This section includes a wide range of the funds that are available to members. Some are unit specific, some are related to our lives as workers, others apply to our student selves. There are funds with rolling (ongoing) deadlines, others thrice annually, others annually.
For an overview of all the kinds of benefits, funds, and leaves click here
Funds are listed alphabetically. For each, the following is provided
If you're looking for the fund that helps you cover some of the costs associated with attending conferences to present your work, you want the Professional Development Fund (see below)
Child Care Fund (All Units): click here (links to another page)
Conference Travel Fund (Unit 2)
Extended Health Benefits Fund: click here (links to another page)
Kilometrage Allowance (All Units)
Graduate Assistant Bursary Fund (Unit 3)
Graduate Student Bursary Fund (Unit 1)
Masters Bursary Fund (Unit 1)
PhD Completion Fund (Unit 1)
Professional Development Fund (All Units)
Professional Expense Allowance (Reimbursement) (Unit 2)
Research Costs Fund (Unit 1)
Research Grants Fund (Unit 2)
Research Leave (Unit 2)
Teaching Development Fund (Unit 2)
Thesis Allowance (Unit 1)
Transfund (All Units): click here (links to another page)
Tuition Costs Fund (Unit 1)
Tuition Costs Fund (Unit 2)
Tuition Reimbursement (Unit 2)
Tuition Waiver (Unit 2)
UHIP Fund (Units 1 and 3, International Students only)
Ways and Means Fund (All Units): click here (links to another page)
Conference Travel Fund
Work / Academic related: Yes
Eligibility: Unit 2
Deadline: October 1, March 1 and June 1
Apply to: Faculty Relations, click here for the application form
Overview:A total of $85,000 per year to support the attendance of scholarly/ professional/artistic conferences. While the June round will only defray travel costs, the other two rounds will also provide money towards accommodation (normally $150/night) and other expenses (normally $100 in total). Applicants will normally only receive up to one grant per year.
Kilometrage Allowance
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: All Units
Deadline: Ongoing applications
Apply to: Ask the department that requires you to travel for the paperwork.
Overview: Travel costs will be reimbursed when member must travel to place of work other than campus where they normally work when these costs are in excess of that member’s normal travel costs. Car expenditures will be reimbursed at 45 cents/km.
Graduate Assistant Bursary Fund
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Unit 3
Deadline: August 31
Apply to: FGS. Contact them at 416 736 2100 x33954 or by email: gsawards@yorku.ca
Overview: Deadline: April 15. Apply through FGS. A fund of $275,000 to be distributed according to need as summer funding for Unit 3 members.
Graduate Student Bursary Fund
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Unit 1
Deadline: Same deadline as Fall/Winter FGS tuition-fee bursary
Apply to: FGS. Contact them at 416 736 2100 x33954 or by email: gsawards@yorku.ca
Overview: A fund of $185,000 distributed on basis of need, especially prioritizing international students who pay UHIP, single parents with child care expenses, and who incur large, uncovered medical expenses.
Masters Bursary Fund
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Unit 1
Deadline: Same deadline as the Summer FGS Bursary
Apply to: FGS. Contact them at 416 736 2100 x33954 or by email: gsawards@yorku.ca
Overview:A fund of $107,000, distributed on or after June 15th to assist members in the summer who do not have other sources of funding (excluding bursaries). First priority is for members who will be returning to masters program in fall, second priority is for those who will be entering PhD in fall.
PhD Completion Fund
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Unit 1
Deadline: Same deadline as the Summer FGS Bursary
Apply to: FGS. Contact them at 416 736 2100 x33954 or by email: gsawards@yorku.ca
Overview: A $100, 000 fund, distributed on or after June 15th on a basis of need to members who have no funding in the last term of their PhD studies
Professional Development Fund
Work / Academic related: Yes
Eligibility: All Units
Deadline: January 10th, June 10th and September 10th
Apply to: CUPE 3903, click here for the application form
Overview: A total of $100,000 is allocated for purposes such as assisting new employees (priority to those within first two years of employment) develop professional competence and ability, to assist employees in upgrading professional qualifications, and to help cover some of the expenses associated with presenting at conferences (airfare, hotels and such). The PDF does not cover capital costs such as equipment, software, stationary, and books, but does cover conference funding, professional development such as fees for courses/programmes/workshops.
Note: This is not the same as the Graduate Development Fund, provided through FGS, which is open to all graduate students (regardless of CUPE3903 membership)
Professional Expense Reimbursement
Work / Academic related: Yes
Eligibility: Unit 2
Deadline: Ongoing
Apply to: Faculty Relations, click here for the application form
Overview: Contract faculty members have this allowance to use towards professional development. These expenses include but are not limited to books, software, and dues for professional organizations. Members receive an allotment of $325 for each type 1 or equivalent position (to a maximum of $975 per year). These allotments roll over into the next year for up to 3 years per allotment. For example, a member who has never drawn from their PEA and is in their fourth year of working as a course director will have only the funds from year 2, 3, and 4 still available. The funds from their first year would in effect have expired. See the guidelines for further details.
