Internal Awards for Research-Stream Students

The payment schedules for most internal awards, e.g., QEII-GSST, OSOTF and endowed awards, and University of Toronto Fellowships are normally September, late January and late May. Awards are generally paid to recipients in three equal instalments.

September instalments are directly refunded to you. Subsequent instalments are scheduled towards your student's account (tuition). If your account is already paid in full, then the instalment will either be sent directly to your mailing address or direct deposited into the your bank account.

Please note:

• Opting for payments to be directly deposited results in faster payment verses mailing. You can set up direct deposit in ACORN.
• You must be actively registered with an up-to-date mailing address recorded in ACORN before awards can be processed.
• Graduate Units are responsible for informing award recipients in writing with the value of the terms, conditions and award value.

The Playfair Entrance Scholarships, established in 2023, provides a mechanism to attract the highest quality domestic candidates to our graduate programs. These awards will be funded and administered by the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and are awarded directly to the winners, above and beyond the harmonized student’s stipend.

Value

• $5,000 - (September)

Eligibility

• These awards are only available to incoming domestic applicants of the highest caliber (top 2 - 5%) in the thesis-based MSc/PhD graduate programs at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Canadian citizens and landed immigrants).
• Demonstrated academic excellence; for undergraduates applying to a masters program or a direct entry PhD program, this means GPA ≥ 3.6 across all 3^rd and 4^th year undergraduate courses; for graduate students applying to a PhD program, this is defined as GPA ≥ 4.0 across all graduate courses. Departmental admissions committee members are resonsible for reviewing graduate application packages, (including transcripts, CVs, personal statements and reference letters) to assess each candidate’s eligibility for this prestigious award. A rigorous assessment and adjudication process must be used, as recommended by OVDRHSE.
• These awards are restricted September admission.
• Professional Masters students and those applying for the Master of Health Science programs are not eligible.
• An application is not required. 

The Research & Health Science Education Entrance Scholarship, established in 2022, provides a mechanism to attract the highest quality domestic candidates to our graduate programs. These awards are funded and administered by the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and are awarded directly to the winners, above and beyond the harmonized student’s stipend.

Value

• $5,000 - (September)

Eligibility

• These awards are only available to incoming domestic applicants of the highest caliber (top 2 - 5%) in the thesis-based MSc/PhD graduate programs at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Canadian citizens and landed immigrants).
• Demonstrated academic excellence; for undergraduates applying to a masters program or a direct entry PhD program, this means GPA ≥ 3.6 across all 3^rd and 4^th year undergraduate courses; for graduate students applying to a PhD program, this is defined as GPA ≥ 4.0 across all graduate courses. Departmental admissions committee members review graduate application packages (including transcripts, CVs, personal statements and reference letters), to assess each candidate’s eligibility for this prestigious award. A rigorous assessment and adjudication process must be used, as recommended by RHSE.
• These awards are restricted to September admission.
• Professional Masters students and those applying for the Master of Health Science programs are not eligible.
• An application is not required. 

The Temerty Graduate Entrance Scholarships, established in 2022, provide a mechanism to attract the highest quality domestic candidates to our graduate programs. The Temerty Entrance Scholarships are awarded to top graduate candidates in any of the research-based graduate programs in Temerty Medicine. The first cohort of Temerty recipients was awarded in September 2022 for the 22-23 academic year.  These awards will be funded and administered by the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and are awarded directly to the winners, above and beyond the harmonized student’s stipend.

• This is a two-year pilot project effective September 2022.
• We will offer at least 10 awards/annum for a total of 20 awards during the pilot period. 

Value

• $10,000 - 2 installments of $5,000 (September and January). 

Eligibility

• These awards are only available to incoming domestic applicants of the highest caliber (top 1%) in the thesis-based MSc/PhD graduate programs at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Canadian citizens and landed immigrants).
• These awards are restricted September admission.
• Professional Masters students and those applying for the Master of Health Science programs are not eligible.

Please check with your Graduate Unit for additional policies and procedures with respect to University of Toronto Fellowships.

Purpose

The University of Toronto fellowships provide financial support for graduate students with excellent academic standing. University of Toronto Fellowships come out of a central fund, from which each Graduate Unit is provided an allocation. The Temerty Faculty of Medicine allocates funds to its departments and the School of Graduate Studies allocates funds to the remaining institutes, centres and faculties.

Value

The minimum award is usually $1,000. There is no maximum value; however, if you hold a major award such as the CIHR CGS M, Vanier or OGS, a maximum top-up amount may limit the amount of University of Toronto Fellowship money that you're eligible to receive.

Duration

Fellowships are awarded for one academic year at a time. Payments  may begin as early as May 1 and are paid over three terms (May, September and January).

Eligibility

• There is no restriction based on citizenship or status in Canada; however special and part-time students are not eligible to hold a University of Toronto Fellowship.
• Students registered in a master's program beyond the second year are not eligible to hold a UTF.  Students admitted to the PhD program on the basis of a bachelor's degree are not eligible to hold the fellowship beyond year six.  Students admitted to the PhD program on the basis of a master's degree are not eligible to hold a UTF beyond year five.  Students may hold a UTF for a maximum of six years.
• New students must have at least a B+ average grade from a three or four year bachelor's degree program of the University of Toronto, or its equivalent from an approved university. Current graduate students must maintain a minimum B+ standing, or satisfactory progress towards the degree for which they are registered as determined by the graduate unit.
• Where programs exist that can be followed on a part-time or full-time basis, graduate students with a disability (that prevents them from enrolling on a full-time basis) may be considered for a University of Toronto Fellowship on the basis of academic merit. For this purpose, disability is defined under the Human Rights Code, Chapter 53, Section 9 (1)(b). To be eligible, students must provide the department with a letter from the Coordinator of Disability Services confirming that part-time study is de facto full-time study for the student.

Terms and Conditions of the Award

• Students must be registered as a full-time degree candidate for a minimum of fourteen weeks in any term during which they hold an award.
• Students who fail to maintain at least a B+ average or satisfactory progress towards the degree for which they are registered (departments may also have additional stipulations) will forfeit subsequent instalments of the award.
• Repayment of an award is required if a student is in full-time attendance fewer than 14 weeks in any term, transfers to another graduate unit, changes to part-time status or withdraws from the program.
• Students dually registered in the final year of master's program and first year of a Ph.D. must complete the master's program by the required deadline to retain their doctoral fellowship.
• UT Fellowships will normally be fully or partially cancelled for recipients who subsequently receive a major external award such as NSERC, CIHR, etc.
• If absence is to exceed four weeks in any term for full-time off campus research, students must apply for off-campus approval through their department.
• Changes in the student's status as determined by the graduate unit should be reported to GLSE.

Application Procedures
Students do not need to apply since they are automatically considered for the Fellowship provided they apply for admission to the graduate unit before its deadline.

The graduate unit is responsible for the selection and approval of the Fellowship winners. They are also responsible for spending within their Fellowship allocation.