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Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Matthew Evans will be leading a review of graduate funding at Queen’s. While this is underway, no changes will be made to the Queen’s Graduate Award (QGA) for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The review, taking place over the next year, will focus on potential adjustments to the QGA, including the option of shifting from a universal award to a needs-based model, as the university does now for undergraduate students. It will also examine ways to strengthen financial aid packages for PhD students while ensuring necessary support for master’s students. Any changes from the review will apply to students entering in the 2026-2027 academic year onward.

Research master’s students currently receive a stipend of approximately $23,000 per year on average, which is the fifth-highest amount relative to the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, and third highest in the U6. The QGA makes up a proportion of this funding. It is provided to departments through the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs at a rate of $4,100 per domestic master’s student.

“This review will help us evaluate potential changes to graduate student funding and understanding how we can best support graduate students with the greatest financial needs,” says Provost Evans. “At the same time, the university will continue to assess options that will address our structural operating budget deficit to ensure our long-term financial sustainability.”

In May 2024, Queen’s projected a $35.7 million operating budget deficit for 2024-2025. Since then, the university has remained focused on managing these financial challenges through its Balanced Budget Plan to return to structural operating balance and ensure we can continue to deliver on our academic mission of excellence in research and teaching.

The university will provide updates as the review progresses. For more information on Queen’s strategy to address its structural operating budget deficit, visit the Balanced Budget Plan website.