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. Examples of donor awards can be found on the School of Graduate Studies Donor Awards page.
Employment Opportunities
Teaching Assistantships
Each admitted MFA student is automatically considered for Teaching Assistantship opportunities in their first or second year of study.
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.
Work-Study Program
The Work-study program helps fund part-time jobs on campus for students who are in financial need.
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 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.
Brucebo Fine Art Foundation scholarships
Since 1972, the Brucebo Fine Art Scholarship Foundation of Gotland, Sweden has offered a fine art residency 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. Read more about the Brucebo Scholarship.
The Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Fellowship in Contemporary Art
*Graduating students only
In the final 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.
Travel Awards
Concordia University Conference and Exposition Award
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.
Quebec Mobility Bursary - Study outside of Quebec for 1 or 2 semesters, including independent study abroad, unpaid internships, and research projects completed for credit
MITACS - provides support for graduate students, with a focus on internships and research travel funding
For additional information on graduate funding:
Visit the School of Graduate Studies