3/4 Updated: Fall 2020
The SGS Financial Need Assessment Form must be completed and supporting documents provided when being nominated for
need-based awards. Please enter all amounts in Canadian dollars (CAD) using the posted exchange rate at the time of
application.
Expected Expenses
The SGS Financial Need Assessment section serves to calculate your expected resources and expenses for the upcoming
academic year (2020-21). The amounts in Column C will need to be calculated based on 12 months, for which you will be
registered in the upcoming academic year.
Financial need is normally demonstrated when a negative or very small positive balance (under $500) appears in the “TOTAL
NEED” field on page 2 of the application (e.g., “Total Expected Expenses” is higher than “Total Expected Resources”). Showing a
large positive balance in the “TOTAL NEED” field will normally not be considered a demonstration of financial need, unless
extenuating circumstances are also reported (supporting documentation must be submitted).
Living Expenses
Choose which living situation applies to you (no housing costs or with housing costs) and fill in the appropriate information.
Example #1: A single student who will be registered for 12 months, does not have children and is living in his/her parent’s home
should:
Choose “Single/Separated/Divorced” under the category “Living Expenses (no housing costs)”
Calculate the amount for Column C ($560 x 12 = $6720)
Example #2: A student who will be registered for 12 months, has a partner and 2 children under the age of 12 paying rent should:
Choose “Partnered” under the category “Living Expenses (with housing costs)”
Calculate the amount for Column C ($2509 x 12 = $30,108)
Enter “2” under “Number of dependents aged 0-12” to account for the two children
Enter “2” in Column A “$590 x ___”
Calculate the amount for Column C ($590 x 2 = $1180; $1180 x 12 = $14,160)
Academic Expenses
As tuition for the upcoming year will not be posted until July, enter your fees for the current academic year as an estimate. The
total cost of tuition and other fees for most full-time PhD students in the academic year 2019-20 was $7,850.90.
Review the Tuition Fees Schedules at https://studentaccount.utoronto.ca/ for detailed information.
Include the total cost of books, photocopying, supplies, equipment, thesis binding, etc. for the upcoming year. Provide reasonable
academic related expenses.
Other
Include other necessary expenses you expect to incur (e.g. extended daily commuting costs, prescribed medication not covered
by insurance). Supporting documentation (e.g. receipts from current year) must be provided for each item or the amount(s) will be
automatically removed from consideration.
Food, Household Supplies, Clothing, Transportation, Phone & Internet
These costs are already calculated and included within the “Monthly Allowable Amounts” in Column A. The “Monthly Allowable
Amounts” are based on allowable claims determined by the Ontario government.
Expected Resources
Government Student Loans/Aid
If you are planning to apply for government student loans from your home country for the upcoming academic year, enter an
estimated amount for the upcoming year.
Available student line-of-credit / financial institution loan
Only include the amount currently available to you through your student line-of-credit or bank loan.
Graduate funding
Students in doctoral-stream programs must declare the total amount of the minimum funding commitment they expect to receive in
the upcoming academic year. Amounts for the most recent year are available on the SGS website.