University of British Columbia (map)
Department of Philosophy
1866 Main Mall E370 (map)
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6T 1Z1
Tel: (604) 822-3292
Fax: (604) 822-8782
Our Funding Commitment
All PhD students in the Department of Philosophy are guaranteed financial support for the first 4 years of their PhD programs (regardless of their nationality). In the typical case, students in good standing receive support beyond their 4th year. It is not unusual to have combined sources of funding that allow successful students to have packages that would be in the mid-$20,000 range, with a minimal level of funding starting at $16,000 plus tuition.
MA students are, typically, offered some form of financial aid for the first 2 years of the program, but MA fudning is not guaranteed.
Financial support is secured through a number of sources including awards, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships. Students are expected to apply for awards during their studies here. Financial support is, however, contingent on maintaining high academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward their degree completion.
AWARDS
Most awards require a first class average in each of the past two years of university-level studies. At UBC that would be 80% (or 3.5/4 pt. scale). It is useful that you identify awards for which you're eligible and that you know and meet their deadlines, some of which are in mid-September. Chances of admission might enhance for students who will hold a fellowship.
Most of the awards come from the:
We have provided active links throughout this section where you can obtain information on eligibilities, procedures and deadlines. Be sure to visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies for a more detailed list of awards and financial assistance.
ENTRANCE AWARDS
All entering students are considered for a university entrance fellowship; no separate application is required. Incoming students should also apply for external awards for which they are eligible. Recipients must decline a UBC entrance fellowship if they receive a major external fellowship.
The Department offers several one-year and multi-year fellowships of $16,000 (and higher), as well as top-up awards for external fellowship holders. Applicants are offered these fellowships based on nominations from prospective research supervisors and an adjudication of students' academic records by the Department's Admissions Committee. Funding for these fellowships comes from various sources, including the University's Graduate Support Initiative, and allocations from the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
The Department also offers several four-year fellowships (4YF) to outstanding applicants to the doctoral program. Students who are recipients of a 4YF are guaranteed a minimum level of funding until the end of their fourth year of PhD studies, subject to satisfactory progress in their academic program. The minimum stipend for 4YF recipients is $16,000 per year, plus a tuition award equal to their tuition assessment. The stipend and tuition award are adjusted should students also receive external fellowship support, but the minimum level of funding is guaranteed.
TUITION AWARDS
International Partial Tuition Scholar ships
UBC offers tuition scholarships of up to $3102 which is applied to tuition paid by non-Canadian students if they are registered full-time in a master's or doctoral program that assesses tuition fees of $7200 per year.
Four Year Doctoral Fellowships (4YF)
Students who are recipients of a 4YF are guaranteed a minimum level of funding until the end of their fourth year of PhD studies, subject to satisfactory progress in their academic program. Fellows with no external scholarship support will receive a minimum stipend of $16,000 per year plus a tuition award equal to their tuition assessment. Fellows with external scholarship support will receive 4YF support once their external scholarship funding ends. In order to receive the 4YF tuition award, the total of student's external scholarship funding and 4YF tuition award may not exceed $35,000. If the total of a student's external scholarship funding and 4YF tuition award exceeds $35,000, the 4YF tuition award will be reduced accordingly. [For more detalied info and guidelines, see the brochure, UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowships (4YF) Guidelines]
AWARDS FOR CANADIAN CITIZENS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS
SSHRCH Awards
The major external granting agency for Canadian graduate students studying Philosophy is the Social Science & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Award amounts range from approximately $17,500 to $50,000 and may be for one to four years. Only the top graduate students with a minimum first class standing (80% or higher at UBC) in each of the last two years of full-time study are nominated.
Deadline – to the Department, 3rd Monday in September.
AWARDS FOR ALL UBC GRADUATE STUDENTS
University Graduate Fellowships
The Faculty of Graduate Studies offers approximately 300 University Graduate Fellowships each year to meritorious students for full-time study and/or research leading to a graduate degree. Awards are made on the basis of academic excellence, and are open to currently registered, full-time UBC graduate students regardless of citizenship or visa status. Only the top graduate students with a minimum first class standing [80% or higher at UBC] in each of the last two years of full-time study are nominated. Competition for UGF awards is strong each year, and there are always many more nominations than available awards.
Deadline – to the Department, 3rd Monday in September.
Killam Predoctoral Fellowships
These are the most prestigious awards available to graduate students at UBC. Approximately 30 awards are made each year to the top doctoral candidates in the University Graduate Fellowships competition. All eligible candidates nominated by their department in the University Graduate Fellowships Competition are automatically considered for Killam Predoctoral Fellowships – students do not need to apply to a separate competition. Please note that students may not hold a Canada Graduate Scholarship–Doctoral (CGSD) award and a Killam Predoctoral Fellowship during the same period.
