Awards and Funding

Funding your studies

Graduate students in a doctoral or research based master's program at the Univeristy of Waterloo are guaranteed a minimum level of funding. Your offer letter will contain the details of your funding, if applicable. In order to recieve the funding you must satisfactorily perform the duties required for the financial support and/or continue to meet the eligibility criteria of awards. 

Graduate Research Studentship (GRS)

Graduate Research Studentships are given to students working on their thesis to supplement their TA earnings. The GRS are paid as awards and are not considered taxable income.

Teaching Assistantship (TA) and Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA)

Teaching/Research Assistantships at the University of Waterloo are considered employment income and are subject to statutory deductions (please see the Human Resources website for more details). Annual earnings are reported on a T4 slip.

Each TA unit includes 80 hours of work per term. Please note that of the 80 hours, 76.5 hours is dedicated to the majority of your TA duties and the remainder (3.5 hours) is dedicated to pool proctoring. Please see the Math TA manual for more details.

UWaterloo and external scholarships

The University has an extensive graduate funding and awards database. We strongly recommended you review the database regularly and consider applying for any awards you may qualify for. Speak with your supervisor or Graduate Coordinator for details on how to apply.

The major competitive external scholarship competitions are the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST), and University of Waterloo (UW) scholarships. Please note that there are limited awards for awards for international students.

Paying Tuition

You are responsible for having your fees arranged every term. Fees are posted to individual student accounts on Quest approximately three to five weeks prior to the start of lectures each term. Students are notified by e-mail at that time.

When arranging your fees on Quest, your anticipated aid (TAs, GRAs, awards/scholarships, bursaries, etc.) is used to create a promissory note. These funds are applied to your tuition first and amounts that exceed your tuition and fees are “refunded” into your bank account. UW Finance has additional information on Refunds for Scholarships, Bursaries & Awards.

Please note that you must be "Fees Arranged" in order for excess awards to be refunded.

Timing of funding

When arranging your fees, you may see a breakdown of your anticipated aid, but you will not be given notice on whenthose funds will be disbursed to your bank account. As each student’s funding will vary, you should see your Graduate Coordinator to understand the breakdown of your fees and the timing you can expect your payments. Please also refer to the GSPA Funding Payment Information for more information.

In general, awards/scholarships and TAs are paid out in the following manner:

  • Scholarships and awards - usually disbursed during the first month of the term (often, but not always in the first and second week).
  • TAs and GRAs - normally paid over four months on the last Friday of the month, after tax and other deductions.

Financial Need

The Univeristy has many funding opportunities for graduate students that demonstrate financial need including emergency loans, parental leave/day care/medical bursaries, and more.

Faculty awards and scholarships

DiMarco Graduate Scholarship in Computational Rhetoric

The DiMarco Graduate Scholarship in Computational Rhetoric valued at $2,500, will be awarded annually to a graduate student registered full-time in the Faculty of Mathematics or the Faculty of Arts at the University of Waterloo with a demonstrated area of interest in computational rhetoric, computational analysis and/or generation of rhetoric and persuasive text. Selection will be based on academic achievement (minimum A- cumulative average in their current program) and interest in computational rhetoric as demonstrated in the application. Computational Rhetoric is a twenty-first century offshoot of Natural Language Processing (NLP) that Professor Chrysanne DiMarco helped to pioneer. Applicants are advised to read some of her foundational papers to see how their projects fit into that research. This fund is made possible by a donation from Sam Pasupalak in honour of Professor DiMarco’s excellent teaching and mentorship. To apply, please complete this form by October 15, 2025.

Mehta-Jenner Climate Change Mitigation Graduate Scholarship

The Mehta-Jenner Climate Change Mitigation Graduate Scholarship is awarded to two full-time, domestic or international (preferred) women graduate students registered in a research-based master’s program in the Faculty of Mathematics. Selection is based on a demonstrated passion for the environment and climate change.

Congratulations to the most recent recipients:

  • Mackenzie Cameron - Applied Mathematics
  • Sierra Legare - Applied Mathematics

Rico Mariani 2SLGBTQ+ Graduate Award

The Rico Mariani 2SLGBTQ+ Graduate Award, valued at up to $4,500, will be provided annually to a full-time graduate student enrolled in any program in the Faculty of Mathematics. Selection will be based on academic achievement (minimum cumulative average of 75% or equivalent) combined with extracurricular involvement or participation in volunteer activities that are advancing 2SLGBTQ+ initiatives with the goal of building a more inclusive environment on campus or in the community. This fund is made possible by a donation from Rico Mariani (BMath ’88) who is committed to removing barriers for 2SLGBTQ+ students in the Faculty of  Mathematics. To apply, please complete this form by October 1, 2025.

Samit & Reshma Sharma Graduate Scholarship in Mathematics

Samit and Reshma Sharma are generous supporters of post-secondary education in Canada, having established awards and scholarships at other institutions through their family foundation and Samit’s company, Gaia Power. They are committed to contributing to the success of graduate students in their academic pursuits. The Sharma family established this scholarship to celebrate the only dedicated Faculty of Mathematics in North America, and to enhance societal knowledge and expertise in mathematics, statistics, and computer science.

To apply, please complete this form by January 31, 2025.

 Additional Resources 

  • Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) provides information and hosts events to assist you with your application to the major federal and provincial scholarships. 

  • International students are eligible for additional sources of funding. 

  • Your department may have other awards available, review the department website or speak with your supervisor/graduate coordinator.