Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that each graduate student receives a stipend that meets a minimum departmental standard. Currently, departmental minimums are $19,000 per year for M.Sc. students and $24,000 per year for Ph.D. students.

Health Sciences

It is the general policy that all graduate students admitted into the Health Sciences Graduate Program receive a standard amount of funding deemed sufficient for living and studies. Effective September 1, 2023, in the case of MSc. students, supervisors must commit to a minimum of $18,000/year for two years; PhD students require a minimum of $20,000/year for four years. The only exception to this policy is in the case of students who are employed full time and are ineligible for funding.

Please see the Health Sciences Graduate Program Funding Policy for more information.

Community Health & Epidemiology

Community Health & Epidemiology has no minimum stipend amounts. Please contact the graduate administrator for more information.

Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology

In August of every year, the graduate chair of the department will generate a list of all students in the program who are eligible for a devolved scholarship, using the criteria set out in the policy. First, the devolved scholarship fund will be used to provide a $4000 supplement to students who currently hold a national scholarship/award. The remainder of the devolved scholarship fund will then be equally divided among all eligible students. Payrolls for these scholarships will be processed by the Department. The duration of the scholarship awarded is for one year, beginning on September 1 of each year.

Teaching is an integral part of graduate student training.  It is helpful for graduate students to gain experience in the presentation of course material in the form of lectures, tutorials and/or demonstration in laboratory classes.  Scholarship holders may be asked to participate to a maximum of 4 hr/week in Departmental teaching programs.

Policy regarding devolved allocations can be found here.

The Arthur Smyth Memorial Scholarship is available through the College of Medicine. These awards are intended for especially meritorious students who are nearing the end of a Ph.D. program. Applications are submitted through the departmental Graduate Program Affairs Committee.

Health Sciences 2023 Tuition Award

The Health Sciences Graduate Program is now accepting applications for the 2023 Tuition Award. This award will provide support to those students exempt from scholarships and stipends due to engagement in professional employment (>20 hours/week).

Applications will be due on November 17th, 2023, and the results will be announced by the end of December. Please see the attached guidelines for more information and the application process.

There are normally three tuition payments per year (Sept/Jan/May), so if successful, students will receive the payments for September 2023, January 2024, and May 2024 in Janaury/February 2024.

Health Sciences 2023 Tuition Award Guidelines

Health Sciences Graduate Scholarship (HSGS)

The Health Sciences Graduate Scholarship (HSGS) supports research within the Health Science program in the College of Medicine (CoM) through awards to students who have demonstrated academic and research excellence. The guiding principle of this program is to provide continuing support to as many worthy students as possible who are no longer eligible for the major CoM or Tri-Agency awards. Secondarily, any CoMGRAD applicants from the Health Sciences Graduate Program who are eligible for support via that program but unsuccessful may apply to HSGS for consideration. New students are also eligible to apply to the 75th Anniversary Recruitment Scholarship now offered together with the HSGS. The HSGS program is administered by the Health Sciences Program.

Applications for the 2024 HSGS competition open on May 1st, 2024. Please have all required documentation sent to ovdr.grad@usask.ca by the deadline of May 31st, 2024 at 4:00pm.

• 2024 HSGS Guidelines
• 2024 HSGS Application Form
• Supervisor Letter of Recommendation
• Non-Supervisor Letter of Recommendation

Coming soon.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Scholarship (IGS)

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Scholarships (IGS) are intended to support graduate students who are conducting interdisciplinary research co-supervised by a faculty member from the CoM and a faculty member from the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition (CoPN). These scholarships are intended to increase dynamic interdisciplinary research projects being completed by competitively selected individuals.

College of Medicine Travel Award (CoMTA)

We are no longer accepting new CoMTA applications for the 2024/25 year. Applications will reopen in May 2025.

