How do I fund my SLAIS program?
Paying for your program is an important consideration when planning to attend graduate school. Scholarships and awards provide support for those with high academic achievement. Some turn to student loans, relying on future employment earnings to pay back the loan. Many - even most - SLAIS students opt for part-time work while studying, allowing them to develop professional skills and connections at the same time they are earning money.
Financial support for SLAIS students is available in a number of ways:
1. Scholarships & Awards
SLAIS provides merit-based funding to students in four different categories:
- Graduate Support Initiative (GSI) Awards
- Entrance scholarships
- Continuing awards
- Graduating awards and prizes
These awards are available to all students – Canadian citizens, permanent residents and international students.
In addition, SLAIS has compiled an extensive list of external awards and scholarships specifically for students of archival studies, library & information studies, or children’s literature. Some of these have specific requirements for eligibility. See External Awards in the list below.
Graduate Support Initiative (GSI) Awards Program: The University of British Columbia provides financial support to top-ranked graduate students in the form of the Graduate Support Initiative (GSI) Awards Program – details of which can be found at http://www.grad.ubc.ca/awards/graduate-support-initiative-gsi-awards. GSI funds are allocated to SLAIS by the Faculty of Arts and are then awarded to students following these criteria:
Eligibility: GSI funding is available to domestic and international incoming doctoral and master’s students in all SLAIS Programs.
Selection Criteria: The first priority in allocation of the GSI funds is for recruitment of the best and most promising incoming students at the Ph.D. and master’s level. Incoming GPA for all post-secondary education, letters of reference and research interests will be considered in determining allocation of funds.
Procedures: All incoming students are automatically considered for GSI awards by a SLAIS Graduate Awards Committee. Applicants/students do not need to apply for the GSI Awards.
Entrance Scholarships: Once the final cohort has been determined (that is, all offers have been accepted or declined), all incoming students are considered for these entrance scholarships. While many are merit-based scholarships, some are presented based on promise of success or other factors. For a list of these scholarships, see http://www.slais.ubc.ca/admissions/admissions-awards.htm
Continuing Awards: Several awards are presented to continuing students. This provides financial support during the course of the program of study, and recognizes outstanding achievements and scholarship.
Graduating Awards & Prizes: Several awards are presented to students upon graduation. The majority of these are merit-based, celebrating scholarship and outstanding academic achievement.
External awards: SLAIS has compiled an extensive list of awards and scholarships for graduate students in the MAS, MLIS, Dual MAS/MLIS, MACL and PhD programs. The resource can be downloaded here as a PDF document. It is updated twice a year. Additionally, Aboriginal students (those of First Nations, Metis or Inuit heritage, and for some awards, American native heritage) should consult this list of scholarships and awards.
2. Needs-based Funding (loans)
Government assistance in the form of interest-free or low-interest loans (and sometimes grants) is available to nearly all graduate students. Where you apply depends on your “province of residency.” To determine your province of residency, see http://www.students.ubc.ca/finance/loans.cfm?page=residency
If you are from British Columbia, you can apply for financial aid from the BC Ministry of Advanced Education. See http://www.students.ubc.ca/finance/loans.cfm?page=bcsap for details.
If you are from another province or territory in Canada, you should explore the financial aid for post-secondary students offered by your provincial or territorial government. For a list of such programs, see http://www.students.ubc.ca/finance/loans.cfm?page=oop
If you are from the United States, you may apply for assistance through the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Note: Application procedures are different if you are attending UBC. For details, see http://www.students.ubc.ca/finance/loans.cfm?page=us&view=graduate
Other international students are expected to have sufficient resources to support themselves, under the terms of the study permit, so there are no loans or bursaries available. Merit-based funding (scholarships and awards) are available to all students, including international students on a study permit.
The University of British Columbia provides emergency financial assistance when all other resources are exhausted. The loan is repayable (typically within 12 months), and application includes making an appointment with a financial advisor. For information, visit http://www.students.ubc.ca/finance/loans.cfm?page=other.
3. Part-time Employment
There are several opportunities to earn money by working while studying at SLAIS. Full-time students are encouraged to limit their work to 10 to 12 hours a week.
There are a number of employment opportunities typically available to SLAIS students, both on campus and off. Rates of pay vary wildly, but the majority of hosts offer rates between $16 and $20 per hour.
SLAIS provides a work placement blog for students, to alert them to job opportunities on campus, off-campus, part-time, summer employment, as well as employment postings for new graduates. The SLAIS News blog is at http://slais.wordpress.com. You may set up an RSS feed from this blog to ensure you don't miss any opportunities.
On-campus employment
With the exception of work-study, these jobs are open to all SLAIS students. The study visa for international students allows on-campus employment. To explore some of the current on-campus opportunities, visit http://www.students.ubc.ca/careers/, and select Browse Listings. You’ll need to create an account (free) using your student number. Jobs related to SLAIS degrees are posted to the blog; if you are seeking other employment, such as waiting or bartending, be sure to check the jobs at Career Services regularly.
Graduate Academic Assistantships: You can apply to work in the UBC Libraries or the University Archives, or for special projects such as the Digital Media Interns who work at the Barber Centre. The UBC Libraries hire 40 to 50 SLAIS students annually for these positions.
Work-Study: This is a program subsidized by UBC in which students can earn money doing work related to their studies. Don't confuse this with co-op (see above). Unlike co-op, the work-study jobs are limited to 12 hours a week, and must be done in conjunction with your studies. Also unlike co-op, only Canadians and permanent residents may be employed in work-study situations. The University Archives hires most of its students under this scheme. For information, visit http://www.careers.ubc.ca/opportunities.cfm?page=workstudy.
Research Assistantships: SLAIS professors have been successful in obtaining significant research funding in order to add to the body of knowledge in our professions. These projects typically include tasks and activities that can be done by paid student researchers. Generally, professors will put out a call for RAs, or will mention the project in a class that specifically addresses the skills they are looking for. Otherwise, if you hear about a project, ask the relevant professor.
Contract jobs: Other academic units, campus organizations, professors and others occasionally post short-term contract jobs for students. These can be as short as a few hours to as long as a term or even two.
Off-campus employment
These jobs are available to those who are legally entitled to work in Canada. If you are an international student, you will need to apply for a change to your study visa. This is generally not a difficult or onerous procedure.
Student librarians: Several public libraries in the Vancouver area hire student librarians. MACL students are also candidates for some positions that involve literature-specific programs, such as the Book Camp.
Student archivists: Local municipal archives (such as Richmond and Vancouver) occasionally hire students when funding is available, or through co-op. Many non-profit and public sector organizations post summer student positions as well.
Contract jobs: Corporations and non-profit organizations frequently ask SLAIS staff to post short-term contract jobs for students. These can be as short as a few days to as long as an academic year or longer.
If you would like more information about these opportunities, contact SLAIS student services coordinator Michelle Mallette at michelle.mallette@ubc.ca or 604-822-2461.
