Awards and Financial Support
University Entrance Scholarships
A number of Graduate Entrance Scholarships are available to students who have demonstrated exceptional academic excellence. The competition for these awards is university-wide and very intense. The value of the awards varies.
Graduate Fellowships and Master of Publishing Private Awards
The Master of Publishing program offers graduate fellowships and MPub awards to students during the first 12 months of the program.
- Access Copyright Graduate Award in Publishing Studies
- Southam Inc. Graduate Entrance Scholarship in Publishing Studies
- Himie Koshevoy Memorial Award
- Catherine Anne MacKay Publishing Award
- Manuela Dias Memorial Scholarship in Publishing Studies
The value of a graduate fellowship is $6,250. The value of private awards listed above varies. Students enrolled in the MPub program may apply for all but the University Entrance Scholarships during their first semester of study. Criteria include financial need, academic excellence, and, most important, performance in the program.
How to Apply
Apply for scholarships, fellowships, and private awards by requesting an application package from the Program Advisor, email ccsp-info@sfu.ca
Awards Criteria
The Master of Publishing program provides a number of financial awards to students, some from private donations that are designated for students in the MPub program and some allocated by the university to the program from general university funds. While the degree of support changes from year to year, generally speaking the program allocates $56,850.00 in graduate awards each year. Because this program is a professional program, every attempt is made to assess potential for professional performance. Thus, in allocating awards, grades, experience, and workplace performance are assessed by the Graduate Awards Committee. At the same time, criteria specified by donors are adhered to, as are university policies in respect of fairness to all.
A further overriding principle that the program uses in considering student applications for awards is the spreading of funds as widely as possible among qualified applicants. Therefore, qualified students will be eligible for only one graduate fellowship award unless there are more awards in a given year than qualified applicants. Similarly, major awards granted to students outside the control of the program, and research assistantships, will be considered in the allocation of awards within the context of the applicant’s record of past academic achievement, experience, performance in the program, and spreading financial resources. Generally, a limited number of graduate fellowships are allocated as entrance fellowships with the remainder being awarded after one full semester in the program. No minimum funding is guaranteed to incoming applicants.
Students should note that the policy of the program is that students commit to full-time attendance while courses are in session. Voluntary leaves of absence, for reasons other than medical or other recognized emergency, will result in a student not being eligible for financial awards.
Other Options for Financial Assistance
Student Loans
Applicants to the MPub program may apply for student loans, which are awarded on the basis of financial need. Canadian students must apply through the province in which they live at the time of application. Deadlines are tight, and we recommend that loan applications be submitted early in the spring. Foreign students are not eligible for Canada Student Loans.
To apply, contact the financial aid and awards office at your nearest post-secondary institution. You can also pick up a student loan application from either campus of SFU:
Office of Student Services Financial Aid and Awards Burnaby Campus 8888 University Drive Burnaby, BC Canada V5A 1S6 Phone: 778.782.4356
Information/Registration Services Harbour Centre Campus 515 West Hastings Street Vancouver BC V6B 5K3 Phone: 778.782.5000 http://students.sfu.ca/financialaid/index.html
Bursaries
Bursaries are grants; they do not need to be repaid. For details, contact:
Office of Student Services Financial Assistance Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6 Phone: 778.782.4356 http://students.sfu.ca/financialaid/index.html
Research and Teaching Assistance
From time to time, the Master of Publishing program has opportunities for students to work on special research projects for modest remuneration. If you have been accepted into the program and you are interested in research work, inform the Program Advisor when the course begins in September.
The MPub program is an autonomous unit that offers no undergraduate curriculum, so the program does not hire teaching assistants. But the MPub faculty do assist the School of Communications in appointing TAs to undergrad courses in the Publishing Minor, and occasionally other departments recruit from outside their complement of graduate students. Contact these other departments directly to find out about teaching opportunities.
Outside Employment
Applicants to the MPub program should note that the curriculum is intensive: you will be working 40 to 60 hours per week on coursework and projects. Hands-on publishing projects are completed in small groups, which often meet outside normal classroom hours. Students must be prepared to devote their full energy to the program. Please keep this in mind when considering outside employment, including TA positions.
