Laurier Dean's Graduate Scholarship

What you will need

• ✓ No additional application is required as awards are typically offered at the time of admission
• ✓ Hold an Ontario Graduate Scholarship, Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology, or Canada Graduate Research Scholarship (Master's or Doctoral)

About this award

You can receive a top-up funding package in excess of $10,000 when this scholarship is combined with a Graduate Teaching Assistantship. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. Students in professional programs (MBA, MSW, MMT) cannot get this scholarship; if they hold a major external award, they receive a $1,000 Graduate Incentive Scholarship instead. This funding is renewable each year as long as you continue to hold your external award. This is for you if you are a high-achieving graduate student who has already secured a major external scholarship and are pursuing a research-focused degree. These awards are typically offered at the time of admission as part of your funding package, so no separate application is required. Because there is no public deadline, check your admission offer or contact Wilfrid Laurier University to confirm your specific award status. Selection is based on your admission to the program and your status as a holder of a major external award. Since specific selection ratios aren't published, ask Wilfrid Laurier University how many of these top-up packages they distribute annually. The money is paid in three equal instalments over three terms, starting in the fall. Funds are credited directly to your Laurier student account to cover tuition and fees. If you want the remaining balance as cash, you must submit a refund request through LORIS (the Laurier Online Registration Information System — the student portal for managing records and finances) to receive an e-transfer. You must remain registered as a full-time student during the term you hold the scholarship. Also, remember that if you withdraw from your program during the term, you will have to pay back a pro-rated portion of the money.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must be registered as a full-time student in a research-intensive graduate program that includes a thesis, MRP (Major Research Paper — a shorter version of a thesis), or dissertation. You must be within your normal funding period and hold one of these awards: the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology, the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s, or the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral. Note that if you hold external funding at $50,000 or more per year, you are ineligible for this funding. Additionally, this scholarship is not applicable to students in the School of International Policy and Governance starting September 1, 2026.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Canadian citizen, permanent resident or international student
• ✓ Open to graduate students

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• External AwardsAvoid assuming any outside grant qualifies you for this top-up. Instead, check that your award is specifically one of the four named major scholarships like the OGS (Ontario Graduate Scholarship). Check your award name on the eligibility list before planning your budget.
• Student PortalAvoid waiting until the end of the term to check your balance. Instead, log into LORIS (the Laurier Online Registration Information System) regularly to see when your funds are credited. If you want a credit balance paid out, submit a refund request in LORIS; refunds are sent by e-transfer no earlier than the first day of the second month of the term.
• StrategyAvoid treating this as permanent funding. Instead, remember that it is renewable only as long as you hold your external award. Keep a digital folder with your external award confirmation letters to prove your continued eligibility each year.
• RealismAvoid ignoring the withdrawal penalty. Instead, realize that leaving the program mid-term means you must pay back a portion of the money. Ensure you have a financial safety net if you are considering a change in your enrollment status.

Questions students ask

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