Funding Overview
All students admitted to the Botany Graduate Program are guaranteed a minimum level of financial support. Graduate student stipends are derived from a combination of Teaching Assistantships (TA), Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA), and awards/scholarships. MSc students are supported for a minimum of 2 years and PhD students are supported for a minimum of 4 years. Please see chart below:
BOTANY GRAD STUDENT FUNDING 2025-2026
Ph.D. Domestic | Take Home Stipend | Tuition & Fees | Total Funding | |
| Years 1-4 | 30,000 | 1,600 | 31,600 | |
| Years 5 and up | 30,000 | 4,171 | 34,171 | |
| Ph.D. International | Years 1-4 | 30,000 | 1,600 | 31,600 |
| Years 5 and up | 30,000 | 8,284 | 38,284 | |
M.Sc Domestic | Take Home Stipend | Tuition & Fees | Total Funding | |
| Years 1 | 27,000 | 1,600 | 28,600 | |
| Years 2 | 27,000 | 7,227 | 34,227 | |
| Years 3 and up | 27,000 | 4,171 | 31,171 | |
| M.Sc International | Years 1 | 27,000 | 2,658 | 29,658 |
| Years 2 and up | 27,000 | 8,284 | 35,284 |
Note:
- All financial support is subject to satisfactory performance and annual review
- PhD students receive tuition waiver for first 4 years of PhD studies
- MSc students receive in Year 1 the Faculty of Science Tuition Award of $5,626.02
- Students are advised to discuss their funding with their supervisor
- when they approach their 5th year in the PhD program
- when they approach their 3rd year in the MSc program
Teaching Assistantships (TA’s) / Research Assistantships (RA’s)
Students admitted to Graduate Studies in Botany who do not have a scholarship or fellowship are normally supported financially, subject to maintaining satisfactory academic standing and/or progress in research, by a graduate teaching assistantship plus a graduate research assistantship. In 2024-2025, a full TA stipend is $15,420.32 for GTA I TAs and $14,842.64 for GTA II TAs.
The balance of a student’s stipend is generally made up as a Research Assistantship from the supervisor.
The UBC Biology Website has more information on the TA program.
During a graduate career in the Botany Department, most students have occasion to apply for scholarships and other sources of funding. Competition for these limited funds is intense and various criteria contribute to your overall ability to win these awards. The most important criteria are (i) academic excellence (based on grades and letters of reference) and (ii) research ability or potential (this means primary research articles published in good national or international journals, presentations at conferences etc.). The other criteria include (iii) your oral and written communication ability, and (iv) interpersonal and leadership abilities.
Scholarships and Awards
PhD Tuition Award
Faculty of Science is currently using the Graduate Support Initiative funds to cover tuition fees for students in their first four years of their PhD program. To be considered, tuition must not be funded from other sources.
MSc Tuition Award
MSc students in Botany will receive in Year 1 the Faculty of Science Tuition Award that is equal to the value of domestic tuition. Please note that this award is revisited yearly and is subject to change.
International Tuition Award
The value of the award is up to $3,200 per year. International students must be registered full-time in a research-based master’s or doctoral program at UBC Vancouver. For further details regarding eligibility and application procedures, visit: grad.ubc.ca/awards/international-tuition-award
G+PS Graduate Student Travel and Research Dissemination Fund
The value of the funding support is $500 per degree program.
Canada Graduate Research Scholarships (CGRS)
Students who are eligible for Canada Graduate Research Scholarship funding should apply. The doctoral competition occurs during September and the master’s competition during December of each year. Please contact the Department of Botany for the departmental application deadlines.
Affiliated Fellowships Master’s Program
These are available to incoming Master’s students and registered full-time UBC graduate students. For more information, check out G+PS Affiliated Fellowship Master’s Program.
Please note that students applying for Canada Graduate Research Scholarships-Master’s (CGRS M) will automatically be entered in the Affiliated Fellowships competition; students need only complete the CGRS M application.
Affiliated Fellowships competitions run concurrently each year with the CGRS M competition. Please contact the Department of Botany for the departmental application deadlines.
Four Year Fellowships
The department offers a small number of four year fellowships each year to outstanding first year domestic or international PhD students. There is no separate application form for the Four Year Fellowships; they are awarded based on the information in the application for admission to the program.
Jonathan Page Fellowship in Botany
A $30,000 fellowship has been made available annually through a gift from the Ngan Page Family Fund, a charitable fund established by Jonathan Page (B.Sc. 1991, Ph.D. 1998), for an outstanding graduate student in the Department of Botany. Preference will be given to a student whose research focuses on plant biochemistry or metabolism. Jonathan studied under the eminent UBC Botany Professor Neil Towers, which influenced his career path. He has focused his research on the biochemistry of medicinal plants and is internationally recognized for his work on the cannabis plant. Jonathan co-founded Anandia Labs, a leading cannabis science company that was acquired by Aurora Cannabis in 2018. The fellowship is made on the recommendation of the Department of Botany, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
Read about recent fellowship recipient Elizabeth Mahon
Please contact the Department of Botany for the application deadline.
Kay Earle Memorial Botany Fund Fellowships
Support for graduate student stipends
The Kay Earle Memorial Botany Fund was established in November 2019 to support Botany graduate students researching the use of plants to improve the environment in the areas of ecosystem services and crop improvement. This endowment fund will be used to support an annual competition in the Botany department. Students entering the competition must submit applications through a faculty member in order to be eligible. The Botany committee will review applications, and at its discretion select the successful recipients.
The Kay Earle Fellowships proposals are adjudicated through the Botany Scholarships committee’s graduate award competition, along with NSERC graduate fellowships, four-year fellowships, and affiliated fellowships.
Dewar-Cooper Fellowships
Support for graduate student stipends
In 2009, the estate of William Dewar-Cooper endowed the Dewar-Cooper fund in Botany.
“ for the support of chemical/genetic research involving nucleic acids studies with plants, plant viruses and related masked strains …” This endowment fund is used to support an annual competition in the Botany department. Students entering the competition must submit applications through a faculty member in order to be eligible. The Botany committee will review applications, and at its discretion select the successful recipients.
The Dewar-Cooper Fellowships proposals are adjudicated through the Botany Scholarships committee’s graduate award competition, along with NSERC graduate fellowships, four-year fellowships, and affiliated fellowships.
Read about recent fellowship recipient Yujun Peng
Other Award Funding Opportunities:
Indigenous Graduate Fellowships (Deadline: likely in March)
Wall Research Award (Deadline: likely in March)
Spring Graduate Awards (Deadline: likely in May)
Explore also G+PS Scholarships, Awards, & Funding.