Funding, Scholarships, Awards, & Student Supports

Funding for students comes from a number of sources. We do not have a guaranteed minimum funding package, but we offer funding to first-year students. This can be comprised of internal and/or other scholarships, research assistantships, and/or bursaries. Many of our faculty are active, grant-funded researchers and are always looking for paid research assistants as well.

Students in any year are eligible to apply for Teaching Assistant (TA) positions.

If you are accepted to the program, your offer letter will detail the funding package you are being offered for your first year.

Funding for second-year students often comes via major scholarships and positions as research assistants.

Students entering their first or second years are eligible to apply for scholarships. Prospective first-year students should note that most of the application deadlines will occur before you know whether you are accepted to the program, but it is very much in your financial interests to apply! If you win a scholarship but later change your mind about joining the program, you can always decline the award later on.

Scholarship deadlines come up quickly – generally early December for major awards like Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and March for the major University of Winnipeg Scholarships.

Most of these awards require that you include a proposed plan of study for your research, and we strongly recommend that you get your supervisor’s input and feedback on any plans of study. You should begin work on these applications as early as possible (e.g., early October).

Our students have been very successful in winning major scholarships from SSHRC, Research Manitoba, and internally from UWinnipeg. Approximately 80% of our students have won at least one major award.

Here is an article about how six of our students won SSHRC awards in 2022.

For more information on funding opportunities, see the Graduate studies website for M.A.-specific funding, and the Awards and Financial Aid website for general funding opportunities.

Unfortunately, part-time students are generally not eligible for internal scholarship monies and are not eligible for major awards (e.g., SSHRC, MGS, UWGSS).

However, part-time students are welcome to apply for positions as Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants, or other scholarships for which they are eligible. Sometimes organizations external to the university have scholarships for part-time students.

We have two department-specific funding opportunities for students.

The Criminal Justice Graduate Scholarship

This scholarship will be awarded to an incoming student whose research interests are in a corrections or policy-related area. Students do not need to apply for this scholarship as they are automatically considered.

The amount of the scholarship varies from year to year but is approximately $1,000 per year.

John Gongos Bursary

Full- time students are automatically considered for this bursary. The award is based on need, so winners of major awards are generally not eligible, and neither are International students in their first year of study.

The amount of the bursary varies from year to year but is approximately $2,000 per year.

Award description: Through a gift in her estate to The Winnipeg Foundation, this bursary fund was established by Ruth Gongos to honour her husband John Gongos. This bursary will support graduate students enrolled at The University of Winnipeg studying Criminal Justice who show financial need, as well as, aptitude and interest in contributing to an inclusive Justice system.  John was born in 1927 and was an RCMP Officer for 33 years, retiring as an Assistant Commissioner in 1980. He was involved in crime scene investigation, and he was also the security chief for the Right Honourable Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau. He was committed to DASCH Foundation Inc. as a board member and was very involved in the local community.

International students are eligible for the same internal scholarship and T.A. funding as domestic students. Many of our faculty are active, grant-funded researchers and are always looking for paid research assistants as well.

If you are accepted to the program, your offer letter will detail the funding you are being offered.

The department itself does not offer full scholarships or any scholarships specifically for international students. However, the Faculty of Graduate Studies website has information on funding and scholarships for international students.

International students are not eligible to apply for some of the major external awards (e.g., SSHRC, Research Manitoba), but are eligible to apply for major University of Winnipeg scholarships.

Be aware that application deadlines for scholarships may come before you have received a decision on your application so you may need to apply before knowing if you are accepted should you wish to ensure scholarship funding in your first year.

If you need supports beyond those related to things faculty are able to help you with, the university has a wide array of supports for students’ physical and mental health that you can access through Student Wellness.

Students who need help with an accessible learning environment can contact Accessibility Services.

International Student Services (ISS) is a resource specifically to help ensure the success of, and provide supports for, students new to Canada.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies also has many workshops and training opportunities throughout the year.