Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Our frequently asked questions list will help with most of your scholarships and awards questions. If you have any other questions that are not addressed on our Scholarships and Awards website, please email gradstudies-mgr-awards@sfu.ca.

Please note: We are unable to provide one-on-one advising services in the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

 What is the status of my scholarship/award?*

  • Log onto the Student Information System using your SFU student ID: https://go.sfu.ca/
  • In “Student Center”under the blue bar called “Finances”, look for “Financial Aid” (left hand side);
    click on “Student Aid and Award Profile”.
  • From the blue tabs at the top of the page click on “FA Term Selection Detail”;
    click on the tab that says “view term details.”
  • The Summer 2011 term is listed as 1114 and the Fall 2011 term is listed as 1117
  • Description of the codes you will see:

    A-Listed- You have been recommended for an award;
Accepted—we have received your acceptance notice;
Posted—Your award is ready to be disbursed;
Disbursed—Your award is transferred to your student account, please see below for when you can expect to be paid once this status is showing. 

Please click on the questions below to view the answers.

When will I be paid?
Refer to the link for the 2011-2012 Award Payment Schedule: Awards Paid through Student Accounts. Please read through all of the information carefully.

If I am asked to submit an official transcript from another post-secondary institution with my application for an award, how do I order one?
You must contact the other institution directly, and make arrangements to have the transcript delivered. It must be submitted in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution to your department at SFU, where the envelope will be opened and the transcript added to your award application.

 

I want to return my Acceptance Form. How do I get it to your office?
By fax (778-782-3080), scanned signed attachment (grad-awards@sfu.ca), or by snail mail (Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC Canada V5A 1S6). We also accept courier envelopes but you must pay the courier fee (same street address above).

 

How will I know that you have received my signed Acceptance Form for a graduate award?
We do not acknowledge receipt of individually submitted Acceptance Forms due to the volume we receive. If you are offered a graduate award and have accepted it, the SIMS application status will change to Accepted as our office processes it.

 

I don't have a "void" cheque which is requested for the SFU Payroll process/the direct deposit process. What should I do?
Your banking institution can provide you with a form, variously called Pre-authorized Payment Instructions, Pre-Authorized Payment Service, Direct Deposit Notification, or similar name. Please complete it with the banking institution number, the transit number, and your bank account number. It must include your full name, and be signed by you. Incomplete forms will delay payment of your award.

 

Why do you require another "void" cheque for banking information when I am already on SFU Payroll?
SFU Payroll and the SFU Student Accounts are separate systems that do not share information with each other. Banking information for direct deposit of graduate awards, disbursed through SFU Student Accounts, must be entered separately into the Student Information System (SIS).

 

I am getting a graduate award. Do I have to pay my tuition and fees?

Tri-Council Award (SSHRC,NSERC, CIHR) holders (all except CIHR-Doctoral, CIHR CGS Doctoral, and NSERC IPGS) must pay tuition themselves, or pay tuition & fees via SFU Student Accounts.

All other awards are paid through SFU Student Accounts — tuition and other fees you owe the University are deducted first and then the remainder of your award is paid to you via direct deposit.

 

When do I have to be registered to receive my award?
Deadlines are listed on our Award Forms page.

 

How often will I get paid?

Tri-Council Award (SSHRC,NSERC, CIHR) holders (all except CIHR-Doctoral, CIHR CGS Doctoral, and NSERC IPGS) are paid biweekly.

All other awards are paid through SFU Student Accounts once a term.

Please refer to your Acceptance Form for the payment schedule and term of your award.

 

Am I allowed to change the term of my award (ie from Fall to Spring)?
We do not change the term of award tenability except under exceptional circumstances. The compelling reason must be submitted to your Graduate Program Chair in your department, approved by your department, and submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies office. The Dean will then review the request.

 

Do I have to pay taxes?
All scholarships and awards are non-taxable. You will receive a T4A slip, however, which you submit with your taxes to Revenue Canada.

 

I did not get the award I applied for. How do I get feedback about the quality of my application?
Please approach your department of application (where the initial ranking is done) to get information on how to improve your application next time. The office of DGS does not provide individual feedback.

 

Who is the "University Designate" at SFU to upload transcripts for NSERC and what is the process?

Ingrid Woldenga (woldenga@sfu.ca) is the University Designate, and she will require one (1) official transcript from each of your universities/colleges, etc. As the university designate for NSERC transcripts, you need to enter her name and email. In turn, she will receive an email from the NSERC system that alerts her that you are completing an NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship application. It then gives Ingrid access to upload those transcripts. You have to supply the transcripts to our office, to Ingrid's attention:

Simon Fraser University
Graduate Studies Office (MBC 1100)
Attn: Ingrid Woldenga (NSERC)
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6