Funding & awards
While Concordia offers among the most affordable tuition fees in North America, we recognize the financial burden graduate studies can place on students. Estimate your tuition costs here.
Below you'll find a list of internal and external funding opportunities available to MFA Program students, most often on a competitive basis.
Awards, bursaries & fellowships
Upon entry to the MFA Program, students are automatically considered for a number of merit-based bursaries, awards and fellowships. The amount of funding available varies from year to year and is awarded by the program based on portfolio strength, academic achievement and other eligibility requirements specified by the funding source. Some of these opportunities may include:
- Graduate Studio Art Advisory Committee (GSAAC)
- Harriet and Abe Gold Entrance Bursaries
- Roloff Beny Foundation Fellowship in Photography
- Concordia University Graduate Fellowships
- France and André Desmarais Graduate Fellowship
- J.W. McConnell Memorial Graduate Fellowships
- Dora and Avi Morrow Fellowship for Excellent Achievement in Visual Arts
- Power Corporation of Canada Graduate Fellowship
- Dale and Nick Tedeschi Studio Arts Fellowships
- International Student Tuition Fee Remission Awards
Teaching assistantships
Currently, each admitted MFA student is automatically guaranteed a Teaching Assistantship in their first and second year of study. In the 2023/24 academic year, first-year students received a one-semester TAship, and second-year students received a two-semester TAship.
Research assistantships
In addition to Teaching Assistantships, you may have the opportunity to work as a paid Research Assistant to some of the leading artist researchers within our faculty. Research Assistants are arranged by individual faculty members.
Application-based opportunities
Provincial and federal funding
The Quebec and Canadian governments offer a number of competitive graduate scholarships. We encourage prospective students to apply for these awards at the same time as application to the MFA Program.
Please visit the School of Graduate Studies for further information related to:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
- Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la societé et culture (FQRSC Master’s)
Jorisch Family Artist Residency
This award, announced in 2016, funds a 4-week residency for an outstanding graduate student in the visual arts in the Amalie Redlich Tower of the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg, Austria. The Jorisch Family Artist Residency is open to full-time graduate students in the Faculty of Fine Arts with a studio-based research-creation practice. The annual call is circulated in November each year.
Faculty of Fine Arts travel funds
The annual call for FOFA Travel Funds is circulated to MFA students during the winter semester for research or dissemination activities that fall between September-August each year.
Graduate Mobility Awards
The Graduate Student Mobility Award aims to provide Concordia graduate students with financial assistance for studying or conducting research projects / field work abroad as part of their degree programs.
Brucebo Fine Art Foundation Scholarships
Since 1972, the Brucebo Fine Art Scholarship Foundation of Gotland, Sweden has offered a fine art residency/scholarship to a talented emerging professional Canadian artist providing an inspiring study/work stay in northern Europe on the island of Gotland, located in the Baltic Sea.
The Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Fellowship in Contemporary Art
*Graduating students only
In the third year of study, full-time Studio Arts MFA students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents may apply for the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Fellowship in Contemporary Art. This is a two-year, non-renewable fellowship that provides support towards living and studio costs including a research travel allowance and financial support of production materials. Award recipients will be provided with the opportunity to teach one course and give one public lecture at Concordia University during the fellowship.
For additional information on graduate funding:
Visit the School of Graduate Studies website