The Canadian federal government's Human Resources and Skills Development department administers the Canada Student Grants Program, a national source of federal student financial aid. Under the CSGP, graduate students can apply for grants if they qualify for the following categories: persons with disabilities, persons with dependents, part-time students and part-time students with dependents. Persons with permanent disabilities may receive up to $2,000 each academic year to fund tuition, books and housing; permanently disabled persons may qualify for up to $8,000 each academic year to defray education-related costs such as tutors, note-takers or interpreters. Full-time students with dependents under the age of 12 may qualify for up to $200 per month, per child; part-time students may qualify for $40 to $60 per week. Part-time students may qualify for grants up to $1,200 per year.
Students pursuing a master's degree in the social sciences or humanities may apply for the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships Program master's scholarships. Students must be enrolled full time; be Canadian citizens or permanent residents; have achieved "first class honors" in their last two years of study; and not have completed more than 12 months of full-time study at the time the grant starts.
Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements of up to $6,000 are awarded to graduate students who are "building global linkages and international networks through the pursuit of exceptional research experiences abroad." Qualifying students can use the supplement to pay for the expenses of performing research outside of Canada for three to six months. Student research must be focused in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering or medical/health care.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships are awarded to doctoral students who "demonstrate both leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health." Both Canadian and non-Canadian students can apply. The Vanier scholarship is a maximum of $50,000 annually, for up to three years.