Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries

A student poses wearing a traditional ribbon skirt

Indigenous Fellowships and Awards

Each year, the law graduate program considers new as well as continuing Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) law graduate students for the following awards and fellowships, and a separate application is not required:

  • McCormick-IndSpire Indigenous Graduate Fellowship $22,000 (effective September 2024)
  • British Columbia Graduate Scholarship (Indigenous) $17,500
  • Tsi'Tsu'Wu'Tul Award is given to graduating Indigenous student who has overcome significant obstacles. Awarded at Indigenous Recognition Ceremony at June or November convocation $500

The following awards require a separate application from eligible students:

If your SSHRC application is successful, for each year you are a SSHRC fellowship recipient, the Faculty of Graduate Studies will also provide a $5,000 President Research Scholarship.

UVic Scholarships and Awards

The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) provides UVic Graduate Fellowships to graduate students of high academic standing. The distribution, value and duration of these fellowships is determined by UVic Law; final approval is always made by FGS.

  • UVic Graduate Fellowship up to maximum of $17,500 per year for LLM students
  • UVic Graduate Fellowship up to maximum of $20,000 per year for PhD students

Successful applicants are considered for FGS UVic Graduate Fellowships, Graduate Entrance Awards, President Research Scholarships, and donor awards, based on eligibility. Applicants are not required to submit a separate application. Only incoming students with a GPA of 7.0/9.0 (1st class standing) are eligible for a Graduate Entrance Award. GPA for basis of admission is calculated based on final two years of study.

Renewal of a UVic Graduate Fellowship is not automatic or guaranteed, and students must make arrangements to pay their tuition and mandatory fees, as these are not waived. To be eligible for a renewal, students must maintain a GPA of 7.0/9.0 - there are no exceptions.

UVic Law Graduate Program Awards

New graduate students may be partially funded by the Law Graduate Program, if they submit a strong application with exceptional research proposal, and are not eligible for a UVic Graduate Fellowship for entrance term. This is not automatic or guaranteed, and depends on availability of funding.

UVic Donor Awards

Some donor awards are distributed on a competitive basis, and the FGS adjudication committee selects recipients for these awards. The Graduate Program Office will contact you separately regarding submission requirements, if you are eligible to be nominated for one.

External scholarship competitions

Students are expected to apply for fellowships and awards from other departments, institutions and agencies, including but not limited to the following:

For the above, it is recommended you consult the Scholarships Office or UVic Law's Research Facilitation Officer, who have a wealth of experience on these applications, which are highly competitive.

Scholarship application help is also available online.

If your SSHRC application is successful, for each year you are a SSHRC fellowship recipient, the Faculty of Graduate Studies will also provide a $5,000 President Research Scholarship.

The Graduate Program Office will notify registered graduate students of funding opportunities, whenever possible, including and beyond those already noted on this page.

All graduate students are encouraged to seek out funding opportunities pertinent to their specific research area, and to apply for funding, whenever possible, and where eligible.

Are you the recipient of external funding?

Please contact the  to declare the amount awarded to help inform planning around future funding and meet internal awards policy requirement.

Bursaries

Bursaries are non-repayable awards based on financial need and good academic standing.

Find more information at Students Awards and Financial Aid. 

Research Assistantship

Law faculty members will advertise above when available. Your supervisor and supervisory committee members (law and non-law) are key people when it comes to obtaining this sort of work.

Teaching Assistantship

UVic Law faculty advertise above opportunities as they arise. Other UVic departments share above opportunities with us, when opportunities match the background of our law graduate students.

There are occasionally opportunities to acquire teaching as well as teaching assistant experience.  A small number of PhD students, after completing their coursework and/or candidacy exam, obtain sessional teaching contracts in our Faculty or in other departments.

Work Study Program

The Work Study Program provides financial assistance through part-time employment opportunities for students with documented financial need. The 2024/2025 Work Study Program runs September 4, 2024 to April 25, 2025. More information about this program, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, can be found here. 

Faculty of Law Internal Awards Policy

It is a condition of internal funding awarded through the Faculty of Law or the Faculty of Graduate Studies that you apply for external funding opportunities. Also, please inform the graduate program office if you obtain other scholarship funding, as it helps to inform our financial planning and make any adjustments to university-funded fellowships.

If you are a SSHRC scholarship recipient, you will be topped up with a $5,000 President's Research Scholarship for each year you are a recipient, and any university-funded fellowship will be adjusted.