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Funding

Graduate students at The University of Western Ontario have significant opportunities for funding to support their studies. There are internal, external, and departmental funding opportunities available. 

Departmental Funding Opportunities 

Graduate Travel/Research Materials Fund

This fund is available to assist graduate students for the following purposes:
1) To attend conferences or exhibitions where students are presenting work, and/or
2) To conduct thesis related research (which can include conference attendance and class trips to significant exhibitions or events), and/or
3) Materials purchased to support research.

To be eligible for funding you must be a full-time domestic student in good standing in the MA or MFA program, or a full-time domestic or international student in good standing in the PhD program. You must be within the first year of your program if you are completing the MA program, the first two years of your program if you are completing an MFA, and within the first four years of your program if you are completing a PhD.

To apply for funding, complete the online Grad Travel Application Form found here. (the form is updated is updated yearly, the new one is made available on September 1 every year).

$ (no maximum). Adjudicated by the Visual Arts Graduate Committee.

Please note the following: If you receive funding for the same project from another source, the funds from the Department may be reduced, so that the total amount you receive from all sources does not exceed the amount requested. In other words, you will not receive more than 100 per cent of the funds requested.

There are two deadlines per year: October 15 and February 1.

All expenses must be incurred and submitted before April 15. To submit your receipts for reimbursements, please see this short video. Please see Meghan Edmiston (meghan.edmiston@uwo.ca) if you have any questions.

 

Visual Arts Doctoral Fund
Available to doctoral students during the course of their studies to assist with exhibitions, curated shows, or publication costs. This funding is not intended for final graduating exhibitions. Apply by emailing vagrads@uwo.ca with a maximum 300-word request and a budget of the costs to be defrayed.

$500 maximum. Total of three awards available per year. Students can apply for more than one award during the course of their studies, but priority will be given to first-time applicants. Adjudicated by the Visual Arts Graduate Committee.

There are two deadlines per year: October 15 and February 1.

All expenses must be incurred and submitted before April 15. To submit your receipts for reimbursements, please see this short video. Please see Meghan Edmiston (meghan.edmiston@uwo.ca) if you have any questions.

Visual Arts Internship Fund
Available to Visual Arts undergraduate and graduate students to help defray costs such as travel related to an internship post. Apply by emailing vagrads@uwo.ca with a maximum 300-word request and a budget of the costs to be defrayed.

$250 maximum. Total of three awards available per year. Adjudicated by the Undergraduate and Graduate Chairs.

There are two deadlines per year: October 15 and February 1.

All expenses must be incurred and submitted before April 15. To submit your receipts for reimbursements, please see this short video. Please see Meghan Edmiston (meghan.edmiston@uwo.ca) if you have any questions.

Visual Arts Exhibition/Publication Fund
Available to 3rd and 4th-year Visual Arts undergraduate and Masters students to help with costs associated with independent projects such as exhibitions or publications. Apply by emailing vagrads@uwo.ca with a maximum 300-word request and a budget of the costs to be defrayed.

$200 maximum. Total of five awards available per year. Adjudicated by the Undergraduate and Graduate Chairs.

There are two deadlines per year: October 15 and February 1.

All expenses must be incurred and submitted before April 15. To submit your receipts for reimbursements, please see this short video. Please see Meghan Edmiston (meghan.edmiston@uwo.ca) if you have any questions. 

The Jose Luis Barrio-Garay Bursary In Visual Arts

Two bursaries will be available annually to graduate students in the Visual Arts Programs. One will be for a student pursuing an MA (Art History or Museum & Curatorial Studies). One will be for a student pursuing an MFA. In the event that no student qualifies for one of the awards, the funds will be automatically given to a qualified student from the other specified area.

Eligible students should apply by email to the Graduate Chair of the Visual Arts Program with a one-page letter plus evidence of financial need. Recipients must meet OSOTF eligibility criteria. Established through a generous donation by Perry L. Barrio-Garay in honour of her husband, Jose Luis Barrio-Garay.

$725. Total of two bursaries per year. Adjudicated by the Visual Arts Graduate Committee.

The deadline is February 1. No receipts for expenses need to be submitted.

 

External Funding Opportunities

School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies - Financial Support Learn more about how to fund your graduate program here. Donor Funded Award Search Awards that are made possible by generous donations from alumni, corporations, foundations and other friends of Western in support of student scholarship. External Funding Opportunities All graduate students are encouraged to apply for external funding. These are funds provided beyond Western through federal and provincial department and agencies, foundations, private companies and other sources. Work Study Program and Bursary Program Western’s Work Study program offers an opportunity for students to work part-time on campus in jobs that accommodate their studies. Bursaries are non-repayable, taxable grants awarded on the basis of financial need. Financial need is determined in a manner similar to the Canada and Ontario Student Loans assessment. UWO Visual Arts Graduate Students TA program Learn more about Graduate Teaching Assistantships here. UWO Bursary Information Did you know that bursaries are non-repayable, taxable grants awarded on the basis of financial need. Financial need is determined in a manner similar to the Canada and Ontario Student Loans assessment. International Funding Opportunities Featured funding opportunities that support international students applying to graduate research degrees at Western.