FAQ Funding & Finances

Scholarship Management System

We have a scholarship management system for graduate students. Internal scholarships are applied to through this system. Log into the Bridge and under the Student tab.  The application opens every year by Mid-January and has a deadline to submit the graduate scholarship application is May 15.  Results are release within the scholarship portal by October 1st.  

What financial questions do you have?

Tuition | Scholarships | Graduate Assistantships | Other Questions

Tuition

Please refer to the Financial Services website for this information.

Graduate programs within the Faculty of Arts & Science, Faculty of Fine Arts and Dhillon School of Business do not charge for courses above the tuition costs. Please refer to the tuition tables for programs within Nursing and Education.

Tuition and fees are due on June 1, Oct. 1 and Feb 1.  After these dates, you will be charged late fees. 

Payment methods for Domestic/Perminant residents students
Payment methods for International students

SGS admission awards are applied first against any outstanding tuition and fees. After your payments have been applied, review your University financial account in the Bridge to determine if you have a positive balance (where the balance can be moved over to your bank account) or a negative balance (you need to pay the balance by the due date). Awards payments are typically June 1, October 1, and February 1. 

If you are being paid through the University's payroll system, you can set up monthly deductions from your paycheque. You need to set this up at the start of each term that you are employed by the institute and/or receiving a stipend.

For more information, visit ulethbridge.ca/financial-services/graduate-student-payroll-letters

No. Every student must pay tuition and associated fees. Scholarships that are applied to your account will credit these outstanding costs. In addition, you can arrange to a monthly amount deducted from your paycheque each month.

This tuition credit is only for students who were registered or on an approved LOA during the period of time when there was job action on campus.  The tuition credit for a graduate course-based program is based on the billable credit hours and for a thesis-based program it is based on a flat amount calculated as 60% of a MSc/MA continuation fee.

This credit was automatically applied to eligible student's account for the FALL 2022 term.  If you are completing your program in Summer 2022 term, you must contact the Cash Office to request that the credit be applied to your summer registration.  For those not completing in the summer but would prefer to have the credit applied to your summer 2022 term, you must contact the Cash Office to request that the credit be applied to your summer term.

For students who were on an approved leave of absence in Spring 2022, the tuition credit may be extended to Summer 2023 should you not be returning sooner.  This extension will require a manual intervention so the Faculty, SGS and Financial Services will need to coordinate this process. The extension is being granted because, as per the Academic Calendar, a graduate student may formally request permission to take a leave of absence for a maximum of one year. 

For students on Co-op in Spring 2022, the credit will appear in the fall 2022 term or the next term following, upon your return to full registration in your graduate program.

Scholarships

The Graduate Awards website lists many upcoming funding opportunities. Each entry provides key information about the funding opportunity, including the application deadline and information on how to apply. We also encourage you to utilise the additional resources for award applicants, including links to other funding databases.

There is a funding database on the School of Graduate Studies website. This site is there to help kick off your search for applicable funding opportunities. Internal awards have a single application completed once a year via the scholarship application system.  The system opens at the start of January and has a deadline of May 15th for the Graduate Awards.  External awards have their own applications, eligibility criteria and deadlines so be sure to read the instructions carefully and follow them exactly.

No, unfortunately this is not possible.  Our internal scholarship application has it's own build in mechanism for reference letters.  External awards/scholarships have their own applications and letter requirements that are sent out to the funding agencies, each application requires its own set of transcripts as well as reference letters.

All results should be finalized shortly after the add/drop deadline in the Fall term.  To see your results, simply log into the scholarship system and go to the My Applications tab. There you will see which applications you have submitted.  Any funding for which you were successful in being awarded will show on this page under “Current” and be marked as “accepted” (if successful) or “declined” (if you were not successful).  Only those who are successful in receiving funds will be notified.  

Scholarships, awards and bursaries are paid directly to your University student account and will be applied against any outstanding tuition and fees. Payments are in two (2) or three (3) equal installments through the year (unless otherwise stated), after the add/drop deadlines each semester for:  June 1, Oct 1 and Feb 1. 
The number of installments is dependent upon the value and type of scholarship. Internal scholarships are are paid in one (<$5000) or two installments (>$5000); Admission (ULGRA, Dean's Scholarship, Tuition Award) and external scholarships (e.g. TriCouncil) are in  three installments.   
If you are unsure how the funds will be received, contact the Graduate Funding Facilitator.

Yes.  Simply log into the Bridge and go to the Student > Student Account.  From there you can check if your scholarship has been applied to your account.  Please keep in mind, scholarships are not posted to accounts until after the add/drop dates for the term.

Scholarship & Award payments are applied after the term's add/drop deadline on/before: June 1, October 1 and February 1 unless otherwise stipulated by the agency in your notice of award.
 

