Graduate funding
For questions about graduate funding opportunities, please contact fgsawards@athabascau.ca.
Financial aid and awards funding
You may be eligible for full- or part-time funding. AU’s Support Services website has a list of loans, awards, and grants, as well as planning tools that can help you navigate the application process.
Learn more about financial aid and awardsProspective students
Looking to start your studies? Explore our quick guide to funding options that can make your education more affordable.
View infographicCurrent students
Already studying at AU? Check out our simple guide to financial aid, awards, and scholarships to support your success.
View infographicAthabasca University awards
Athabasca University offers several awards and bursaries to our students. Awards and scholarships may use your academic achievement and other criteria. Travel awards help you present your research findings at conferences. Bursaries are based on financial need and often include similar criteria to awards and scholarships.
Effective Aug. 2024, we have implemented a new system. Students in AU programs will have better and more personalized access to awards, bursaries, and scholarships with a new student award management system.
Access the awards portal and apply todayAthabasca University Graduate Students' Association
As an AU graduate student, you may be eligible for awards, scholarships, and bursaries through the Athabasca University Graduate Students’ Association (AUGSA).
Check out AUGSA student awards and bursariesExternal, provincial, and federal funding programs
Several organizations make awards available to graduate students across Canada, including those awarded through provincial and national competitions by the federal granting agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
Browse external awardsLearn more about AU-administered external graduate funding programs below.
Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship
The Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarships support academically superior graduate students who are receiving training and conducting research in areas that are strategically important to Alberta’s economy. More informationCanada Graduate Research Scholarships – Master’s program
The objective of the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M) program is to help develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies. More informationCanada Graduate Research Scholarships – Doctoral program
The Canada Graduate Research Scholarship — Doctoral (CGRS D) program recognizes and supports the next generation of outstanding innovators, knowledge workers, creative thinkers and researchers. By providing support for a high-quality research training experience to awardees, the program strives to foster impacts within and beyond the research environment. More informationUpdated August 29, 2025 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)