Finances involved in pursuing higher studies at foreign universities can be a matter of significant concern for international applicants. Relocating to a new country, taking care of tuition fee, accommodation and living expenses can add up to a considerable amount, not to mention build-up on stress levels as well. If you have chosen Canada as your foreign education destination and are considering to study at the University of Ottawa, then you need to find all the expenses involved to pursue your education without breaking your bank balance.
The table below lists all the significant expenditures that need to be taken care of by an international student at the University of Ottawa.
All Amounts are based on fees for the 2017-2018 academic year while the Tuition Fee is of 2019-2020 academic year.
Now, let us examine the potential sources of funding to help offset the cost of your university education.
Awards and Financial Support
Every year, the University of Ottawa, together with government and external agencies, awards graduate students approximately $33 million in scholarships and bursaries. International students also can avail of the university scholarships and bursaries, as well as third-party grants.
University of Ottawa Awards
International Admission Scholarship is offered by respective faculty, each having their eligibility criteria, including a minimum admission average of 8.0/10. Students who meet the departmental criteria are offered partial as well as full international admission scholarships:
- From CAD 15,000 (partial) or $22,500 (full) per year for the first year or the first two years of a master’s program.
- From CAD 18,000 (partial) or CAD 27,000 (full) per year for the first four years of a Ph.D. program.
The International Graduate Bursary is automatically offered to all international students enrolled full time in graduate programs.
- Over two years for a total value of $4,800 for Master’s program with thesis, and
- Over one year, for a total value of $2,400 for Master’s program with Research option.
However, this bursary does not apply to candidates who already received either the differential tuition fee exemption, or an external sponsorship, or are enrolled in the M.Eng, MBA, EMBA or MHA programs. The Association of Professors at the University of Ottawa (APUO) funds about 100 awards of $1000 each to full-time students with demonstrated financial need and academic merit. At the time of application, students should have completed one year of university studies.
External Grants
The Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS) rewards academic excellence with merit-based scholarships available to graduate students across all disciplines. The value of the scholarship is maximum $15,000 annually ($5,000 per term) and must be held for a minimum of two consecutive terms with full-time student status.
Working while Studying Program
On-Campus Jobs
The Work-Study Program (WSP) at the University of Ottawa allows participants to work on-campus part-time and full-time during the school term and summer months respectively, to earn around $3,000 – $6,000. More than 1,700 positions are available in faculties and services that are either related to your field of study or cater to your interests. To be eligible for the WSP at the University of Ottawa, you need to be a full-time graduate student, have demonstrated financial need, maintain satisfactory academic standing and pay your tuition fees to the university.
Co-operative Education
Co-operative education or Co-op is a discipline-specific employment option that students can opt for to fund their education as well as develop professional skills. Graduate students at the University of Ottawa can choose co-op programs in the fields of Communication, Computer Science, Economics, and History among others. The work-terms under a co-op program alternate with study-terms and allows participants to explore different work environments and career options in their chosen field.
Teaching or Research Assistantship
Enrolled graduate students can also seek Teaching or Research assistantship with their respective academic departments and gain experience in teaching and other academic activities under the direction of a professor. Such positions are primarily assigned on a priority basis to admission scholarship holders though, at times, academic faculty may award assistantship to other applicants also, based on funds availability.
So, the options mentioned above can help you generate substantial finances to take care of the cost of education at the University of Ottawa. Meticulous budgeting, careful introspection to identify the kind of funding you can apply for, applying within the deadline and in the correct format and last but not the least, maintaining satisfactory academic performance is what is prescribed for securing either an award or an on-campus job at the University of Ottawa.
