Graduate Student Parental Leave Bursary

The Graduate Student Parental Leave Bursary provides limited funding for up to eight months (two terms) to eligible graduate students who take a parental leave, including adoption. The goal of this bursary is to maintain a student's income at approximately 95% of the average level of income received during the three previous academic terms, net tuition. The maximum value is $5,000 for the first term and $3,000 for the second term, totaling up to $8,000. To be eligible, students must be full or part-time graduate students with no outstanding fees who have been registered for at least one academic term prior to the start of the leave. They must also be receiving financial support such as TA, RA, scholarship, bursary, or awards, and must be taking a parental leave. Recipients are restricted from employment in any capacity within the University of Waterloo during the term(s) of their bursary. Applications require a completed Graduate Student Parental Leave Bursary Application form with required documentation, submitted to Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) normally two months prior to the start of the leave. The bursary is open to both Canadian/permanent resident and international/study permit students at the masters and doctoral levels across any program.