FHS Graduate Student Funding Policy

Effective July 1, 2020

For doctoral students whose guaranteed funding is provided by the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), Western guarantees a minimum annual funding amount, from all sources, of $13,000 plus tuition (currently $6,360) for a total of $19,360. Funding for master's students is managed at the graduate program level.

Effective July 1, 2020 FHS will make the base rate of a full 140-Hour Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) position a core component of all annual funding packages. Should a graduate student turn down the offer of a GTA position, they are then turning down that portion of their funding package.

  • A full (140-hour) GTA position is currently $6,672.85, inclusive of vacation pay
  • Any Western employment income (e.g., GTA) requires a valid study permit and Canadian Social Insurance Number
  • External scholarships referenced below pertain to any scholarships of $10,000 or greater per academic year

FHS Funding: Doctoral Students

Doctoral students are eligible to receive:

  • The total amount of guaranteed funding which includes:
    • A contribution from the student's Supervisor; and,
    • The amount of a full (140-hour) GTA position;
      • Should a doctoral student turn down the offer of the GTA position, the annual funding amount will be lowered accordingly
  • Applicable to:
    • All new and continuing doctoral students

Doctoral students who hold an external scholarship are eligible to receive:

  • Their external scholarship amount
  • The Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Student Funding Support of $5,000
  • The amount of a full (140-hour) GTA position;
    • Should a doctoral student turn down the offer of the GTA position, the annual funding amount will be lowered accordingly
  • Applicable to:
    • New doctoral students admitted September 1, 2020
    • Continuing doctoral students with new external scholarships (activated May 1, 2020 or later)
  • Exemption:
    • Doctoral students that hold a multi-year external scholarship that was activated prior to May 1, 2020

FHS Funding: Master's Students

Master's students are eligible to receive:

  • The amount of a full (140-hour) GTA position or the value of domestic tuition, whichever is greater
    • Should a master's student turn down the offer of a GTA position, the annual funding amount will be lowered accordingly
  • Applicable to:
    • All new and continuing master's students

Master's students who hold an external scholarship are eligible to receive:

  • Their external scholarship amount
  • The Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Student Funding Support of $2,500
  • The amount of a full (140-hour) GTA position;
    • Should a master's student turn down the offer of the GTA position, the annual funding amount will be lowered accordingly
  • Applicable to:
    • All new and continuing master's students with new external scholarships (activated May 1, 2020 or later)
  • Exemption:
    • Master's students that hold a multi-year external scholarship that was activated prior to May 1, 2020

Additional Notes

  • Master's and doctoral students may still be eligible to receive additional funding support directly from their supervisor at the supervisor’s discretion
  • The Dean's matching funds for master's students, up to a maximum of $1,500, is available for master's students with or without external scholarship funding