Graduate Studies

• Industry: petroleum technologist, mining advisory position, research, economic geologist, applied geochemist, applied geophysicist, applied mineralogist, financial consultant to mineral exploration, environmental consultant, stock market consultant, field geologist
• Government: mapping, consultant, research, advisory position, environmental regulator
• Academia: postdoctoral fellowship, professor, college instructor, adjunct teaching position

The Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering is committed to supporting graduate students with a minimum of $21,000/year for Master's students and $23,000/year for Ph.D. students.

These amounts include Teaching Assistantships which are $5,500 (approximately for both the Fall and Winter terms) depending on the requirements of the particular course the student is demonstrating. Master's and Ph.D. students are also eligible for Research Fellowships which are in consultation with the student's supervisor. Students should also consult the NSERC website for the current levels of support this agency provides.

Financial support is naturally conditional on a student's continued satisfactory progress, and those students who obtain scholarship funding external to the University (e.g. NSERC) usually do not receive internal scholarship money. They remain, however, eligible for teaching and research assistantships.

$21,000/year - MSc/MASc domestic for 6 terms (2 yrs)

$28,000/year - MSc/MASc international for 6 terms (2 yrs) 

$23,000/year - PhD domestic for 12 terms (4 yrs)

$23,000/year - PhD domestic and international for 12 terms (4 yrs) 

Please note: - Minimum funding levels apply to all research students within terms of support (M.Sc. and Ph.D.), except the one year (coursework only) M.Sc. students who are completely self funded

• External Scholarships - NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships, Ontario Graduate Scholarships, Industry and Private Scholarships
• Departmental Scholarships - Queen's Graduate Awards, Reinhardt, Bowen and Bruce Scholarships
• Departmental Teaching Assistantships
• Research Assistantships - Awarded by Supervisors from their Research Funds

Departmental funding is currently provided to full-time 2 year research MSc/MASc and 4 year Ph.D. students who are within terms of support. After the student's terms of support have been completed the supervisor(s) may choose to continue funding in the form of a research fellowship.

Additional financial support to international students may be awarded to exceptional candidates. These additional awards are granted on a competitive basis. Students should consult the School of Graduate Studies website for more information.

Did you know that Queen's has many international partnerships and exchange opportunities for international students.

• Visiting Research students
• International Exchange programs
• Cotutelle Program

Visiting Research Students

A student who is registered in a graduate level program at their home university may register at Queen's for non-degree study and/or to join a research group for a period of up to one year. Interested students are required to complete an application that includes a recommendation from the research supervisor and from the Department Head. A Visiting Research Student may be assessed student activity fees but not tuition fees and may not enroll in courses. They must be insured under UHIP (if international). Contact the SGS office for further information and the application documents for the VRS program. Please contact Darlene Homer at the SGS Office if you have any queries.

International Student Exchanges

International student exchanges are managed through a database of universities with whom Queen's has an exchange agreement. These agreements are often the result of a signed Memorandum of Agreement between two institutions and appendices to these agreements include details such as the length of study, fees that must be paid by students and the length of the agreement. Because of the reciprocal nature of student exchanges, tuition is often waived at the host institution; however students continue to pay tuition to their home university. Students are responsible for all other expenses such as travel, fees related to non-academic services, accommodation and for incoming exchange students at Queen's, UHIP payment.

Cotutelle Program

A cotutelle program is a dual doctoral degree program between two universities: the student completes the full degree requirements for each of the two universities (common dissertation) and if successful, receives a degree from each university. Cotutelle programs afford several opportunities: to enhance doctoral training, to foster international research, to enable student mobility, to develop global networks and experiences. Doctoral students at Queen’s may be able to engage in international cotutelle studies, depending on their academic program, supervision and plan of study. Students registered in a doctoral program outside of Canada are invited to consider Queen’s as a destination University for cotutelle studies.

Students in a cotutelle program are registered as full-time students at two institutions. They have a supervisor at both universities who are fully committed to mentoring the student in collaboration with each other. Students are subject to the admission requirements (including language requirements), degree requirements and the regulations of both universities and they spend research and study time at each institution. One comprehensive/candidacy examination and one thesis defence is held in accordance with the framework agreed upon at the start of the cotutelle program. Normally, a cotutelle option is possible when there is an existing or developing collaborative research project/program between researchers (i.e. prospective supervisors).

The China Scholarship Council is a government agency in China which provides scholarships to citizens of China (whether they are studying in China or abroad) for doctoral and postdoctoral studies.

Queen's University has signed an agreement with the CSC and with specific Chinese universities to be a preferred host institution for CSC scholarship holders. These scholarships will be awarded to students across all graduate programs, particularly those in physical sciences, applied science and life sciences. In order to apply for the CSC scholarship, a student normally must first have received a formal offer of admission from Queen's University. Please go to the "Procedures for students from China to apply for a CSC" webpage for more details.

I was a doctoral student in History at Queen’s University in Kingston from 2008 to 2012. I was fortunate to receive four years of funding from the CSC. Thanks to my training at Queen’s I was equipped with the knowledge and skills required to teach university-level history courses at North American standards. This know-how paid off after I returned to China, where the internationalization of higher education has been proceeding rapidly during the past decade. When students from various corners of the world appear on their campuses, Chinese universities must provide them with courses and supervision. When working at Fudan University in Shanghai, I assumed many responsibilities teaching and supporting international students. I would not have been capable of handling this work without my experience at Queen’s.

