Tuition waivers for international grad students
The university has made available $3 million in funding for full tuition waivers to recruit top international PhD and MFA graduate students over the next three years. The funds to be disbursed are $500,000 in 2011–12, $1 million in 2012–13, and $1.5 million in 2013–14. PhD students can hold the awards for eight terms and MFA students for six terms.
“This initiative will more than double the number of high-value tuition waivers that Concordia offers,” explains Dean of Graduate Studies Graham Carr. “I am confident that this significant step will make us more competitive with other Quebec and Canadian universities.”
The pilot initiative, which was approved by President Fred Lowy, reflects Concordia’s strengthening commitment to graduate studies. It results from extensive discussions between the various academic, planning and financial areas of the university.
The tuition awards have two equally important goals: to support research productivity by attracting top international students; and to increase the number of PhD and MFA students at Concordia by providing financial support to outstanding students who would otherwise pay differential fees to study in Quebec.
The tuition waivers are part of a much larger basket of new funding support designed to help recruit and retain top graduate students. A sum of $600,000 is available in new fellowship funding generated by savings resulting from the change to the graduate fee billing structure.
As well, through funds from Quebec’s Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS), $150,000 in new funding is available to support student conference travel, and $800,000 in new thesis accelerator awards will help master's and PhD students complete their degrees in a timely fashion.
Related links:
• School of Graduate Studies