Lowering tuition for international PhD students, improving research environment

McMaster is implementing a comprehensive international PhD student strategy that improves the research environment, lowers tuition and enhances the mix of funds available for students.

“There is strong demand for McMaster around the world,” says Doug Welch, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies. “This new approach allows us to continue to attract the very best international PhD students while maximizing the value and impact of research grants and research productivity.”

The new McMaster approach lowers the tuition paid by international PhD students to levels paid by domestic students. At the same time, the changes will free up funds to help invest in research group strength and activities, and to encourage collaboration with colleagues around the world.

McMaster has chosen to maximize the research environment and to further intensify Canada’s most research intensive university. The changes also provide researchers, departments and Faculties with greater flexibility and freedom when designing support packages for PhD students.

“Our goal is to continue to attract the best and brightest from around the world,” says Maureen MacDonald, Dean of Science. “This new approach will mean McMaster will continue to be a top choice for the next generation of leading researchers.”

The benefits of these changes extend beyond campus. Approximately half of international graduate students choose to become permanent residents or citizens once they complete their studies and contribute to the local, provincial and national economies.

Current international PhD students will continue to receive the same total support package in excess of tuition. The mix of scholarship and research grant contributions for those students will change for the academic year beginning this fall and students will receive their annual schedule of payments early in September.

International PhD applicants who have recently received an offer of admission will soon receive an updated letter with new details.

The new strategy will be presented for Board of Governors approval this spring.