Graduate Student Fees and Funding

Funding and financial support

Guaranteed Minimum Doctoral Funding

Minimum guaranteed funding for PhD students at the Â鶹ÊÓƵ provides financial support for current and incoming doctoral students in years one to four of their program, with minimum guaranteed funding of $100K CAD over four years and not less than $25K CAD in their first year.

Sources of funding will come from external funding (secured by the student), internal funding from a supervisor, or internal funding from the Faculty of Nursing (FoN), which may consist of any combination of Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA), GTA-PI (teaching a course), or nursing awards/scholarships.

Working professionals are not eligible for minimum guaranteed funding. The Faculty of Nursing defines working professionals as students working ≥ 0.5 FTE in professional jobs related to nursing or healthcare. Working professionals continue to be employed while they are PhD students.

PhD students are required to apply for external scholarships/awards (not provided by the FoN) as part of the FoN Guaranteed Minimum Doctoral Funding Policy.

Please refer to the GPS Minimum Guaranteed Funding website and the Guaranteed Minimum Doctoral Funding: Faculty of Nursing Guiding Principles and Policy Document for more information (posted on the FoN forms & guidelines website under Guidelines, Policies & Information > PhD Program).

Scholarships, Awards, and Graduate Assistantships

Scholarships and Awards

There will be a limited number of internal FoN scholarships and awards available to graduate students. These will be advertised to current graduate students via email and the . These scholarships and awards will be prioritized for doctoral students requiring Guaranteed Minimum Doctoral Funding unless the award is only for MN students. 

Both the FoN and GPS will advertise university-wide and external award opportunities throughout the year for graduate students to consider. GPS advertises scholarship and award opportunities via the GPS Graduate Student Digest email sent every Wednesday. Please consult the GPS Scholarships + Awards website for additional information. 

We encourage students to pursue scholarships and awards available to them in their community and professional networks. Graduate supervisors will also assist students in applying for funding from sources appropriate to their program of study and level of academic achievement.

Graduate Student Employment

There will be a limited number of graduate research and teaching assistantships (GRAs & GTAs) available to graduate students throughout the year. These may either be funded by the FoN or by a faculty member’s research funds. Assistantships funded by the FoN will be prioritized for doctoral students requiring Guaranteed Minimum Doctoral Funding. Assistantships that are open for application will be circulated to graduate students by the Graduate Office.

Typically, these assistantships occur in the Fall and/or Winter term. Graduate Assistantships serve as an apprenticeship for further academic or professional careers. 

Graduate student marker and exam proctoring opportunities will also be available throughout the year. These are short-term appointments lasting no more than three weeks.

Graduate student employment opportunities will be advertised to current graduate students via email and the as they become available.

All graduate assistantships, student markers, and proctors are governed by the , which provides guidelines for remuneration and hours of work. More information is available on the GPS Graduate Student Employment page.

Financial Support

For other funding sources, including graduate student bursaries and loans, see the GPS Funding Support website, as well as additional resources for International students on GPS’ website here.

The Government of Canada is also a possible resource for .

Emergency Bursaries

There are emergency bursaries and loans available to students to help cover their living expenses. Please see the Registrar's Office and the International Student + Visitor Services (ISVS) website. You may book an online appointment with an advisor regarding emergency bursaries through both the ISVS and Registrar’s Office websites.

Tuition and Fees

Please see the GPS Tuition + Fees page for up-to-date information and tuition and fee amounts.

Tuition and fees will vary depending on several factors, including whether:

  1. You enroll in a course-based or thesis-based program
    • Course-based tuition is assessed per course credit
    • Thesis-based tuition is assessed a yearly program fee, with ⅓ of tuition in the fall term, ⅓ of tuition in winter term,  ⅙ of tuition in spring and ⅙ in summer 
  2. Are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or international student 
    • Graduate instructional fees differ for Canadian and international students
  3. You are an on-campus or off-campus student
    • Students who live more than 80 km from campus may register as off-campus and will not be assessed the non-instructional fees for PAW or U-Pass
  4. You are studying full-time or part-time time
    • Part-time instructional fees are half the full-time instructional fees

We have provided sample tuition assessments in Canadian dollars based on the programs below. These assessments are based on full-time registration from 2024-2025 and are estimates only. Current students must check their fee assessments regularly.

