholarship competitions only (excluding Vanier scholarships)

CIHR - Master's or Doctoral Research Award - national scholarship competitions only (excluding Vanier scholarships)

Conference travel support fund - application form

Funds are available to full-time graduate students who have made presentations of their research at an academic conference.  The amount of each reimbursement will not exceed $500.00 CDN for travel within North America, $750.00 CDN for travel outside of North America, and $500.00 CND for virtual conferences.

---

Eligibility:

1. Must show written proof that the presentation/poster was accepted by the conference organizers.
2. Must have presented at the conference and must submit a completed Conference Travel Support Fund application to the Graduate Studies within 30 days of travel.
3. Must be a full-time registered student at the time of the presentation at the conference.
4. Master’s students are eligible for a maximum of one (1) reimbursement within the first 6 terms of registration.
5. Doctoral students are eligible for a maximum of two (2) reimbursements within the first 12 terms of registration.

*note: if you received support under the previous Conference Travel fund program (pre-2014) it will be counted towards the allowances outlined in 4. and 5. above

Instructions:

Student submits the following documents to Graduate Studies (gradaward@uwindsor.ca):

• Completed Application for Graduate Student Conference Travel Support Fund, signed by the student, advisor, and graduate coordinator (or department head)
• Written proof of invitation or acceptance from the conference organizers
• Copy of the final conference program (only the cover and pages containing the student name are required)
• Signed Conference Travel Support Fund Expense Form
• Original receipts
• Boarding passes, or a copy of the mobile boarding pass

Claimable Expenses:

1. Transportation:  Actual costs incurred (not mileage). These must not exceed economy airfare.
2. Accommodation:  Room only; meals and beverages are not covered.
3. Registration fees:  Separate costs of conference dinners or party events are not covered.

Reimbursement:

• The travel expenses will be reimbursed directly to the student account, or in the case where the student received advanced funding from their research advisor, back to a research grant account. If funds are being reimbursed to a research grant indicate the 30-digit research grant number.
• Please note that we no longer issue cheques for reimbursements.

Donor-sponsored awards are available to graduate students in various disciplines who meet the award eligibility requirements. The call for applications for these awards is announced in August each year under the "Grad News" section of this website.

Note that students in the following programs are not eligible:  MAC, MActSc, MAEP, MEng, MMB, MoM, MSW for Working Professionals. Students can access the UWinAward application by logging into UWinsite Student > Student Homepage > Award Profile. The following is a link to resources that will assist students with completing the application/profile.

To view available list of awards refer to: https://www.uwindsor.ca/studentawards/awards-search

Each link below will redirect you to the scholarship offerings of the pertinent department - contact individual departments for more information:

Biological Sciences (see also School of the Environment/Integrative Biology)

Business Administration

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Communication, Media, and Film

Education

Engineering (all Engineering departments) 

Additional engineering scholarships by department:

• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Mechanical, Materials, and Automotive Engineering

English

Environmental Science

Human Kinetics

Law

Mathematics and Statistics

Nursing

Physics

Political Science

Psychology

School of the Environment/Integrative Biology

Science

Visual Art

Sociology and Criminology

Social Work

In order to receive your scholarship for the term, you must be registered for that term, and you must meet the eligibility requirements of the scholarship outlined in your award letter.

Scholarship amounts will be automatically credited to your student account within the first two weeks of the term.

Monitor your account balance and when the refund credit is visible you may request a refund by following the instructions below:

1. Log in to UWinsite – Student
2. Click on ‘Financial Account’ tile
3. Click on ‘Account Services’
4. Click on ‘Online Refund Request’
5. Follow the instructions.

If you have any questions, please contact the Graduate Studies Office at gradaward@uwindsor.ca.

Research assistantships may be available to graduate students studying in research-based graduate programs. Please speak to your supervisor or department about opportunities.

Beginning in the first term of 2025/2026 academic year (Summer 2025), all new, incoming full-time PhD students will receive an offer that outlines a minimum funding guarantee - review details.

NSERC scholarships are open to students in the fields of natural sciences and engineering, and in some areas of psychology and kinesiology. At the time of application, an applicant must be either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. They are available to both Doctoral and Master’s students.

• Doctoral:  Two types of scholarships are available - NSERC postgraduate scholarships (PGS) and Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS). The value of each is $40,000 a year (for up to three years).  Students submit one application to be considered for both scholarships. Further information may be obtained from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, or from the competition webpage.
• Master’s:  The Canada Gradate Scholarship (Master’s) is a one-year award valued at $27,000.  Students submit their application on-line to NSERC by the deadline of December 1.  Further details are available from the Graduate Studies Office or  from the competition webpage.

SSHRC scholarships are intended to support the acquisition of research skills and to assist in the training of highly qualified personnel. Candidates must demonstrate a high standard of academic achievement in undergraduate and graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.  They are available to both Doctoral and Master’s students.

• Doctoral: Both Doctoral Fellowships and Canada Graduate Scholarships are available. Doctoral Fellowships are valued at $40,000 per year from one to three years, and CGS are valued at $40,000 a year for 3 years. Students submit one application to be considered for both scholarships.  Further information may be obtained from the Faculty of Graduate Studies or from the competition webpage.
• Master’s: The Canada Gradate Scholarship (Master’s) is a one-year award valued at $27,000.  Students submit their application on-line by the deadline of December 1.  Further details are available from the Graduate Studies Office or  from the competition webpage.

 

CIHR strives to ensure a strong foundation of future health research leaders, and is committed to offering programs that increase the supply of highly-qualified research personnel.  Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.  They are available to both Doctoral and Master’s students.  These awards provide special recognition and support to students who are pursuing a doctoral degree in a health-related field in Canada or abroad.

• Doctoral:  Doctoral Award (CGS-D) and the CIHR Doctoral Foreign Study Awards (DFSA) are valued at $40,000 per year for up to three years. Students submit one application to be considered for both scholarships. Further details are available from the Faculty of Graduate Studies or from the competition webpage
• Master’s: The Canada Gradate Scholarship (Master’s) is a one-year award valued at $27,000.  Students submit their application on-line by the deadline of December 1.  Further details are available from the Graduate Studies Office or from the competition webpage.

 

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program was created to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and to establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health-related fields.

Institutions are provided with a yearly quota within a three year quota allotment. It is the most prestigious of the doctoral scholarships offered by the Federal Government. Scholarship recipients are selected by Canada’s three federal granting agencies: CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC.

The Vanier CGS is valued at $50,000 per year for up to three years and is open to both Canadian and international students.

Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit organization that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for more than 15 years.

Mitacs Accelerate

• Funding starts at $15,000 for research internships with industry or non-profit partners.
• Grad students and postdoctoral fellows can apply anytime.
• Applications are accepted any time.

Mitacs Elevate

• $50,000 annual grant for two-year postdoctoral fellowships with industry or non-profit partners. Fellows also receive research management training.
• The call for postdoc applications is issued twice a year, usually in September and January.

Mitacs Globalink

• Travel funding for research projects with international universities companies.
• Senior undergrad and grad students can apply anytime.

Mitacs Training

• Professional development courses facilitated by industry leaders.

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) programs encourage excellence in graduate studies at publicly-assisted universities in Ontario.  

• Students in all disciplines are eligible to apply for the OGS.
• Students in science, engineering and certain areas of kinesiology and psychology who apply for OGS will also automatically be considered for the QEII-GSST. 

The scholarship competitions are managed separately by each university. Details about the University of Windsor competition are available from the OGS / QEII-GSST competition webpage. The University of Windsor’s application deadline is normally in mid-January.

A list of each university's deadline can be found at the COU website.