PhD Financial Support

FIFSW PhD Funding Package

Updated November 13, 2024

Overview

The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) offers a minimum level of financial support for PhD students during the first five years of study in the PhD program.

This funding policy outlines the value of the minimum funding package for domestic and international students, who are eligible to receive the minimum funding package, and composition of funding for students at different stages in the program. This policy described below is in effect for 2024-2025 academic year and may be revised on an annual basis, in accordance with the School of Graduate Studies guidelines for funding for research-stream graduate programs.

PhD Minimum Funding Package

The FIFSW funding package is designed to cover a student’s tuition and provide the student with awards, scholarships and paid opportunities to support their research and teaching professional development.

The University of Toronto is increasing the base funding commitment for all PhD/SJD students in the funded cohort to $40,000, inclusive of tuition (approx. $31,000 net), effective Fall 2025. You can read the U of T announcement and find FAQs about the funding increase on the School of Graduate Studies website

For the 2024-2025 academic year, the minimum funding package is $19,600 plus tuition and fees.

The value of this funding package with tuition and fees is: 

• $27,952 for domestic students 
• $28,708 for international students (includes UHIP fees) 

Eligibility for the Minimum Funding Package

PhD Students in FIFSW are eligible for the minimum funding package if they are: 

• Registered Full-time in academic years 1 to 5 of the PhD Program.
• Maintaining good academic standing as described in the PhD Program Manual and School of Graduate Studies, by completing program requirements and achieving the milestones as defined by the program.
• Completing the annual Funding Declaration Form and PhD Progress Report. 
• Applying for major/external awards (e.g., SSHRC, CIHR, OGS) for which they are eligible.  

Note: External awards are considered part of the financial support package. Students who receive a major government-funded award may be eligible for top-up funding if the value of their award is less than the value of the minimum funding package.   

NOTES:  

• Starting in 2024-2025, the Faculty will pay the University of Toronto Fellowship (UTF) portion of the funding package through ACORN and apply it first to outstanding tuition and fees for students who are eligible for the minimum funding package. The UTF will be paid in mid-September and January each year. 
• Registered students who are beyond the funded cohort are responsible for paying tuition and fees directly through ACORN. 
• Students may request to register without payment (i.e., make a fee deferral) through ACORN if they have no outstanding fees from a previous session and are the recipient of one of the following, which exceeds the Minimum Payment to Register amount on your ACORN invoice: 1) University of Toronto Fellowship, 2) Ontario Student Assistance Plan (OSAP) loan, other provincial government loan, or 3) a USA government loan. Please see SGS guidelines for Fee Deferral more details. 
• Registered students are eligible for research and teaching positions but are not eligible for the minimum funding package.  
• For students who are planning to complete all program requirements before the end of the academic year, please see SGS guidelines for final-year fees for doctoral students.

See below for more details on the funding package breakdown, sessions, conditions, and the payment process.

PhD Funding Package Breakdown

The FIFSW minimum funding package is comprised of funds from the University of Toronto Fellowship (UTF) and a combination of internal sources of funding from FIFSW internal awards, scholarships, research or teaching fellowships; Canadian government-funded (i.e. external) awards or scholarship (e.g., SSHRC, CIHR, OGS, Vanier); and employment income within FIFSW as a research assistant, teaching assistant, or course instructor. International students also receive funding for the University of Health Insurance Plan fee.

Table 1 illustrates the breakdown of the FIFSW minimum funding package for domestic and international students who do not hold a major external award. Students in the funded cohort, who have achieved candidacy will receive an adjusted package. 

Table 1: Breakdown of the Minimum Funding Package for YRS 1-5 

* Tuition and Fees listed above are for Domestic Students.  UTF funding for international students will include the UHIP fee, for a total of $9,107.53 in tuition and fees and total funding of $28,708.

For students who have not achieved candidacy by January 31, 2025: 

Students who are pre-candidacy will receive a University of Toronto Fellowship (UTF) stipend of $10,000 which is disbursed in two equal instalments at the start of the fall and winter sessions. The remaining $9,600 from the funding package will consist of a combination of employment income and other internal funding sources (e.g., teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or internal awards and bursaries).  

For students who have received their candidacy by January 31, 2025: 

Students who have achieved PhD candidacy by January 31st of the academic year, will receive up a UTF Stipend of $12,000, which is disbursed in two equal instalments at the start of the fall and winter sessions. The remaining $7,600 from the funding package will consist of a combination of employment income and other internal funding sources (e.g., teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or internal awards and bursaries).

Funding Package for Students who Hold an Ontario Graduate Scholarship

For students who receive an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), the value of this award is factored into your minimum funding package. OGS recipients are eligible for UTF Top-Up funding, with award value adjusted based on the student’s progress in the PhD Program.  

• UTF Top-Up funding is $6,800 for students who have not received candidacy by January 31, 2025. 
• UTF Top-Up funding is $8,800 for students who have received candidacy by January 31, 2025. 

Table 2: Breakdown of Top-Up PhD Funding for Students with an OGS 

**Tuition & fees are subtracted from the Total Funding amount. 

Funding Package for Students who hold a higher valued External Award

For students who receive a higher valued major external award (e.g., SSHRC, CIHR, CGS, SSHRC, or Vanier award, the award amount is factored into your base funding, As the award value exceeds the Faculty’s minimum funding package after tuition and fees (i.e. $19,600), students who receive one of the higher value major external awards, are not eligible for UTF Top-Up funding.

