All students accepted into graduate programs within AgBio receive financial support from their supervisor's research funds and/or scholarships. Funding amount and duration varies; more information about typical funding within each department can be found in the respective graduate student handbooks.

Prospective students are encouraged to discuss funding with their potential supervisors. Scholarships and awards are available through the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and through various external funding agencies or industry partnerships.

Minimum funding levels

All students registered in thesis-based graduate programs within departments in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources receive a minimum level of funding at the beginning of their programs. Students are also eligible to receive other funding (e.g. scholarships and employment) in addition to these levels.

The minimum funding levels are as follows:

Minimum* level of financial support for students in a thesis-based Master’s program
Two years of funding at $22,500/year

Minimum* level of financial support for students in a Doctoral program
Four years of funding at $26,000/year

* This is a college-level minimum duration and annual funding level. The department-specific minimum levels may be greater than these. For more information consult the department graduate student handbooks.

Questions about the minimum levels of funding and durations can be directed to Danielle Baron, manager research and graduate studies: danielle.baron@usask.ca.

Academic scholarships

The College of Agriculture and Bioresources administers some graduate level awards. Graduate students can apply for college-administered scholarships by filling out our online graduate awards application available in May each year. Please read all questions carefully and answer as accurately as possible.  For these scholarships, note that students are no longer required to submit unofficial transcripts or letters of support from their supervisors.

Questions pertaining to graduate awards and bursaries can be directed to Danielle Baron, manager research and graduate studies: danielle.baron@usask.ca

The College of Agriculture and Bioresources application portal for graduate student scholarships and bursaries opens annually in May. This application is required to be considered for any Department-specific awards as well as College-based awards.

The below awards require a separate application and supporting documents:

  • Dr. Alfred E. Slinkard Scholarship: Open to full-time M.Sc and Ph.D. students at USask who are conducting thesis research in the area of pulse crop research. Determination of eligible research areas will be made by the Award Committee and will include but are not limited to faculty supervisors in the areas of Arts and Science, Agriculture and Bioresources, Nutrition, or Engineering. This award is renewable. In order to be eligible, recipients must not hold any other major awards or scholarships. This award is sponsored by the Saskatchewan Pulse Crop Development Board. 
  • Gopalan Selvaraj Innovation Scholarship for Graduate Studies in Plant Sciences: Open to full-time M.Sc and Ph.D. students in the Department of Plant Sciences conducting innovative research related to a significant challenge facing society. Preference will be given to Indigenous candidates with suitable research projects. 

Education Enhancement Fund

Education Enhancement Grants are available to assist students who wish to participate in worthwhile educational experiences. Activities may include, but are not limited to: conference registration or travel; travel to other locations for course work or experiential learning purposes; costs incurred as part of team projects or special topics courses; academic exchanges with other institutions.

Graduate parental leave

This program aims to support the graduate students in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources who become new parents. Challenges associated with balancing the demands of caring for a new child while enrolled in a graduate program are acknowledged. The program is intended to allow students to more easily balance the demands of early parenthood and their graduate program.

  1. Eligible applicants will include College of Agriculture and Bioresources graduate students in the following thesis-based programs who are becoming new parents by either birth or adoption: Agriculture Economics, Applied Economics (supervisor must be in AgBio), Animal and Poultry Science, Food Science, Applied Microbiology, Plant Sciences, Soil Science.

  2. Each applicant must be in good standing and making satisfactory progress toward the completion of their degree for at least two terms (8 months) prior to the start of the leave.

  3. Master's students may apply within months 9-20 of their program and PhD students within months 9-56 of their program.

  4. Each applicant must have been granted a parental leave by the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS).

  5. Graduate students enrolled in the Plant Sciences Dual PhD program with United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences (Japan) whose home institution is listed as the University of Saskatchewan may apply.

  6. Applicants must intend to return to full-time studies following the leave.

  7. Students who are eligible to receive financial support from other sources while on leave (e.g., parental funding from Tri-Council scholarships, Tri-Council research funds, employment insurance, etc.) are not eligible to receive funding from this program.

The available funding for this leave is $1,500 per month for 4 months. Students are permitted to take one (1) leave per graduate program per child.

Applications must be submitted a minimum of four (4) weeks prior to the anticipated start of the leave.

Students apply by submitting a copy of the approved CGPS Graduate Student Leave of Absence form to the Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies), College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

Once the request is submitted, it will be reviewed by the Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies). Following approval, the student, their academic supervisor and the departmental graduate chair will be notified of the decision via e-mail.

Questions can be directed to Danielle Baron at danielle.baron@usask.ca.