AWARDS FOR NON-CANADIAN CITIZENS
Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program
This program strengthens bi-national collaborative research and promotes thoughtful public debate on topics that reflect the broad range of contemporary issues relevant to Canada, the United States and the relationship between the two countries. This program operates on the principle of reciprocal exchange and provides the opportunity for the exceptional Canadian and American students and scholars to lecture, research and pursue graduate study in the United States and Canada, respectively. Award recipients include prominent and promising scholars, experienced and junior professionals and exceptional students. While the competition is officially open to all fields, applications in the following areas are given preference: Canada-U.S. relations; comparative public policy; law; international trade; North American integration; communications; culture; ecology and the environment; indigenous issues; border issues; Canadian studies; and American studies. All applicants are required to demonstrate their project's relevance to the Program's mandate, which is to enhance mutual understanding between the two countries.
The Government of Canada offers scholarships as part of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP). These scholarships are tenable at Canadian universities only. The Canadian Commonwealth Program is designed to provide opportunities for students of other Commonwealth countries to pursue advanced programs in Canada. The Scholarships are intended for men and women of high intellectual promise who may be expected to make a significant contribution to their own countries on their return from study in Canada.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS
Many faculty members in our department maintain a high research profile, and have grant funding which provide opportunities for graduate research assistantships. These appointments are desirable because they involve students directly in work that is relevant to their research interests. RAs are arranged directly with the faculty member concerned who is usually, but not always, the student's supervisor.
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS
Teaching assistantships are available to all Philosophy graduate students. Non-Canadians should obtain a social insurance number as soon as possible. The Department provides approximately $560,000 for such appointments each year. The stipend for a full-time appointment (average of 12 hours/week for 8 months) is $11,342 for PhD and $10,914 for MA students. Students admitted to the program are contacted in late spring concerning these positions.
TRAVEL FUNDING
In addition to funding provided by the program supervisor, students may receive up to 4 travel awards during their MA and PhD programs which may be used to reduce the cost of delivering a talk or presenting a poster at an academic conference. Students apply to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for one trip in each of the MA and PhD program and then to the Department for one additional trip in each program.
LIVING IN VANCOUVER
Vancouver is the third largest city in Canada. The city numbers close to 500,000 but the population of Greater Vancouver area is over 2,000,000. In addition to having the most moderate climate in Canada, Vancouver supports fine shopping facilities and cultural programs. Vancouver is home to the NHL Canucks. Major shows, opera, symphony, and ballet productions are presented in the Queen Elizabeth and Orpheum theatres in downtown Vancouver. Vancouver has approximately 4,000 restaurants, including numerous ethnic restaurants that are relatively inexpensive. Cycling is very popular in Vancouver, as are climbing and hiking in the surrounding Coast Mountains. Excellent boating, fishing, and swimming are available in the waters surrounding Vancouver. One of the many 18-hole golf courses is located on the UBC campus. For the skier, there are a number of excellent ski areas, the closest of which, at Grouse Mountain, is about 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver by road and gondola lift. Whistler, rated the best in North American ski mountains, is about a 90-minute drive from Vancouver. Whistler and Vancouver will host the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Campus Housing
On campus housing is handled through UBC Housing and Conferences. After you have applied to UBC you may access their on-line application process. A range of accommodations (dorm style to single-family residence for families) is available. Apply by February 1st for the best chance of finding good accommodation. All suites are within easy walking distance of the main campus.
Off Campus Housing
UBC Housing also provides links for information about off campus accommodation.
ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL LIVING COSTS (2008)
Single Student |
|
Housing |
$9,500 to $12,000 (1 bedroom) |
Food |
$4,000 |
Medical/Dental Insurance |
$820, see Extended Health Care |
$670 (includes transit pass) |
|
Books and Supplies |
$1,500 in first year, may be less later |
Personal Expenses |
Varies by lifestyle choices, usually $3000+ |
Estimated Total |
$17,000 |
|
|
Tuition |
Master's and PhD (plus student fees) |
Life on Campus and in Vancouver
UBC Grad Student Society
UBC Housing (on and off campus information)
Childcare Facilities
Extended Health Care
International Students/Pre-arrival Guide
Links valuable to international students
Student clubs on campus
First Nations Housing of Learning
Student Services
Disability Resource Centre
Student Health Services
UBC Bookstore
Discover Vancouver
What to do in British Columbia?