1. Preamble

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH) funding policy is grounded in the University of Toronto Policy on Student Financial Support and the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) guidance on how funding works for research stream programs. Please explore the SGS website as it provides information about funding policies across the University of Toronto.

This policy, described in more detail below, is in effect for all full-time PhD students registered in the Four-Year PhD program, in the Graduate Department of Public Health Sciences (PHS) for the 2024-2025 academic year. This policy is reviewed, and may be revised, on an annual basis.

NOTE: The University of Toronto will be increasing the base funding commitment for PhD students in the funded cohort to $40,000, inclusive of tuition (approx. $31,000 plus tuition and fees), effective Fall 2025. For more information about this announcement, including FAQs for students, please visit the School of Graduate Studies website. The 2025-26 funding policy for PHS students is under review and will be made available as soon as possible.

2. The Minimum Funding Threshold

The minimum funding threshold is the base amount of financial support students are expected to be able to secure through a combination of eligible sources. The minimum funding threshold for 2024-25 is:

Domestic students: $18,500 plus tuition and incidental fees
International students: $18,500 plus tuition and incidental fees (inclusive of UHIP fees).

These thresholds are used to set the minimum funding threshold for this policy only; it is expected that students will seek and secure more than these minimum amounts. Tuition and fee amounts are made available mid-July each year, prior to the start of classes in September.

3. Am I covered under this policy?

Students are eligible to be included in this policy if they are:

  • Registered Full-time in the Four-Year PhD program as defined in the SGS Policy.
  • In academic years 1-4 of the PhD program. Note, eligibility may be extended to those fifth-year students who are in good academic standing and can present, through submission of the Year 5 Timeline Form, a realistic plan for completion in year 5.
  • Not employed full-time (working 30 hours or more/week). Working more than 30 hours/week on outside employment is considered a conflict of commitment. Students with a conflict of commitment will not be eligible for the funding package.
  • Maintaining good academic standing as described in the Graduate Department of Public Health Sciences Statement on Good Academic Standing and Satisfactory Progress, completing the degree requirements and achieving the milestones as defined by the program.
  • Applying for competitive awards, Research Assistant positions and Teaching Assistant positions for which they are eligible.
  • Completing the annual Funding Declaration and PhD Activity Report.

4. Sources of Funding

a) Awards and Scholarships:

Students are required to apply annually for competitive awards (e.g. CIHR, SSHRC, OGS). Both the student and their supervisor will make every reasonable effort to obtain funding from competitive award sources and report those efforts on the annual Funding Declaration and PhD activity report.

Student awards and funding opportunities are posted on the:

b) Research and Training Stipends and Research Assistant positions:

All research and training stipends and research assistant earnings (both internal and external to the University) are included in the funding package calculation.

Research assistant positions advertised through PHS are posted on the DLSPH Professional Opportunities page. Students are also encouraged to talk with the Graduate Department and their supervisor about funding opportunities and research assistant positions.

c) Teaching Assistant positions:

Teaching assistant and other CUPE3902, Unit 1 Bargaining Unit earnings are included in the calculation of the funding package according to the CUPE 3901, Unit 1 Collective Agreement.

Teaching Assistant positions administered by PHS are posted on the DLSPH TA Opportunities page, the Human Resources & Equity/CUPE Local 3902 Unit 1 Job Postings website and are emailed to students via the PhD student mailing list.

This year:

  • Doctoral students in year 1:
    • Research and training stipend and RA position will be included in full towards the funding package calculation.
    • TA employment will not be included in the funding package calculation.
  • Doctoral students in years 2-5:
    • A combined RA/TA limit of $2500 will be included towards the funding package calculation.
    • It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Graduate Department if they have not been successful in securing RA or TA income totaling $2,500. Students who do not apply for TA and/or RA positions, or decline TA/RA positions offered, will forfeit this portion of the funding package.

d) University of Toronto Fellowship (UTF):

The University of Toronto Fellowship (UTF) is needs-based funding from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. The UTF is used to supplement (i.e. top-up) the funding packages of doctoral students who do not reach the minimum funding threshold through a combination of fellowships, scholarships, awards, research stipends and assistantships, and teaching assistantships.

5. Roles and Responsibilities

Students: Students are expected to seek and secure funds to financially support themselves during their academic studies.

 Faculty: Faculty are expected to contribute to the financial well-being of our community of doctoral students, whenever possible, by providing stipends or research assistantships for work on grant funded research and by covering student participation in conferences and manuscript publication costs not covered by the University of Toronto article processing charge agreements. See: https://onesearch.library.utoronto.ca/copyright/oa-agreements-apc-discounts.

Graduate Department of Public Health Sciences: The Graduate Department will assess each student’s individual funding situation and provide students with a Funding Letter outlining their annual Funding Package for the upcoming academic year, by September 30th each year.

6. How and when are payments made?

Review the Award Payment Schedule.

7. What Else Should I Know?

  • Students whose funding sources change during the year are required to notify the Graduate Department immediately at: e.sokoloff@utoronto.ca and provide scholarship/award/employment documentation.
  • Funding packages will be re-assessed and updated during an academic year if any funding or registration changes occur. Students requiring less UTF may result in students returning UTF funds that have been dispersed in excess of the revised UTF amount, while students requiring additional UTF will be topped-up further.
  • Students who secure a fellowship, scholarship, award, stipend support will be given a bonus, by the DLSPH, equal to 10% of the total funding obtained, up to a maximum total funding level of $30,000.
  • Year 1 students will also receive a 10% bonus on Research Assistantships, up to a maximum total funding level of $30,000.
  • Students must be registered in PHS as full-time degree students for a minimum of 14 weeks in each term. Repayment of UTF funds is required if a student is registered in PHS for fewer than 14 weeks in any term or otherwise fails to maintain full-time status.
  • Students are responsible for ensuring that all tuition and incidental fees are paid before April 30thof each academic year.