Program Fees and Stipends

2025-2026 Student Base Funding

Stipends for students on program extension:
MSc - $35,658.36
PhD - $38,253.96

Most awards requiring student applications are eligible for a top-up from their supervisor.  For a list of Awards Eligible for Top-up, please visit the Graduate and Life Sciences website.

For additional information on awards available to MBP students, visit the Awards and Scholarships page.

The top-up amounts are as follows:

*Note:
a) Within an academic year (or 12 months period), the total cumulative top-up maximum is $5,000. That is, if a student holds an award of $25,000 and another award of $17,500, their total top-up is $5,000.

b) The top-up is only provided in amounts of $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, or $5,000 per year (does not exceed 12 months) and is added above the base funding amount.

c) A student who receives award(s) higher than $50,000 is not eligible for any top-up and can only retain the award(s) up to a maximum total of $50,000.

d) Payment of top-ups will occur annually for the duration of the award and the student will revert back to the appropriate base graduate student funding package amount thereafter.

e) Top-up eligibility excludes University of Toronto Fellowship (e.g., UTF Open), Doctoral Completion Awards, Temerty Faculty of Medicine Entrance Scholarship, GSS funds, travel awards, and bursaries.

f) Only a single top-up can be administered for awards that span over two academic years. For example, CIHR, QEII, and OGS that commence in May – April annually. We highly recommend commencing such awards in September where possible. Administering top-ups for such awards with a May start should commence as of September in the new academic year.

Students who receive funding from needs-based and merit awards, such as OSOTFs, are required to consider such funds as part of their base funding. See above for top up policy for such awards.

Non-repayable grants, such as the UTAPS and SGS Emergency Grant, which assist students with sudden and/or unexpected financial need, are not part of the base funding outlined above. A student under these circumstances is therefore eligible to retain the entire amount of such an award.

For research-stream graduate students in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the Leave of Absence Stipendiary Fund is available for an approved Leave of Absence (LOA) due to health issues (i.e. physical) and/or mental health challenges which temporarily impair a student’s functioning during his/her graduate studies. Funding is available up to $5,000 per student for one term on a one-time only basis.  Ideally, students must submit an application package (as described below) to the Office of the Vice Dean, Research and Health Science Education (OVDRHSE) in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine before the deadline below and prior to the start of their LOA.  Students who remain registered during the requested LOA will not receive LOA Stipendiary Funding. 

For students taking a LOA due to parental leave, the School of Graduate Studies provides funding through the SGS Parental Grant.  Please click here for more information. 

To apply for the LOA Stipendiary Fund, students will be asked to email the following package by the appropriate deadline to rachel.zulla@utoronto.ca

1. A completed LOA Stipendiary Fund Form signed by the student and Graduate Coordinator. Please note this is a fillable form and digital signatures can be inserted where applicable. If digital signatures are not possible, please leave blank and OVDRHSE will follow-up with your Graduate Coordinator. 
2. One page letter explaining the reason(s) for the LOA and how it has impaired your ability to function in your graduate program. Please address the letter to the LOA Stipendiary Fund Committee
3. A physician’s note, specifically outlining the physical and mental health issues that impair your functioning in your graduate program. Alternatively, you can also ask your physician to complete the Verification of Student Illness or Injury. This a standard University of Toronto form that has being adopted for the purpose of this fund; we will only accept forms signed by physicians. 
4. A completed Leave of Absence form. Please note that only Sections 1 and 2 must be completed. Please note this is a fillable form and digital signatures can be inserted where applicable. If digital signatures are not possible, please leave blank and OVDRHSE will follow-up with your Graduate Coordinator/Chair. Alternatively, we will also accepted a scanned copy (with signatures) of this form.

Please note this fund will not count towards a graduate student’s stipend package. This fund is not renewable and can only be received once. It is intended to provide one term financial support to the recipient who will NOT receive funding from scholarship(s) or award(s) during this Leave of Absence.

This funding is conditional upon confirmation of an approved Leave of Absence by your graduate unit and the School of Graduate Studies.

Deadlines

As of March 2023, applications can be submit at anytime throughout the academic year.  Application received within a given month, will be reviewed by the end of the month.  For example, a complete application received on April 15, 2025 will be seen by the LOA Stipendiary Adjudication Committee in the last week of April 2025.  Decisions will be communicated to the student two weeks thereafter. Questions and complete applications should be sent to Rachel Zulla, Faculty Graduate Affairs Officer, at rachel.zulla@utoronto.ca. 

For more information on this process, please visit the SGS website.

If you require information about Financial Aid available for Graduate students, please visit the SGS Financial Aid & Advising website.

Please visit the Student Accounts Website, for information regarding:

• Tuition and Fees
• Billing & Student Information
• Making Payments
• Payment Deadlines & Penalties
• Refunds
• Tax Information