FINANCIAL AID

IN
GRADUATE SCHOOL

Evangelos Milios

FUNDING

Internal funding

External scholarships
- NSERC PGS/CGS
- Killam
- Others: FGS web site

INTERNAL FUNDING

Usually a mix of:

- University scholarship (for PhD students)
Administered by the CS Graduate Committee
All PhD students are automatically considered

- Research grant funding:
student supports research program of the faculty member
(for both MCS and PhD students)
Administered by the faculty member holding the grant
All PhD students automatically receive from supervisor
MCS students apply to their supervisor

- Teaching assistantship =>
student helps with marking, lab supervision, and tutorials
(PhD students have priority. MCS students if positions available)
Administered by the CS Graduate Committee
All PhD students are automatically considered.
Only if positions available, MCS students are invited to apply

- Instructorship =>
student is the instructor of an undergraduate course
(typically for PhD students only).
Administered by the faculty member in charge of teaching assignments.

Note: all funding is contingent on satisfactory progress toward the degree.

NSERC Postgraduate/Canada Graduate scholarships

Eligibility (as of deadline of application):
- Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- "A" average in the last two completed years of study
- Be in last year of undergraduate program, or in qualifying year of grad studies, or in first year of grad program (Master's or post-Bachelor PhD) (for PGS/CGS-M)
- Be in last year of Master's program, or in the first year of a post-Master doctoral program (less than 24 months of graduate study) (for PGS/CGS-D)
- Ask about your eligibility (details complicated).

Location of tenure:

- any eligible university in Canada

- may be held abroad but more difficult to get approval

Where to apply:

- regardless of which university you intend to go to, application goes through the main office of the Faculty of Computer Science.

Deadline for applying:

- Beginning of October at the Faculty of Computer Science Graduate Office

For more information visit the NSERC web site for  Doctoral and Master's

Details of the application

1. Complete form 200 online.
The same form is used for a number of scholarships, so pay attention to which parts are relevant to your application.
Record the reference number, and provide it to the proposed referees ASAP.
Referees need reference number to enter letters on line.
They need time to write the letter.
Provide them with your resume and your transcript and lots of time (ideally 3 weeks).

2. Theses completed or in progress. Only for PGS/CGS-D applicants.

3. Outline of proposed research (free form, up to one page)
Read instructions carefully. For PGS-M applicants, can describe general research problems of interest to you.

4. Applicant's statement of experience and goals (free form)
Read instructions carefully.

5. Regarding the required transcripts:
- We will obtain the required official Dalhousie academic transcripts
- FGS will photocopy and approve overseas transcripts from your file.
- You need to order North American transcripts and have them sent
directly to:
Menen Teferra,
Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University,
6050 University Avenue, Halifax, NS Canada B3H 1W5

6. Start working on the application ASAP.
Seek help from your supervisor.
Review and revise, especially the free-form parts.

KILLAM SCHOLARSHIPS

They are comparable to NSERC scholarships in terms of criteria, amount.
Deadline of application is later.
Check with the Faculty of Graduate Studies for more information.
Deadline for application is in December at the Faculty of Computer Science.

If eligible for NSERC PGS,
you must have applied for NSERC PGS,
in order to be eligible for the Killam.

Start working on the application early. Seek help from your supervisor.

Content of application similar to NSERC PGS.

Students do not apply for this scholarship,
the Graduate Committee nominates promising students.

HOW MUCH SUPPORT CAN I EXPECT?

Master's level

For NSERC scholarship holders:
PGS M: 17,300/year + top-up from the Faculty
CGS M: 17,500/year + top-up from the Faculty

Internal funding (for those who do not get PGS/CGS):
12,000/year plus tuition (a mix of RA from the supervisor and TA from the Faculty)

PhD level

For NSERC scholarship holders:
PGS D 21,000/year + top-up from the Faculty
CGS D 35,000/year + top-up from the Faculty

Internal funding (for those who do not get PGS/CGS):
15,000/year plus tuition

PhD students:
- Only accepted with supervisor and funding.
- Funding guaranteed subject to satisfactory progress (which means completion of the graduate degree within the normal time frame)

Master's students:
- achieve A-level grades in all courses, if possible.

- excel in the courses in the area in which you are interested in doing a thesis or project in.

- approach the faculty in your area of interest for the possibility of doing research with them.

- faculty will typically accept if you have shown excellent performance in related courses.

- funding is intended to support the students making a contribution to the supervisor's research program

- Generally only full-time students doing a thesis qualify for scholarship funding.

- To get the RA portion, you need a thesis supervisor (who provides the funding from his/her research grant).

- Teaching Assistantship requires performance of tasks related to teaching (e.g. marker, tutor, Learning Centre monitor).