Jie Deng (Former Associate Professor at Fudan University)

As an international student, there are many aspects to consider before applying to a graduate program and then there is the application process itself.

• Choosing a Program
• Agreements & Exchanges
• Admission Requirements
• How to Apply

Based on the recommendation of the Working Group on Graduate Funding, Queen’s University has made the decision that, beginning September 2021, international PhD students will pay the same tuition amount as domestic PhD students.

Considering and understanding all the costs associated with studying is important to allow you to concentrate on your studies. Enrolling in graduate school also has a number of steps. Make sure you don't miss any, so you can start your program on time.

• Tuition Fees
• Student Activity Fees
• Cost of Living
• UHIP and Medical Coverage
• Accepting an Offer
• Payments
• Selecting Courses
• Changing registration status

Funding for International students

International graduate students are financially supported through a combination of stipends, awards, bursaries and employment opportunities.

Ph.D. students receive a guaranteed minimum funding package of $18,000 a year with many departments setting higher funding minimums and almost all offering much higher average funding packages. Funding is guaranteed for 4 years as long as the student remains in good academic standing. The majority of Master's students in research degree programs also receive substantial funding support.

Queen's also has entrance scholarships and fellowships available to international students who demonstrate academic excellence - eg. Principal's International Doctoral Award (PDF 23KB)

Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS): Foreign students who are studying in Ontario under a temporary resident visa - student study permit, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) are eligible for the allotted visa student awards.

Information about other sources of funding for international students can be obtained from:

• The Office of the University Registrars' Student Awards website
• The Canadian Bureau for International Education website

American students who have access to Section 529 savings plans are eligible to utilize these resources while studying at Queen's.

International students can hold student loans that they may have secured through their home country. Please contact the appropriate student loan agency for further information.

The Mitacs Globalink Research Award supports international research collaboration. Special research funding is available for graduate students with uncertain status in their current location, to conduct research at a Canadian university.

Award overview:

• $5,000 award from Mitacs to support student travel and accommodation expenses, research-related expenses, and student stipend
• 12-24 week project at a Canadian university
• Supervised by Canadian faculty
• Applications are accepted at any time and will be processed as received.

For more info, see Mitacs Globalink Research Award.

Throughout your time at Queen's you may need to see advice or assistance. There are a number of departments

• QUIC - Queen's University International Centre
• SASS - Student Academic Success Services
• Career Services
• SGPS Student Advisors
• Student Wellness Services

Do I need TOEFL if my studies were in English?

At Queen's, English is the language of instruction and communication, except in the language departments. Proficiency in English is a prerequisite for application to admission. Those applicants whose native languages do not include English will be required to obtain satisfactory standing in an English Language Proficiency test as part of the application process, and before final acceptance is granted.

Any applicant who has recently studied for at least one complete year at a university where English is the official language of instruction may be exempt from the English Language Proficiency test. An applicant requesting a waiver of the test for this reason should do so in writing and submit it with the application. The Director, Admissions and Student Services of the School of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the department, will make determinations in these cases.

How do I set up a bank account after I arrive in Canada?

International students are required to show their acceptance letter to the bank to be able to open an account.

How do I get a health insurance plan?

Enrolment in the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) for international students is mandatory for you and any dependants who arrive with you. UHIP provides basic medical insurance coverage for hospitals, doctors and some diagnostic fees. You and your dependents must enrol within 30 days of your arrival in Canada or you will pay a penalty of $500 plus retroactive premiums.

You must visit the Queen's University International Centre (QUIC) upon your arrival to Canada to apply for UHIP. All international students attempting to pre-register or register must complete a UHIP application to enroll themselves and their family members who reside in Ontario in UHIP.

Questions about the UHIP application process should be directed to QUIC by emailing them, calling them at extension 613-533-2604 (internal extension 32604) or visiting them in the John Deutsch University Centre.

Where should I look to find a place to live if I'm accepted?

Graduate students can find housing both on campus and off campus.

Are international students funded for their graduate studies?

International graduate students can receive funding for their studies at Queen's through a combination of stipends, awards, bursaries and employment opportunities.

As for domestic students, Queen's has a guaranteed minimum stipend for funding-eligible international PhD students currently valued at $18,000.

All international doctoral students without full external government funding who are admitted to full-time study at Queen's are eligible to receive an International Tuition Award. Under this program, each new international full-time doctoral student receives an award to be held during his or her funding-eligible years of study. The annual award is applied as a tuition credit directly to the students' fees account. Please contact the graduate coordinator of the department you are interested in for details.

Like domestic students, prospective or enrolled international graduate students do not make individual application for most internal named fellowships or scholarships or departmental awards administered by the School of Graduate Studies.

Can international students be teaching assistants?

Yes they can. Most graduate departments/programs engage several graduate students (both domestic and international) each year to assist in undergraduate teaching, tutorial work, and laboratory demonstrating, as Teaching Assistants (TAs).