SGPS-Administered Funds and Programs

Emergency Student Aid

The intention of this fund is to provide short-term relief to SGPS members who find themselves in severely restricted financial situations due to unforeseen circumstances. Amounts available are very small. Please contact the SGPS VP Finance and Services with any questions about the application process (vpfs@sgps.ca). Please note, this fund can only be accessed once per academic year (September 1 - Aug 31).

Dental Bursary

Purpose: To assist students who require expensive dental procedures.

Eligibility: Students, partners and children who are currently on the SGPS dental plan.

Coverage: Root canals, caps and other items covered at 10% by the Dental Plan.

Grants Program

This program is specifically designed to provide partial financial assistance to students and/or student groups that are organizing events that enhance the academic side of graduate and professional life. Events must be open to the entire graduate and professional community, and have significant grad and professional student involvement. Examples of the kinds of events funded in the past include lectures, seminar series, conferences, journal publications, and one-time speakers. The Finance Standing Committee will consider other events. A copy of your budget and other agencies approached for funding is required. For more information, and detailed application requirements, please contact the SGPS office. The Grants Program is not intended to offset individual costs for attending conferences and related academic events; students seeking financial assistance for individual academic endeavours should speak to their departments and/or supervisors.

Sustainability Action Fund

Working on a sustainability project and looking for funding? The Sustainability Action Fund (SAF) is an optional student fee whose proceeds are available in grants to any graduate or professional student group that focuses on campus energy efficiency, waste reduction or education on sustainability-related issues. Any project that reduces Queen's University's negative environmental impact and makes campus more sustainable is eligible for funding as long as it is not directly related to a personal thesis work and at least one group member in managerial capacity is a member of the SGPS. The SGPS will consider your proposal based on its potential positive impact, the number of applications and the funds available.

Sports Fund

This fund assists sports events that involve significant numbers of graduate and professional students. The Finance Standing Committee gives first priority to the largest organisational structure possible; for example, entire sports leagues will be given priority over individual teams within the league. In the past, the fund has also made small loans to assist teams in organising. This fund was set in place by referendum. You can opt-out of the fee should you wish to do so. Opting out must be done at the SGPS office, following the opt out procedure. For more information on the sports fund and its application deadlines, please contact the SGPS office.

Club Funding

Need financial help with anything to do with your club or society? If you are a member of the SGPS looking to create a club, we can help you with all the necessary steps to get official sanction and recognition on campus: Contact the Executive Assistant with help creating your club (aed@sgps.ca). If you represent an existing club, we can help with activities or events that promote the many varied aspects of student life here at Queen's. The SGPS will consider your proposal based on its potential positive impact on student life here at Queen's. If you need to register your club, please click here.

The Work Bursary Program

The government, AMS and SGPS contribute to a work bursary programme. For eligibility requirements, please contact Student Awards at 533-2216. Graduate and Law students are able to participate in this program. You may also check the AMS website at http://myams.org/.

Externally-Administered Funds and Programs

Fellowships and Awards

The Graduate School Calendar describes the fellowships and awards programs that help to support graduate students. Fellowships and some of the award programs are competitive based on academic merit. Selection is done by the Fellowship Committee of the School based on ranked submissions by the department.

Contact the Registrar of the Graduate School for information (533-6100). Or try their web page: http://www.queensu.ca/sgs where you will find information on SSHRC, NSERC OGS and MRC fellowships.

Teaching and Research Assistantships

Many departments offer teaching and research assistantships to graduate students as part of their total support package. Teaching assistants are expected to carry out a variety of duties associated with the delivery of a course or laboratory. Research assistantships are sometimes available from the resources of faculty research grants. The student is expected to assist, again in a variety of ways, in the research project of the supervisor. Contact the graduate coordinator in your department for information about these sources of funding.

Law Students and Potential Financial Support and Awards

Entrance scholarships, as well as other specific awards and prizes are available to students in the Faculty of Law. Some of these are competitive based on academic merit. For further information, contact the Faculty of Law, or access the Student Awards web page at http://www.queensu.ca/registrar/awards/.

Tuition Bursaries

Tuition bursaries are awarded to international students to help defray the differential fee. Once made, an award is deposited into the student's fee account. The award covers the difference between the Canadian and international fee. The department must nominate students for these bursaries. Some of these bursaries are awarded to Queen's Fellowship recipients.

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)

All Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada are eligible to apply for need-based Canada Student Loan Assistance. In Ontario, OSAP provides post-secondary students with financial assistance in the form of loans. You should review the guidelines for OSAP and Graduate Students. Application forms are available in the Student Awards Office. You can save yourself the $10 application fee by applying directly online. The OSAP website can be accessed at http://osap.gov.on.ca. For more information on the Canada Student Loans program, access http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/ and navigate to the Financial Assistance - Canada Student Loans Program.

Queen's University Loans

Queen's University has established loan funds for the assistance of undergraduate and graduate students. There are two types of loans:

  1. General loans: Students in at least their second year at Queen's are eligible to be considered for a General loan.
  2. Emergency Loans: the Student Awards office of the University Registrar administers this program. Application for an Emergency Loan of up to one half of a student's tuition fee may be considered.
Applications forms may be obtained in the Student Awards office (533-2216). See also http://www.queensu.ca/registrar/awards/

General Bursaries

The SGPS contributes annually to a General Bursary program, which is administered by Student Awards. Applications and information are available in their office (533-2216), or see http://www.queensu.ca/registrar/awards/toolbox/completeawardslist.html.

External Awards and Loans

The Student Awards Web Page lists a number of places to look for external award money. You can access this information, which includes the fastWeb Canada site; a search engine devoted to helping you look for financial aid tailored to your personal profile. http://www.queensu.ca/registrar/awards/toolbox/tool-links.html

Many banks now offer loans to help students finance their education. Contact your favorite financial institution to see if they offer a student loan option. Do remember that the policies governing bank loans are different from those that apply to Government programs such as OSAP and Canada Student Loans. Make sure you understand exactly what you will be responsible for, and what the terms are, when you take out a bank loan.

Budgeting and Financial Counselling

Try these online budgeting tools for students:

  1. The Royal Bank: http://www.royalbank.com/student/index.html
  2. Scotiabank: http://www.scotiabank.ca/cgi-bin/student.cgi
  3. The Bank of Montreal: http://www.bmo.com/BrainMoney/
The SGPS hopes to offer a series of seminars early in the fall term on taking care of your money, including such topics as investments, budgeting, and how to maintain that debt you might be accumulating. Contact the SGPS office for details.

Food Assistance Fund

This is an emergency fund administered by Student Awards. It is designed to provide temporary help to students in need of funds to buy food. A student would normally be in a short-term emergency situation. For example, an expected cheque did not arrive. Applications may be made to Student Awards (533-2216).