Award Overview

• Level of Study: Master’s
• Required Legal Status: Domestic / International

$15,000 max. for one year (i.e., $5,000 per registered session)

Unfunded programs: Units are encouraged to top up the SGS Admission Scholarship with local awards and bursaries where available.

Funded programs: The Unit and/or PI is responsible for ensuring the balance of funding is available and sufficient to meet the unit’s normal funding commitment in the first year and in any subsequent years of registration where funding is normally provided. This may include the availability of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, University of Toronto Fellowships (UTF), internal restricted awards and/or external awards. For international students, the cost of UHIP (University Health Insurance Plan) should be factored into the total value of the students’ funding packages.

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Inclusive Excellence Admissions Scholarships (IEAS) aim to diversify academia by supporting the recruitment of underrepresented groups, specifically first-year Black and Indigenous master’s students to PhD-stream programs (i.e., MA, MSc, MSW, MEd, MPH, and other research and professional programs that are commonly a stepping-stone to a U of T PhD program). These scholarships are an SGS initiative developed in response to recommendations emerging from the Weecheehetowin Final Report of the Steering Committee for the University of Toronto Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, The Anti-Black Racism Task Force Final Report, and the Scarborough Charter. These scholarships will increase graduate school opportunities for Black and Indigenous applicants whose paths to academia include significant accomplishments that may not be included in conventional graduate admission criteria.

Started in 2022, the 3-year pilot program will provide 100 admission scholarships over three years, each valued at $15,000, funded by SGS, to support the creation of new graduate funding packages and award opportunities for Black and Indigenous applicants who have potential to be highly successful (may require non-standard admission) but would otherwise remain unadmitted due to lack of funding availability (Departmental, Faculty or PI) in a funded program, or would not accept an offer of admission due to lack of resources to pay for an unfunded program. It is expected that the scholarship will enable the graduate unit to offer admission to these applicants, facilitated by this initiative and the availability of additional funding.

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact their proposed Graduate Faculty/Program /Unit upon applying for admission to a master’s program at the University of Toronto to express their interest in the scholarship. ​Each Graduate Faculty/Program /Unit will establish and convey its own timeline, selection process and additional selection criteria where required.

Eligible candidates, at the time of offer will:

• Have applied to a U of T master’s program with the goal of pursuing a PhD (and the master’s program constitutes a common route for admission to a PhD program);
• Self-identify as a Black and/or Indigenous to Turtle Island (North America) applicant;

• Submit a U of T online OGS Application to the nominating unit (nominees need not be OGS eligible);
• Have not been awarded other major internal or external funding in excess of $10,000 (excluding governmental loans/grants, e.g., OSAP, or band funding) at the time of offer*; and
• Have not received an offer of admission (funded programs) or have received an offer of admission but may not be able to accept the offer due to financial need (unfunded programs).

The eligibility criteria provided here outlines the minimum SGS requirements only. Faculties may impose additional criteria to apply, receive, or hold this award. Please be sure to communicate any additional requirements or conditions to applicants.

*IEAS recipients may hold other awards that are offered along with, or after accepting the IEAS.

Master's Deadline (Fall): January 15, 2025

Official Link.