Masters and Doctoral Graduate Students and Post Doctoral Fellows in the College of Medicine are encouraged to participate in national and international scientific conferences and workshops, particularly those events which are specifically related to their area of research. The College believes that participation in such events is an important element in the training of biomedical and health researchers. The Conference Travel Fund has been established to assist individuals with costs incurred to attend Scientific Meetings.

College of Medicine Masters and Post-Doctoral Fellows may submit an application in order to receive up to $1500.00 travel assistance one time per program. Doctoral students may submit two applications to receive up to $1500.00 travel assistance twice per program. Students who transfer from the MSc to the PhD are eligible for one award while a MSc student and two while a PhD student.

The completed application form and required documentation may be submitted electronically to ovdr.grad@usask.ca.

Eligibility Requirements and Procedures:

1. Applicants must be currently registered either as a full time Graduate Student or a Post Doctoral Fellow in a Department in the College of Medicine.  Post Doctoral Fellows must provide proof of registration with the College of Graduate Studies and Research.

2. Applicants must be presenting a paper or poster at a national or international conference or scientific workshop.  A copy of the paper or abstract which has been accepted for presentation must accompany the application for funding along with proof of conference participation/registration.

3. Applications for travel award must be supported by the student's supervisor and the Department Head using the Cost Estimate and College of Medicine Approval Form, and a proposed travel budget must be submitted with the application.

4. Applications are to be submitted electronically at least 4 weeks in advance for travel within Canada and 6 weeks in advance for travel outside of Canada.

5. Depending upon budget availability, retroactive requests will be considered for up to three months after the travel has taken place. A complete application form and report will be required.  

6. The approval of travel costs incurred will be governed by current University of Saskatchewan rules and regulations. 

7. Prior to receiving reimbursement, successful applicants must submit a half page report to ovdr.grad@usask.ca within 30 days after their conference ends describing:

    the venue of the conference
    what new information was learned at the conference
    what new contacts were made?

• CoMTA Application Form

College of Medicine Virtual Conference Support Fund

Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows in the College of Medicine are encouraged to participate in national and international scientific conferences and workshops. The College believes that participation in such events is an important element in the training of biomedical and health researchers. The Virtual Conference Support Fund has been established to assist trainees with registration costs for online meetings.  All students and fellows are eligible to apply once to this program with the maximum award level being $250.

Note: This program is independent of the Travel Award program and thus applications will not affect future eligibility once that program resumes.  Further, students who have exhausted their Travel Award quota may still apply to this program.

Eligibility  Requirements and Application Procedures:

1. Applicants must be currently registered either as a full time Graduate Student or a Post-Doctoral Fellow in a Department in the College of Medicine. 

2. Applicants must be presenting a paper or poster at a national or international conference or scientific workshop. 

3. Applications ahead of the virtual meeting can be made via an email to ovdr.grad@usask.ca that includes the following information:

   1. Conference Name, dates and internet links

   2. Cost request for registration up to a maximum of $250

4. Depending upon budget availability, retroactive requests will be considered for up to three months after the conference has taken place.

College of Medicine Parental Leave Grant (CoMPLG)

A College of Medicine graduate student may apply for financial assistance during a leave to serve as the primary care-giver immediately following the birth or adoption of a child.

Individuals receiving other forms of financial support for the duration of their leave may be ineligible to apply for the College of Medicine Parental Leave Grant. 

Amount: $4000/6 month period paid via monthly installments.  Renewal once for a total of $8000 per student per academic program.

Eligibility:

1. Applicant must be a College of Medicine graduate student in good standing for at least two terms (8 months) prior to the start of the leave. 

2. Master's students may apply within the first two years of program, and Doctoral or Doctoral transfer students may apply within the first five years of program.

3. Applicant must hold a minimum funding level of $16,000/yr or greater from scholarship(s), stipend, or employment in the College of Medicine (for example, as a teaching assistant or graduate teaching fellowship).

4. Leave must be approved by the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

5. Applicants must intend to return to full-time studies following the leave.

6. Applicants must not be receiving any additional parental benefits (for example, parental funding from Tri-council scholarships, EI etc.).

