Preamble
The stipend is intended to help graduate students pay for their basic living expenses when registered full-time in the MSc or PhD in Epidemiology and Applied Health Research. The stipend is not a salary and is derived from a combination of funds from the supervisor's grants or contracts and external scholarships. For students receiving an Admission scholarship or Merit scholarship, the stipend is part II of the scholarship as described in the admission offer.
This stipend policy applies to MSc and PhD programs. The Masters in Public Health is not eligible for stipend support.
General information
Full-time status
All graduate students are covered by the University of Ottawa’s Academic Regulation C-1.2. In accordance with this regulation, students are expected to devote the majority of their time to their studies. Students are eligible for the holidays and vacation time outlined in policy 110.
Minimum stipend
Thesis supervisors supervising students in the aforementioned programs are responsible for providing full-time graduate students under their supervision with a minimum stipend.
The minimum stipend may come from a combination of:
- External scholarships from governmental or charitable organizations valued at more than $3000
- Endowment funds scholarships valued at more than $3000
- Funding provided by a thesis supervisor’s grants or contracts, which may include a research assistantship whereby the student participates in non-thesis research activities.
There is flexibility in the source of the funds, how they are paid to the student, and the expectations for the student to receive the funds. These details must be agreed upon in advance by the supervisor and student and conveyed in a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The MOU must clarify that it is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure the availability of funds for the student to the minimum stipend amount. The MOU should also include the following:
- The specific timing over which the funding will be provided to the student;
- Changes to the amount and timing of funding if the student ends their MSc program early (e.g., complete the program, leave the program, or fast-track to PhD); and
- Conditions to receive the funding (e.g., maintaining good standing in the program).
If the student changes their primary supervisor during the program, this change should include a formal agreement among the student, current supervisor, and new supervisor to ensure that the student receives at least the minimum stipend.
The minimum stipend funding does not include:
- Part I of the Admission scholarships and Merit scholarships awarded upon admission to the program.
- Scholarships of a value less than $3000
- Travel awards
- Prizes
Stipend payments begin concurrently with the first enrolment in the program and continue for a minimum of one year for MSc students, and four years for PhD students. In the event of unsatisfactory progress in the research program (defined as two unsatisfactory ratings on either the annual progress report or thesis advisory committee report), the student may be asked to withdraw from the program. In this case, the supervisor has the right to terminate financial support.
Minimum stipend (effective as of Fall 2025)
| Program | MSc (research paper) | MSc (thesis) | PhD |
|---|
| Epidemiology and Applied Health Research | $20,000 in total for first 2 years, at least $10 000 of which must be received in year 1 | $20,000 in total for first 2 years, at least $10 000 of which must be received in year 1 | $25,000/year for 4 years |
If a student earns an external scholarship(s) with a value of less than the minimum stipend, the supervisor must provide a stipend to ensure funding to the minimum stipend value listed in the above table.
Illness and leaves of absence
In the case where a student requires long-term medical leave, previously agreed upon stipend payments must continue for a maximum of four weeks. During approved leaves of absence (parental leave, illness, compassionate grounds), stipend support is not guaranteed. Failure to meet the definition of full-time studies described herein can lead to unsatisfactory progress and termination of the minimum stipend.
Expectations and obligations
- Each student will receive the minimum stipend
- Each thesis supervisor must confirm that funding is available to support new graduate students.
- In the event that a supervisor can no longer provide the minimum stipend for currently enrolled graduate students, they must inform the Program Director immediately.
- In the event that the minimum stipend is revised (see section on Review of Minimum Stipends), the supervisor is required to update future stipend contracts for incoming students to reflect any increases (effective for students starting the program in Fall 2023 or later).
- Failure of a thesis supervisor to provide the minimum stipend will result in notification to the Dean, resulting in possible restriction of supervisory privileges.
- While research institutes may have their own policies regarding student funding, they must meet these minimum requirements.
Review of minimum stipends
Procedures
- Each program, led by the Program Director will review the minimum stipend on an annual basis. This process will include consultation with learners (via survey and/or meetings) as well as consideration of the cost of living, economic pressures, scholarship availability and the research funding landscape.
- In the event that an increase is deemed necessary, program directors will consult with their respective professorships to discuss and vote.
- Following a vote at the program-level, the policy will be presented for final approval at the FGMSC.
