Financial Support and Awards

Teaching and Research Assistantships

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

These assistantships are designed to cover the cost of tuition and living expenses in Edmonton, 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

Scholarship Department Deadline Value Eligibility†
Vanier Sep 1: Request nomination letter from Department Chair $50,000/year Entering & continuing doctoral students
Killam and
Andrew Stewart
(General Awards)
Jan 25: Students must complete the Killam and Andrew Stewart (KAS) Awards application form and submit supporting documents to the Grad Program Admin Killam: $35,000/year + differential fee for international students

Andrew Stewart
: $5000
Canadian & international
NSERC Doctoral Tri-Council Scholarships Please follow this link to FGSR information on the CGS-D and PGS-D Scholarships. Our departmental deadline is September 15, 2019. (Departments to forward students' transcripts and an alphabetical list of eligible applicants to FGSR directly) CGS-D: $35,000/year

PGS-D: $21,000/year
Canadian; entering & continuing doctoral students
NSERC Master's Canada Graduate Scholarships (No department deadline) CGS-M: $17,500/year Canadian; entering & continuing master's students
Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship September 26, 2018: Students submit the application form and two letters of reference to the Grad Program Admin.
  • If FGSR already has your official transcripts on file, you do not need to submit them to the department.
  • If you want to double check, you can contact Graduate Awards at 492-9460.
Master's: $26,500/year

Doctoral: $31,500/year
Canadian & international
Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship (top-up) (No department deadline) Must apply to the full Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship Competition to receive top-up. Details below $12,000/year Canadian; CGS-M, PGS-D, CGS-D or Vanier holders
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarships Masters students do not need to submit an application. The department will choose nominees for this award.

Jul 1: Doctoral students who applied for FGSR General Awards do not need to submit a new application.
  • If they wish, they can update their General Awards application by submitting changes to the Grad Program Admin.
  • Doctoral students who wish to submit a new application, must send the QEII Application form and two reference letters (in sealed envelopes) to the Grad Program Admin.
Maximum of:
Master's: $10,800/year

Doctoral: $15,000/year
Canadian; entering & continuing students

† For eligibility, "Canadian" refers to both Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

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).
Doctoral Tri-Council winners: President's Doctoral Prize of Distinction (FGSR)
  • $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 and Fellowships

Professional Development Awards

Financial Assistance and 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.