How to Apply:

Please submit the following to ovdr.grad@usask.ca.

1. Completed College of Medicine Parental Leave Grant Form

2. Letter from your supervisor confirming the level of your funding, academic standing, and expected time required to complete program upon return from the leave.

3. Confirmation from the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies approving the leave. 

CoMGRAD scholarships may be deferred for the period of a leave approved by CGPS for parental reasons.

Tri-Agency award holders may interrupt their award period for up to 12 months of paid parental leave. Visit this page for more information.

The CoM recognizes that students may face delays and funding gaps during the transition to parental leave (e.g. delays in paperwork, stepping away early, etc.). To address this issue, the Maternity Leave Bridging Funding will provide $1500 to students who have set up parental leave, regardless of the source of funding (e.g. CoM Parental Leave Grant, Tri-council support, etc.). This funding is payable during the first month of the planned leave or the month prior where a leave begins earlier than originally planned.

To apply for this funding, please submit the following to ovdr.grad@usask.ca

1. Letter from your supervisor confirming the level of your funding, academic standing, and expected time required to complete program upon return from the leave.

2. Confirmation from the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies approving the leave.

College of Medicine Emergency Leave Grant (CoMELG)

This is a trial program beginning November 1, 2019. This program is subject to budgetary restrictions and may be suspended without notice. A College of Medicine graduate student may apply for financial assistance during a medical or compassionate leave occurring prior to the completion of the student’s program.  Applicants must hold a minimum funding level of $16,000/yr, receive an approved leave from the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and have supervisor support in order to be eligible.

Amount: $1000/month for up to two months. Paid via monthly installments.  No renewals, available once per student per academic program.

Eligibility:

1. Applicant must be a College of Medicine graduate student in good standing for at least two terms (8 months) prior to the start of the leave. 

2. Master's students may apply within the first two years of program, and Doctoral or Doctoral transfer students may apply within the first five years of program.

3. Applicant must hold a minimum funding level of $16,000/yr or greater from scholarship(s), stipend, or employment in the College of Medicine (for example, as a teaching assistant or graduate teaching fellowship).

4. Leave must be approved by the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

5. Applicants must intend to return to full-time studies following the leave.

How to Apply:

Please submit the following to ovdr.grad@usask.ca. 

1. Completed College of Medicine Emergency Leave Application Form.

2. Letter from your supervisor confirming the level of your funding, academic standing, and expected time required to complete program upon return from the leave.

3. Confirmation from the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies approving the leave.

CoMGRAD scholarships may be deferred for the period of a leave approved by CGPS for medical or compassionate reasons.

Due to cuts to the College of Medicine graduate programs budget, this program is indefinitely suspended. Students will be notified if/when this program is restored.

The University Graduate Scholarship (UGS) is a scholarship offered to students who are registered in graduate programs that do not receive discretionary funding from the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS).

The College of Medicine now receives discretionary funding from the CGPS, making students registered in the following Graduate Programs no longer eligble to apply for this scholarship:

• Anatomy, Physiology, & Pharmacology
• Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology
• Community Health & Epidemiology
• Health Sciences

There are a number of Tri-Agency opportunities available for Doctoral Students:

1. Doctoral Research Awards (CGS D)

These awards are similar in nature to the harmonized Canada Graduate Scholarships; however, they are divided up between the three primary federal granting agencies CIHR, SSHRC, and NSERC. Doctoral students will apply to the agency with their corresponding field of research.

The Doctoral Research Awards by funding agency are as follows:

2. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

This award is distributed equally between the three federal granting agencies. The selection criteria focuses on academic excellence, research potential, and leadership (potential and demonstrated ability)

Doctoral: $50,000 per year for 3 years

Deadline: November 1st

 Note: your individual program will have an internal deadline prior to the deadline listed above. Contact your graduate program administrator for more details.

• Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Information

Financial support for any student who was paid by their PI's NSERC or CIHR grant