Research Costs Fund
Work / Academic related: Yes
Eligibility: Unit 1
Deadline: early October and early March (Please double check with FGS. In Spring 2011 FGS indicated to some students this would be the only deadline for 2011, although in February 2012 the FGS website still says there are two annual deadlines)
Apply to: FGS via their website, click here for the application form
Overview:From a fund of $60,000, applicants can receive up to $1,500 each per year. This fund is run on a department-by-department basis (take the application to your department's Graduate Secretary) so exact deadlines vary. See your department for specific details, but departments must report to FGS by end of the second week of October and end of the second week of March, so the deadlines are usually just before this point.
Note: This is not the same as the Fieldwork Cost Fund, provided through FGS, which is open to all graduate students (regardless of CUPE3903 membership)
Research Grants Fund
Work / Academic related: Yes
Eligibility: Unit 2
Deadline: March 1 and October 1
Apply to: Faculty Relations, click here for the application form
Overview: From a fund of $165,000, members may receive funds once per year. Minor Grants of up to $8000 are available at either deadline; Major Grants equal in value to the salary rate of one course directorship plus one applicable prior experience credit are available only in spring round.
Research Leave
Work / Academic related: Yes
Eligibility: Unit 2
Deadline / Apply to: For more information contact Unit 2 & 3 members contact Raj Virk, Staff Representative at rvirk66@gmail.com or 416-736-5154 x5 or 416-736-2100 x20998
Overview: Eligible Unit 2 members receive a letter in March informing them of eligibility and the application process. Applications are usually due in mid to late April.
Teaching Development Fund
Work / Academic related: Yes
Eligibility: Unit 2
Deadline: February 1 (extended to March 1 for the 2014 year only)
Apply to: CUPE 3903, click here for the application form
Overview: To assist in the development of a new program of study, new courses and teaching materials, and teaching skills. Five minor teaching development grants of $1,000 will be provided, as well as two major grants of the same value as the salary of one course directorship. Only those contract faculty who have held at least one Type 1 or equivalent position in each of the two years prior to the start of this contract year will be eligible for the major grants. Adjudicated by 3903 and the The Teaching Commons @ York .
Thesis Allowance
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Unit 1
Deadline: Ongoing
Apply to: FGS, the application form is available here
Overview:This fund offsets costs of producing the final form (printing and binding) of an MRP ($200), Master’s Thesis ($300), or Doctoral Dissertation ($400). Allowable expenses include but are not limited to photocopying, binding for two copies, and certain expenses related to the production of other media such as CD-ROMs. A full list of what is and is not covered is available on the application form, which is downloadable here.
Tuition Costs Fund
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Unit 1 & Unit 2
Deadline: August 31.
Apply to: CUPE 3903, click here for the application form
Overview:$10,000 of the Professional Development Fund is allocated each year to offset tuition costs for courses / programs / conferences related to members’ employment. Regular Graduate Student fees at York are not covered by this fund.
Tuition Reimbursement
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Unit 2
Deadline / Apply to: For more information contact Unit 2 & 3 members contact Raj Virk, Staff Representative at rvirk66@gmail.com or 416-736-5154 x5 or 416-736-2100 x20998
Overview: Provides a full tuition waiver for dependents or spouses (including common-law and same-sex partners) of contract faculty memberswho have held an average of 2.5 full course equivalents per year for three years.
Tuition Waiver
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Unit 2
Deadline / Apply to: For more information contact Unit 2 & 3 members contact Raj Virk, Staff Representative at rvirk66@gmail.com or 416-736-5154 x5 or 416-736-2100 x20998
Overview: Contract faculty members who have held at least three Type 1 positions or equivalent in the last three years, including at least one in the last year, will receive a tuition fee waiver for any undergraduate or graduate program for which they are admitted. This will be limited to part-time fee levels. (Note: enrolling full-time would make the worker a Unit 1 member).
UHIP Fund
Work / Academic related: No
Eligibility: Units 1 and 3, International Students only
Deadline: No application process
Apply to: No application process
Overview: No need for application, however, if you are not listed as UHIP by early October then you will need to contact FGS and inform them of your status as recently enrolled. A total of $77,000, distributed evenly amongst International Students who use UHIP.
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All possible efforts are made to ensure this information is up to date. If you have questions about a particular fund, please contact
Unit 1 members: Mohan Mishra, Staff Representative
mohan3903@gmail.com 416-736-5154 x4 or 416-736-2100 x66343
Unit 2 & 3 members: Raj Virk, Staff Representative
rvirk66@gmail.com 416-736-5154 x5 or 416-736-2100 x20998
If you notice incorrect information, please email cupe3903communicationsofficer@members.cupe.ca