Financial Support + Awards

Teaching + Research Assistantships

Each year, the Department of Computing Science provides financial support for several thesis-based students in the graduate program in the form of teaching and research assistantships (course-based students are self-funded).

• If you have been offered funding, read the Computing Science financial support policy

These assistantships are designed to cover the cost of tuition and cost of living, and are available to M.Sc. students for up to the first five terms (2 Fall , 2 Winter and 1 Summer term). For Ph.D. students, the assistantships are for up to the first 11 terms (4 Fall, 4 Winter and 3 Summer terms) subject to satisfactory academic performance and satisfactory performance of duties.

Basic financial support from the Department and from the students' research supervisors include:

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (TA) from the Department, usually granted over 8 months each year, September to April
• Graduate Research Assistantships (RA) from the research supervisor, usually granted over 4 months each year, May to August*

* First year M.Sc. students are expected to find a research area and supervisor to work with by April in order to have guaranteed funding through the Spring/Summer term.

The total annual financial support for students holding teaching and research assistantships varies in the Department of Computing Science. At this time, funding for the first year is approximately $25,197 for a full-time M.Sc. student and $26,673 for a full-time Ph.D. student.

Scholarships + Awards

There are a variety of scholarships and awards available to both Canadian and international students. Canadian students with outstanding academic records are encouraged to apply for federal and provincial government awards. Foreign students are encouraged to apply for awards from their home countries that may be used for foreign study. Be sure to read all application instructions carefully and submit your application by the appropriate deadline.

Major Scholarships + Awards

NSERC Top-ups

Any student who wins a Tri-Council scholarship at the U of A (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) gets an automatic "top-up" from FGSR.

Master's Tri-Council winners: Walter H. Johns Grad Fellowship (FGSR)

• An amount equivalent to tuition and fees for one year (as determined by the date of admission to the student's program) is paid directly to the student.
• This top-up award is processed upon activation of the NSERC award and paid out in September. Thus, no action is required from the students other than the submission of their NSERC Payment Activation Form (to activate their NSERC award).

• $10,000 in the first year that the student holds the NSERC award.
• An amount equivalent to tuition and fees for the Fall and Winter terms in subsequent years that the student holds the NSERC award.
• This top-up award is processed upon activation of the NSERC award and paid out in September. Thus, no action is required from the students other than submission of their NSERC Payment Activation Form (to activate their NSERC award).

Faculty of Science Graduate Scholarship

• $2000 one-time award for students entering our program.

AITF Top-ups

NSERC, Vanier, China Scholarship Council and other external peer-reviewed award holders who win an AITF Graduate Student Scholarship will receive an automatic top-up for the duration of their eligibility ($12,000), and this top-up value may increase to the full scholarship value when the external funding ends, for the remainder of the AITF scholarship terms.

• In order to receive an AITF top-up, students need to apply to the full AITF Scholarship Competition. If they do not apply, they will not receive the AITF top-up even if they get an NSERC.

Outstanding Students From China

The China Scholarship Council and the University of Alberta have signed a collaborative co-funding agreement for sponsoring up to 10 doctoral students to study at the University of Alberta. Please visit Funding Information for International Students on the FGSR webpage for more details.

Additional Awards, Scholarships + Fellowships

• Alberta Citizenship Award
• Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship
• Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship
• Google Ph.D. Fellowship Program
• Rhodes Scholarships
• Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada
• W.L. MacKenzie King Memorial Scholarship

Professional Development Awards

• FGSR Travel Awards
• GSA Professional Development and Travel Grants

Financial Assistance + Emergency Funding

Other forms of financial assistance including bursaries and emergency funding as well as student loans are also available. For help with various forms of financial aid, visit the Student Service Centre.