2024–25 Decanal Memoranda
March 10, 2025: Clarification and Support for International Graduate Applicants
Dear Graduate Chairs, Graduate Coordinators, and Graduate Administrators,
In light of additional recent changes and the introduction of new measures for international students applying for study permits in Canada, we wish to highlight some key information, advice, and supports relevant to graduate chairs, coordinators, and administrators.
Clarification Regarding New Measures on International Graduate Applicants
- As you are aware, we have communicated the new Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement for international graduate students, including those in Master’s and PhD programs. SGS continues to keep the community and applicants informed through all international applicant-facing websites and by directly emailing PAL acquisition steps with applicants throughout the offer and acceptance stages. If international students are transitioning from within graduate studies at U of T (e.g., from Master’s to PhD), they are not required to provide a PAL.
- Graduate international applicants receive their PAL from SGS after the graduate unit processes the applicant’s acceptance of the offer. Once the PAL has been received by SGS and uploaded to the applicant’s record, they are notified by email that their PAL is available for download through the GradApp status page. Applicants to the Rotman School of Management will access their PAL through the Applicant Community.
- The IRCC Portal is open and continues to accept Study Permit applications from graduate students – they should be encouraged to apply as early as possible.
- Open work permits remain available to spouses of international students in master’s programs that are 16 months or longer, selected professional programs and doctoral degree-granting programs.
Enhancing Study Permit Success: Introducing the Funding Letter for Study Permit application
- Last year, the Centre for International Experience introduced a Funding Letter for Study Permit Applications (see attached) to supplement the Letter of Admission. This letter provides detailed funding information not available in ROSI, helping support international students in their study permit applications.
- The Centre for International Experience continues to recommend the use of this letter, as it remains a valuable tool in enhancing study permit approval rates by offering greater clarity on a student’s financial package.
- The Centre for International Experience has launched an International Student Immigration Documents Reminder tool that will help our international students keep track of the expiry dates of their Canadian immigration documents and maintain valid legal status while in Canada. Please encourage students to consider the Immigration Documents Reminder tool. We hope that this tool will help limit the number of students that need to take unplanned breaks in their studies due to immigration-related issues.
We understand the critical role clear communication plays in the application process. We appreciate your collaboration and encourage you to connect with us or our CIE colleagues for further assistance or clarification.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Sincerely,
Joshua D. Barker, PhD
Dean, School of Graduate Studies
Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education
Division of the Vice-President and Provost, University of Toronto
Email: sgs.dean@utoronto.ca
February 12, 2025: Connaught International Doctoral Scholarships: Expanded to Support More Scholars
Dear Graduate Chairs, Graduate Coordinators and Graduate Administrators,
We are pleased to announce that the Connaught Fund has made an unprecedented investment in our student research trainees by increasing the International Scholarship for Doctoral Students (IDS) fund from $1.2 million to $2.5 million annually. Doctoral students are integral to the University of Toronto’s research mission, and this increased funding, following our recent announcement to raise the PhD stipend to $40,000, further supports our commitment to their success.
This prestigious admission scholarship, a top up of $10,000/year, renewable for 4-5 years, assists graduate units in recruiting and supporting top international doctoral students. This increase will double the number of entrance scholarships beginning in Fall 2025. Additionally, the School of Graduate Studies will guarantee each new Connaught IDS awardee priority access to a spot at Grad House.
Graduate students are key to our university’s success, driving cutting-edge research and innovation across all disciplines. This investment from the Connaught Fund will enable us to provide more support in the years to come. We are grateful to the Connaught committee for approving this increase, which reflects a shared commitment to enhancing the academic and financial well-being of our exceptional international graduate students.
Sincerely,
Leah Cowen, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives
Joshua Barker, Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education and Dean, School of Graduate Studies
February 5, 2025: Help us promote the CGPSS survey
Dear Graduate Chairs, Graduate Coordinators, and Graduate Administrators,
Next week, graduate students will receive an invitation to participate in the Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS). For the School of Graduate Studies, as well as individual graduate units, these survey results will inform the development of programs, curricula, research opportunities, and student services, while also allowing us to measure our impact and improvements over time.
I am hoping you can all use the departmental communication channels at your disposal to encourage graduate students to participate in this survey. For your convenience, we have put together a folder of materials – including email copy, newsletter copy, and social media images – that can be used to reach your students.
If you have any questions about promoting the survey, please don’t hesitate to reach out to cgpss@utoronto.ca.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Joshua D. Barker, PhD
Dean, School of Graduate Studies
Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education
Division of the Vice-President and Provost, University of Toronto
Email: sgs.dean@utoronto.ca
January 28, 2025: Provincial Attestation Letters: Key Updates
Dear Graduate Chairs, Graduate Coordinators, and Graduate Administrators,
Please see the below FAQs for the latest information regarding Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs) and study permits for international graduate students. International graduate students, particularly those in PhD and research-stream programs, are integral to our mission of advancing knowledge and driving discoveries. We are deeply committed to supporting their success and well-being.
We appreciate your collaboration and support. Should you or your faculty members encounter any challenges, please do not hesitate to reach out. With the expertise of our immigration advisors, we will do our utmost to provide the assistance you need.
Sincerely,
Joshua D. Barker, PhD
Dean, School of Graduate Studies
Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education
Division of the Vice-President and Provost, University of Toronto
Email: sgs.dean@utoronto.ca
FAQs – Provincial Attestation Letters
Q. How will the requirement for PALs change the graduate admissions process for international students in the current cycle?
