In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Society of Graduate & Professional Students (SGPS) has created a new version of the Emergency Bursary for students in need of funding due to unforeseen circumstances. All graduate and professional students are eligible to apply.
According to Courtney Bannerman, SGPS Vice-President of (Finance & Services), the emergency bursary will no longer require students to provide “proof of need.” Before this pilot program, SGPS bursaries required applicants to provide evidence of why financial aid was needed.
“We recognize especially in times of conflict, you don’t necessarily [have a] financial plan for these kind of things at the start of the year,” Bannerman said in an interview with The Journal.
According to Bannerman, the expenses covered by the bursary mostly fall under the “family emergency” category—including accommodating for abrupt travel plans. Students can receive up to $450 of financial aid.
Students are only allowed to apply for a bursary once every fiscal year, which starts May 1 and extends to the following April. 30.
Aside from providing better access to funding, SGPS hopes the new initiative will nudge the University to “step up” and provide financial aid to students in “distressing times.”
Due to the pandemic, the SGPS office is only operating virtually. Students interested in the emergency bursary
are encouraged to apply before Apr. 11.
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