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GSS Financial Aid (GSFA)

The GSS Financial Aid (GSFA), a fund awarded by GSS, aims to support graduate students at Vancouver Campus, experiencing unforeseen financial hardship.

The fund can cover a wide range of expenses directly arising from unforeseen circumstances, which may include but not be limited to:

• Housing expenses (eg, moving expenses, loss of critical properties/belongings, significant rental increases etc.)

• Medical expenses (eg. MSP fee and emergency medical procedures)

• Urgent travel plans

• Emergency issues/displacement (eg. ties to country experiencing war or unrest, refugees)

• Unexpected loss of funding

Notes:

• GSFA does not cover tuition and other school fees.

• Funds are subject to availability; not all eligible applications will be approved. The maximum amount that can be approved for individual applications varies along with the financial capacity of the fund. The current maximum allowable fund for GSFA In 2025 is $500.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Be currently enrolled as graduate student in a program of the UBC Vancouver Campus

2. Reside in Canada

3. Be in a recent unforeseen financial hardship and be able to provide documentations. Note that the financial difficulty needs to be unexpected and recent

How to Apply

Please fill out the form below and compile the required documents into one PDF file. If you have any further inquiries, please contact us at gsfa@gss.ubc.ca

Hard copies may also be requested during the application review process.

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Please be advised that the GSFA fund is currently unavailable. Updates regarding its availability will be provided in September.

Documents Required

1. Proof of Enrolment

Please download the current academic semester Proof of Enrollment from your Workday account.

2. Details regarding your unexpected financial concern as outlined in the application form

This is to elaborate on the unexpected nature of the recent financial difficulty, and contain the total amount of household income, the spending or expense, and the amount of funding that the situation requires. Please note that declaring the required amount will merely provide a general overview of the unexpected situation to the panel and hence is not guaranteed. The information in the application should answer the question if the unexpected situation is ongoing, in what way or this one-time funding will assist the applicant, and if any financial plans are present moving forward.

3. Proof of expenses/additional Documents

Additional required documents depend on the applicant stream.

If applying under:

• Housing (Living Expenses): Rental contract, moving receipts or other relevant expenses.
• Medical/Dental: Relevant documentation or receipts of expenses. Details of the amount claimed due financial hardship
• Emergency Issues, Crisis and/or Displacement: Passport photocopy confirming ties to a country experiencing war or unrest, proof of refugee status in Canada, or other relevant documents demonstrating your situation.

Applicants are welcome to provide any additional supporting documentations that may provide clarity and insight into the situation.

Please note that the required documentations are obligatory to process the application. Any inadvertence in submitting the complete package of required documentations would prolong the process.

Application Checklist

  • Details regarding your unexpected financial concern as outlined in the application form

  • Letter of Enrolment, showing enrollment for the current semester

  • Support documentation

    If applying under:
    • Housing (Living Expenses): rental contract, moving receipts or other relevant expenses.
    • Medical/Dental: Relevant documentation or receipts of expenses. Details of the amount claimed due financial hardship
    • Emergency Issues, Crisis and/or Displacement: Passport photocopy confirming ties to a country experiencing war or unrest, proof of refugee status in Canada, or other relevant documents demonstrating your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I eligible?

Please see “Eligibility Criteria” in the section above for full details.

How do I apply?

Please see “Documents Required” and “How to Apply” in the section above for complete details.

How is the decision made?

A panel made up of the GSS Peer Support Specialists, the GSS General Manager, and two GSS Academic and External Committee representatives will review all applications to determine whether applicants meet the criteria and to decide the value of any award.

Funds are subject to availability, so not every application meeting the requirements shall be approved or shall receive the full amount they requested.

When will I hear if my application is successful?

The GSFA Peer Support Specialists will let every applicant know the outcome of their decision within four weeks of receiving a completed application.

The decision of the GSFA Adjudication Panel shall be final and there shall be no appeal to any other body of the Society.

Additional Funding Resources

If you do not meet the eligibility requirements for GSFA or need additional support, you may also explore the following resources available to UBC graduate students:

CUPE 2278 Hardship, Health, and Wellbeing Fund

Provides financial assistance to CUPE 2278 members facing unforeseen hardship, including health, wellness, and emergency needs. Open to teaching assistants, markers, and sessional instructors covered by the CUPE 2278 collective agreement.

UBC Enrolment Services Emergency Funding

Offers short-term financial assistance to students experiencing unexpected financial distress due to emergencies or unanticipated events.

 

(These resources are managed independently of GSS and have separate eligibility requirements and application processes.)