Table 3: Breakdown of Funding Package for Students with a SSHRC, CIHR, or CGS 

*Tuition & fees are subtracted from the Total Funding amount. All PhD students in the funded cohorts, Years 1-5, who receive a higher value external award will be eligible for up to $9,600 funding from internal sources.

NOTE: Vanier award recipients (not shown in table) receive $50,000 in award funding, and a total funding of $51,248 after tuition and fees. 

Eligibility for the PhD Funding Package

1. To be eligible for the FIFSW PhD minimum funding package, students are required to be engaged in full-time studies for the academic year so that they can pursue their education within the necessary time requirement and commit fully to their education. Full-time is defined as being registered as a full-time student each academic session.
2. Students are required to make satisfactory progress through the program as defined by the School of Graduate Studies. A PhD student by the end of August of the third year is expected to have completed all program requirements exclusive of the Thesis (i.e., course work, Comprehensive Exam Proposal, Comprehensive Exam and Thesis Proposal approved by their committee). The research, writing and oral examination of the Thesis should be completed by the end of the fifth year of the program. Students on file with the University Accessibility Services follow a specific plan that is appropriate. Students who are on a leave of absence (health, parental, or other) in Years One through Five are not eligible for funding during the time absent. The time to completion clock will stop for students who are on approved leave until they return to full-time study.  
   • Note: If a student has a disability or medical condition impacting their timeline, they may register with Accessibility Services and speak to their assigned Advisor regarding an appropriate, specific plan to complete their program. 
3. Students must demonstrate evidence of applying for major/external funding. 
4. Starting from the second year, all PhD students are required to complete an annual progress report with their supervisors, typically due June 1st. The annual report documents the student’s progress towards completing major milestones in the PhD program (e.g., coursework, comprehensive exam, thesis) which are required to maintain “good standing” in the program.
5. Students are required to apply for research assistantships and/or teaching positions and other internal funding opportunities that are advertised within the Faculty in order to maintain eligibility for internal sources offered by the Faculty as part of the minimum funding commitment.
6.  Students who are unable to secure the minimum value of their funding commitment from internal sources by the start of the winter session (e.g., typically the first week in January) should submit a request to the PhD Program Director by the end of January, so they can assist the student in identifying suitable internal sources of funding.
7. Students who do not to apply for research assistantships, the Royal Bank Fellowship and/or internal funding opportunities for which they are eligible will receive UTF funding only and forfeit the remainder of the Faculty’s minimum funding commitment.
8. Some research and/or teaching fellowships or assistantships require students to remain in geographic proximity to FIFSW. The Faculty, therefore, cannot guarantee the full portion of the Faculty’s minimum funding commitment from internal sources for students do not remain in geographic proximity of the Faculty, or those who are unable to come to campus on a regular basis.  

PhD Student Declaration of Funding

In June of each academic year, students who are entering Years One through Five in the subsequent academic year submit a declaration of funding form. Information from this form will be used to determine students’ eligibility for the Base Graduate Funding Package in the following academic year.

The declaration form will be sent via email the FIFSW PhD Program. In this form, the student should indicate sources of internal and external funding (OGS, SSHRC, and CIHR) they have applied for or have received, as well as expected sources of internal funding (e.g. FIFSW awards, scholarships, fellowship, or employment income as a research assistant, teaching assistant, or course instructor from within the Faculty).

Students who are interested in applying for awards or fellowships that require students to demonstrate on demonstration of financial need (e.g. RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) Fellowship or other awards that are funded by the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust (OSTOF)), must complete the online Needs SGS Financial Need Assessment form. 

FIFSW Conference Bursary

The FIFSW Conference Bursary provides support for FIFSW students presenting at academic conferences. Students can apply for this bursary prior to receiving confirmation that their conference submissions have been accepted.

The maximum bursary amount is $500, as provided as a form of reimbursement after conference attendance.  It is meant to offset the expenses to participate in the conference rather than to cover full expenses.

For more details on how to apply for the Conference Bursary, please go to the Financial Information page on the FIFSW website. 

SGS Conference and Travel Grant Links

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) also offers grant opportunities for conference and research travel for PhD students. Please refer to the following links.

• SGS Conference Grant 
• SGS Research Travel Grant  

Doctoral Completion Award (DCA) – Year 6

The purpose of the DCA is to support full-time PhD students who are beyond the funded cohort but still within the time limit for completing their degree. Registered students will be required to pay tuition and fees if enrolled in Year 6 and continue to be eligible for research and teaching positions.

To be eligible, students must be in Year 6 of the PhD Program and be in good academic standing. The amount will vary from year to year based on the funding allocation and number of eligible students. Funding can begin in the first month of the first session in which the student enters year 6 of their PhD studies (e.g., September, for Fall session; January, for Winter session, May for Summer session). If the student completes all degree requirements before the end of year 6, they will only receive the award for the sessions in which they are registered.

NOTE: As a reminder, students may also apply for OGS for the sixth year of the PhD Program.