A. International students planning to study in Canada generally require a valid study permit. As part of the study permit application, graduate students are now required to submit a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the Ontario provincial government. Students will receive a PAL from the university through GradApp after they accept an offer of admission and submit the required admission deposit for programs that require one. For additional information or support, please contact sgs.support@utoronto.ca.
Q. How will the university allocate PALs to graduate units?
A. Allocation is not necessary. The university has received sufficient PALs available to accommodate all students who accept their offer of admission to the University of Toronto. Please note, these PALs will expire on December 31, 2025.
Q. Do International Visiting Graduate Students (IVGS) require a PAL?
A. Yes. International Visiting Graduate Students have been required to obtain a PAL since January 2024. A PAL is necessary for visits exceeding six months; however, it is not required for visits of shorter duration. For detailed information on the IVGS admission process and PAL requirements, please contact sgs.international@utoronto.ca.
Q. How is the university supporting international applicants admitted to graduate studies who are facing challenges obtaining a study permit?
A. The University of Toronto is working tirelessly to facilitate processes and address delays in the issuance of study permits. If you hear from students who encounter any challenges, please contact an immigration advisor at the Centre for International Experience.
January 15, 2025: Announcing New Supports for Postdocs
Dear graduate chairs, graduate coordinators, and graduate administrators,
I am pleased to share some important news about the different funding supports for postdoctoral fellows. Please pass this information along to your faculty and staff. The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) will be sharing this information directly with our postdocs.
New Postdoctoral Fellows Professional Development Reimbursement Fund
SGS is launching the Postdoctoral Fellows Professional Development Reimbursement Fund which will provide additional financial assistance in the administration of Article 27:03 of the CUPE 3902 Unit 5 Collective Agreement. This fund supports postdoctoral fellows engaging in additional professional development (PD) activities beyond those that may be requested or required by their Principal Investigator/Supervisor, including activities that postdoctoral fellows identify to enhance their professional growth. These activities are subject to pre-approval by their Principal Investigator/Supervisor.
Postdoctoral fellows employed in the bargaining unit between March 3, 2024, and December 31, 2025, may be reimbursed for eligible PD expenses up to $500 per year of their contract.
Additionally, SGS is offering the fund to postdoctoral trainees [non-employee postdocs] at U of T to support the enhancement of professional skills and career development for all postdoctoral fellows.
Expansion of the SGS Parental Grant Program
Following the recommendations of the SGS Postdoc Working Group, the SGS Parental Grant Program has been expanded to include U of T postdoctoral trainees [non-employee postdocs] who receive their salaries through external fellowships that do not offer continued funding during a parental leave. The grant offers financial support during a parent’s approved parental leave for up to eight months; birthparents may receive funding for up to 12 months.
The value of the grant is based on the postdoc trainee’s current fellowship up to 100% of the monthly fellowship stipend, to a max of $50,000 ($4,167/month) over a 12-month period.
Increase to the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PPFP)
To support graduate faculties and supervisors in offering competitive salaries to our distinguished and deserving scholars, the value of the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PPFP) will be increased to $80,000 per year, for up to two years commencing with the 2025 cohort of fellows. This increase will be in effect for the next cohort of PPFPs who will hold the award in 2025-2026.
The PPFP provides funding to graduate faculties to increase opportunities for hiring postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented groups, specifically Indigenous and Black researchers. These fellowships enable postdoctoral researchers to grow their scholarly profiles, undertake academic work at the U of T, and strengthen the research environment at the University with diverse perspectives.
Again, please share these updates with postdoctoral fellows and faculty in your graduate unit, as appropriate.
Further details about these initiatives are available on the SGS website through the above links. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the SGS Postdoctoral Office at sgs.postdoc@utoronto.ca. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Sincerely,
Joshua D. Barker, PhD
Dean, School of Graduate Studies
Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education
Division of the Vice-President and Provost, University of Toronto
Email: sgs.dean@utoronto.ca
November 12, 2024: Graduate Funding Update: Increased Support for PhD/SJD Students
Dear graduate chairs, graduate coordinators, and graduate administrators,
Earlier today, the University of Toronto announced it will be increasing the base funding commitment for all PhD/SJD students in the funded cohort to $40,000, inclusive of tuition, effective Fall 2025.
The increase to $40,000 (approximately $31,000 net of tuition) will automatically apply to all current and new PhD/SJD students in the funded cohort of their program as of Fall 2025. At this time, the graduate funding increase does not apply to other graduate degree programs or to students whose packages are already at or above $40,000.
Please forward this message to your faculty so they are aware of this update and know how to find more information.
You can read the U of T announcement and find FAQs about the funding increase on the School of Graduate Studies website. PhD/SJD students who have questions or are unsure if they will be in the funded cohort as of Fall 2025 should contact their graduate unit.
Graduate students are key to our university’s success, driving cutting-edge research and innovation across all disciplines. An increased funding package will help our programs recruit and retain the next generation of exceptional scholars in what is a highly competitive environment. It will also reduce some of the financial pressure on students and improve the overall graduate student experience.
With a projected annual cost of more than $22 million, achieving this funding increase is a heavy lift for our institution. It requires a collective effort involving faculty supervisors, faculty and graduate unit leaders, graduate students, and donors, with strong support from the University’s senior leadership. As we have worked together to bring this initiative to fruition, individuals from across this spectrum have shown again and again their willingness to do what it takes to meet this goal. I am grateful to be part of a community where the shared commitment to graduate research and education is so demonstrably strong.
Sincerely,
Joshua D. Barker, PhD
Dean, School of Graduate Studies
Vice-Provost, Graduate Research & Education
Division of the Vice-President and Provost, University of Toronto
Email: sgs.dean@utoronto.ca