Yearly tuition fees (September through August) for:

Course-based MN program 

International: 
  • Year 1: $14,000
  • Year 2: $10,000
Domestic: 
  • Leadership and Education focus: 
    • Year 1: $5,700
    • Year 2: $4,000
  • Nurse Practitioner focus:
    • Year 1: $7,300
    • Year 2: $4,000

Thesis-based programs (MN and PhD)

International:

  • $9,400 per year
Domestic:
  • MN (Research, Leadership, Education) and PhD:
    • $5,000 per year
  • Nurse Practitioner: 
    • Year 1: $6,400
    • Year 2: $4,700

To Note:

Exceptional Tuition Increase

Tuition increases are an essential part of ensuring the Â鶹ÊÓƵ continues to provide students with world-class, high-quality learning and research opportunities. In turn, our programs and graduates will remain competitive and leaders in their fields.

The Faculty of Nursing is proposing the following exceptional tuition increases, effective Fall 2026:

  • Master of Nursing (course-based ) - increase of 80% TBC
  • Master of Nursing (thesis-based) - increase of 20% TBC
  • PhD Program (all programs) - increase of 20% or greater TBC

Exceptional Tuition Increases (ETIs)

An exceptional tuition increase (ETI) is a domestic tuition increase proposed for a specific program outside of the regular tuition increase cycle. They require approval by the Advanced Education Minister, among. They can only be granted once every five years for a program.

Any  ETIs proposed in this round only apply to domestic students new to the program as of Fall 2026. ETI revenue can only be used for initiatives that improve program quality. 

Proposal details 

ETI revenue must be tracked and reported on for both the Government of Alberta and students. The Office of the Provost will lead the annual reporting, with a focus on sharing outcomes of the ETIs and their impact on program quality and student support.

Consultations

The Faculty of Nursing will consult with students via the following methods:

  • Consultation with Nursing Graduate Student Association and Mentor Us Executive
    • October 23, 2025: 1 pm
    • Early November
  • A survey, which will be distributed October 24 (closes Oct 31)

Governance

Following consultations with students, the faculty will submit a proposal to the Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s Board of Governors for approval. Proposals approved will then be submitted to the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Advanced Education.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are programs proposing exceptional tuition increases?
Â鶹ÊÓƵ tuition costs are comparable to other top universities in Canada; we offer financial aid to offset these costs for students who qualify. Tuition helps pay for Â鶹ÊÓƵ course materials and supplies, lab spaces, scholarships and bursaries, instructor and staff salaries and the other costs of running our campuses. An exceptional tuition increase ensures that the Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s programs remain world-class, providing students with high-quality learning and research opportunities.
Which students are impacted?
Exceptional tuition increases are only applicable to domestic students in new cohorts admitted for the Fall 2026 academic year. A new higher tuition rate will not apply to currently enrolled students. All students exempted from exceptional tuition fees are still eligible for tuition increases to their base tuition under the two percent institutional-level cap.
Why does this increase not apply to new international students starting their programs in 2026?

International students at the Â鶹ÊÓƵ are assessed their tuition under a program-based model, receiving a guaranteed total program cost at the time of admission. Tuition levels for incoming classes of international students are approved more than a year in advance to ensure accurate tuition guarantees can be provided as part of the admissions process. Tuition for new international students entering the university in Fall 2026 was approved in June 2025.

International students are required to cover the full cost of their education through their tuition fees. Accordingly, costs for program quality initiatives may be incorporated into future tuition increases for international students.

Why do some programs have a higher increase than others?
Proposed increases are based on costing for proposed program quality initiatives. Proponent faculties often consider tuition levels at peer institutions when considering feasible exceptional tuition increase amounts.
Will programs impacted by ETI also be impacted by annual tuition increases?
Any additional tuition increases will be applied to the new tuition (base and ETI). All students exempted from exceptional tuition fees are still eligible for tuition increases to their base tuition under the two percent institutional-level cap.