Yes.  Simply go onto your bridge account under Student > Student Account > Direct Deposit and set up your “Accounts Payable”  banking information for refund. Once this is complete, please email the Cash Office with your ID# and last 3 digits of your bank account number and a class taken last semester. If you would prefer a cheque sent out, please provide your ID# and current address.
Alternatively, you can go to the Cash Office with your ID and bank card, and they wil complete the transaction immediately.

Your tuition scholarship covers most of the cost of tuition but you still have to cover the associated fees and other charges. You can set up Payroll deduction if you are receiving funds through a Graduate Assistantship. Simply complete the Financial Services “graduate student payroll letter” and bring it to the Cash Office at the start of each academic term.

Our model for SGS graduate student financial support is a merit-based awards structure.  We have an admission award called the Univ. of Lethbridge Graduate Research Award (ULGRA) for which every student admitted to a full-time graduate program is considered.  Admission into a progam is not a guarantee you’ll receive award funding as it is competitive and there is a limited source of funds.  This admission award has no application and you will be assessed at the time you apply for admission (if awarded, it will be in your offer letter). You can review the guidelines for ULGRA on our website.

 

Additionally, at the time of admission you will be considered for Graduate Assistantships work and supervisors will consider offering you a Research Assistantship or stipend ( you’ll have to ask them about that possibility).

It is the student's responsibility to obtain all past and current transcripts for your scholarship applications.  The ULethbridge now has digital transcripts and instructions are found on the Student Enrollment and Registration > Resources >  Transcripts webpage.  You must include ULethbridge transcripts even if there are no grades as it provides proof of registration.  Be sure you read the scholarship application instructions regarding formatting for transcripts.

Transcripts can be uploaded to this secure site.

If you have non ULethbridge transcripts:

  • have them sent them electronically to sgs.awards@ uleth.ca  OR
  • if they have to come via mail, have them sent to the ULethbridge address ATTN Graduate Funding Facilitator in the SGS office OR
  • make a request to our ULethbridge SEARS office via email to provide official copies to the Graduate Funding Facilitator. 

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships (Teaching/Non-Teaching) are assigned at the time of admission by your home department. If you are not offered a GA (Teaching/Non-Teaching) in your offer of admission it is still possible for a department to offer you an assignment if the department needs GAs. Contact your department’s Graduate Coordinator for more information.

Both Graduate Assistantship (Teaching/Non-Teaching) and Graduate Assistant (Research) appointments are guided by the GSA Graduate Collective Agreement.

Graduate Assistantship (Teaching/Non-Teaching) appointments are contracted employment within your Faculty are assigned by the department and typically a full GA is $3,600 for 112 hours of work over a specified amount of time.

Graduate Assistant (Research) appointments are typically funded by a faculty member's research funds and allow faculty members to employ graduate students whose duties include the performance of research-related duties that are unrelated to the student's program of study. These appointements are considered employment and are bound to the GSA Collective Agreement.

Research Stipends are not employment, they are funded by your supervisor's research funds and have no expectations for the student beyond completing their program of study.

You are required to upload the follow to: Graduate Payroll Secured Drive:

  • Bank account information (blank cheque or printout of account information)
  • U of L direct deposit form, signed
  • Update your Social Insurance Number on the Bridge (under Personal Information)
  • Copy of study permit (international students)

This information must be received no later then the Cut-off date for Payroll Authorization Forms (PAF's) (usually the 8th of the month) in order to be processed and for payment to be set up for that month.

If you are emailing this information, it is recommended you password protect the information.

Both Graduate Assistantship (Teaching/Non-Teaching) and Graduate Assistant (Research) appointments are paid via the University’s payroll system. Funds are directly deposited into your bank account on the last business day of the month.

Graduate Assistantship (Teaching/Non-Teaching) appointments are paid only in the semester you are completing the work. Typically departments have Graduate Assistantship (Teaching/Non-Teaching) appointments in the Fall and Spring terms.

Graduate Assistantships (teaching/non teaching/research) are paid via the University’s payroll system. The University has a single payday per month with funds distributed directly to your bank account on the last business day of the month.  In order to be paid as a GA, you must be registered at the time of employment.

Questions on how COVID-19 will impact your Graduate Assistantship?

Read the Employee FAQ on COVID-19.

Other Questions

We cannot assign or activate any award funding or employment/Graduate Assistantship (GA) payments until you are registered as a full-time graduate student for the funding period. If you are not registered by the Cut-off date for Payroll Authorization Forms (PAF's) (usually the 8th of the month), your employment payments (e.g., Graduate Assistantships) will be delayed until the end of the next month. If you are not registered by the term add/drop deadline, your award payments will be delayed until the end of the next month.

Scholarship and awards dispursed to your uLeth account are first applied against any outstanding tuition and fees; any remaining funds can be moved to your bank account by visiting or emailing the cash office and requesting the funds be wire transferred/paid to your bank account or have a cheque mailed to you.   

Please fill out the inquiries form located on our website or send an email to the Graduate Funding Facilitator.

Here is mycred instructions on how to download transcripts as pdf. https://youtu.be/4SGBDGlCoIk