As part of McMaster University’s efforts to support forcibly displaced students around the world, applications to the Students at Risk Bursary (SARB) are now open to incoming, eligible McMaster students who can demonstrate financial need.

The SARB, established in March 2022, is supported by a $200,000 fund allocated to sponsoring and supporting forcibly displaced, including refugee, undergraduate and graduate students. The bursary will support McMaster students forcibly displaced due to armed conflict, persecution, terrorism, human rights violations, the adverse effects of climate change, natural disasters, or a combination of these factors.

“This bursary in an important addition to McMaster’s existing global engagement and student support programs,” says Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Susan Tighe. “It is designed to provide incoming students working to continue their studies with wraparound supports that can include assistance with living expenses, communications technology and tuition so they can stay focused on their academic pursuits.”

Incoming graduate and undergraduate students can start the application process through the Office of the Registrar website. Recipients must have applied to and received an offer of admission to an undergraduate or graduate program at McMaster University.

The student bursary is part of a wider initiative in which McMaster’s six Faculties and the Office of the Provost collectively pledged $800,000 to support forcibly displaced students, scholars and researchers. The remaining $600,000 supports McMaster faculty, departments and research centres to employ scholars, researchers and lecturers at risk, remotely and locally.

To build on contributions from the Office of the Provost and McMaster Faculties, the university has launched a crowdfunding page so that members of the broader community can donate and support the cause.

Make a donation: McMaster program to support forcibly displaced students and scholars

The initiative was borne out of a community collaboration led by McMaster’s Committee on Students and Scholars in Crisis (CSSC) and grew from an initial conversation around specifically helping Afghan students and scholars in summer of 2021.

For the September intake period, student bursary funding allocations will be determined by May 15, 2022 for undergraduate students and June 10, 2022 for graduate students. 

Please visit the bursary web page for further information on eligibility and the application process.