International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA)

An International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA) will be provided automatically to eligible students who are registered full-time in a doctoral program at the University of Waterloo. The award value and duration varies depending on the number of terms the student has been enrolled in a program; whether or not they were admitted from a master's degree, a bachelor's degree or transferred from a master's to a PhD2, PhD3 or PhD3Y1; and the number of terms in which the student has previously received the award. The value of a full IDSA/IDSA4 is approximate to the difference in tuition between full-time domestic PhD and full-time international PhD students. Eligible international students registered full-time in a doctoral program (PhD2) and who were admitted from a master's degree will receive an IDSA valued at $5,140 per term to the end of the third year of the doctoral program (term 9.0). In year 4 (terms 10.0 to 12.0), the qualified student will receive an IDSA4 funded partially from the University/Faculty and partially from the department/supervisor. All eligible students who transferred from a master's program to a doctoral program (PhD3) in term 4.0 will receive an IDSA valued at $5,140 from terms 4.0 to 12.0 and will receive an extension of the IDSA at the IMAE fixed value of $2,500 per term for terms 13.0 and 14.0. Students who were admitted directly from a bachelor's degree to a doctoral program (PhD3Y1) will receive an IDSA at the IMAE fixed value of $2,500 per term for terms 1.0 to 3.0 and terms 13.0 to 14.0, and $5,140 per term for terms 4.0 to 12.0. International students with a valid Canadian study permit who are registered full-time in a PhD program and assessed international tuition are automatically considered for this award. Recipients must meet the academic progress requirements of the program and are automatically determined by Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA).