Award type:
Scholarships
Award description:
An International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA) will be provided automatically to eligible students who are registered full-time in a doctoral program at the University of Waterloo. The award value and duration varies depending on: the number of terms the student has been enrolled in a program; whether or not they were admitted from a master’s degree, a bachelor’s degree or transferred from a master’s to a PhD2, PhD3 or PhD3Y1; and the number of terms in which the student has previously received the award.
Value description:
The award value and duration varies depending on: the number of terms the student has been enrolled in a program; whether or not they were admitted from a master’s degree, a bachelor’s degree or transferred from a master’s to a PhD2, PhD3 or PhD3Y1; and the number of terms in which the student has previously received the award. The value of a full IDSA/IDSA4 is approximate to the difference in tuition between full-time domestic PhD and full-time international PhD students.
- Eligible international students registered full-time in a doctoral program (PhD2) and who were admitted from a master’s degree will receive an IDSA valued at $5,140* per term to the end of the third year of the doctoral program (term 9.0). In year 4 (terms 10.0 to 12.0), the qualified student will receive an IDSA4 funded as follows: 2/3 from the University/Faculty in the amount of $3,427* per term as an award, and 1/3 from the department/supervisor in the amount of $1,713* per term as an award.
- All eligible students who transferred from a master's program to a doctoral program (PhD3) in term 4.0 will receive an IDSA valued at $5,140* from terms 4.0 to 12.0 and will receive an extension of the IDSA at the IMAE fixed value of $2,500 per term for terms 13.0 and 14.0. For these students, we are recognizing doctoral-level studies beginning in the 2nd year of enrolment. Students may receive this cumulative IDSA funding for a maximum of 11 full-time terms providing they are within the allowable program time limits (15.0 terms).
- All eligible students who were admitted directly from a bachelor’s degree to a doctoral program (PhD3Y1) will receive an IDSA at the IMAE fixed value of $2,500 per term for terms 1.0 to 3.0 and terms 13.0 to 14.0. In terms 4.0 to 12.0, the student will receive the IDSA valued at $5,140* per term. Students may receive this cumulative IDSA funding for a maximum of 14 full-time terms providing they are within the allowable program time limits (15.0 terms).
*Rates effective May 1, 2025
Eligibility & selection criteria:
- International students with a valid Canadian study permit who are registered full-time in a PhD program and assessed international tuition.
- Must meet the academic progress requirements of the program.
- Recipients will be automatically determined by Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
The following scenarios will result in students being deemed ineligible for IDSA:
- Having outstanding probationary admission requirements.
- Concurrently receiving a tuition award (e.g., PSI or Lazaridis Tuition Awards).
- Concurrently receiving government/industry sponsorships that exceed minimum PhD funding, except in the cases where an explicit MOU (or MOA) exists that specifies IDSA inclusion (e.g., Conacyt).
- Concurrently receiving external scholarships that exceed minimum PhD funding, except for the following: Mitacs, Vanier, Tri-agency Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D).
- Being admitted as a self-funded student.
- Recipients whose tuition assessment changes from student visa to domestic, and are charged domestic tuition fees while holding the award, will not be eligible to receive any future installments and may have their current term instalment cancelled.
For information regarding international funding programs, please visit the Graduate Studies International Funding webpage.
Level:
Doctoral
Program:
Open to any program
Citizenship:
International/study permit student
Selection process:
Student selected automatically by Faculty/Department
Term:
Winter, Spring, Fall
Contact person:
- For further information about this award please contact the applicable: