MD/PhD Stipends

*Updated on August 18, 2023 for 2023-24 Academic Year

All direct-entry MD/PhD students receive financial support, starting January of their first-year and continuing until graduation, as long as they remain registered students in good standing. Current UofT MD students who are admitted to the MD/PhD Program begin receiving their stipend in September of their first year in the MD/PhD Program. Please note that the stipend does not directly pay tuition fees - students are responsible for paying tuition fees on their own. 

The MD/PhD programs supports full-time MD students at the minimum stipends listed below, based on year of entry.

While in full-time PhD studies, MD/PhD graduate supervisors/graduate units will share the cost of the student stipend. Graduate supervisors are expected to pay the living allowance set by their academic unit (minimum $18,000). This ensures that MD/PhD students are earning the same living allowance as their peers in their academic unit.

MD/PhD tuition is based on their year of entry into the MD/PhD Program. The MD/PhD tuition schedule can be found at https://studentaccount.utoronto.ca/

  1. Go to https://studentaccount.utoronto.ca/
  2. Under “Tuition and Fees” select current Fall/winter term
  3. Select Graduate Studies, School of
  4. Select “Domestic Graduate Students (Ontario & Non-Ontario Resident) and Domestic Undergraduate Students (Ontario Resident) – Combined Second-entry Undergraduate/Master Degree”  
  5. Go to the Table for MD/PhD. This year it is Table 12.

It is MD/PhD policy that the “Final Year Clerkship Stipend” is considered part of your 4th year MD/PhD stipend, much like a contribution from your graduate supervisor was part of your stipend during grad school.

International students are eligible for entry into the MD/PhD program and will receive the same funding package as domestic students. Their package will be based on domestic fees. International students will pay international student fees.

Minimum Annual Stipends Based on Entry Year into MD/PhD

2018 onwards Domestic tuition plus incidentals of entry year + minimum $18,000 CDN totalling a minimum of $34,000 CDN (no research allowance)
2017 $34,000 CDN (plus $1000 research allowance per year)
2015 & 2016 $32,000 CDN (plus $1000 research allowance per year)
2014 and prior $30,000 CDN (plus $1000 research allowance per year)

Stipends for MD/PhD Students in Full-Time Graduate Programs

Graduate Unit/Supervisor Contribution: graduate living stipend as set by academic unit (minimum of $18,000)

MD/PhD Contribution: MD/PhD tuition plus incidentals

MD/PhD students are not subject to the Faculty of Medicine Harmonized Base Funding Agreement. However, PI's supervising students in the GLSE must pay the living allowance listed for the current year.

MD/PhD Stipends payments can be very complex. If you are a graduate program administrator with questions about your MD/PhD student's stipend, please contact the PST Program Manager.

MD/PhD Stipend Top-Ups for Major Awards

The recommended MD/PhD stipend top-ups follow the guidelines and rules outlined in the FOM Harmonized Student Stipend Agreement. Please note that this agreement notes, "All awards that require student applications are eligible for a top-up from their supervisor."

During full-time PhD, all combination of awards valued over $2,000 are first applied to the supervisor's portion of the student stipend. Supervisor is responsible for top-up, according to the policies of their academic unit.

Any award value higher than supervisor's contribution will be applied towards the MD/PhD portion of the student stipend. A student, who receives award(s) exceeding the amount equivalent to the base funding and maximum top-up of $4,000, will not be eligible to receive a top-up for these award(s).

All MD/PhD students must report any awards received outside of their regular stipend to the MD/PhD office. This includes awards from the MD Program and OGS awards.

Typically, the total stipend paid to the student will be reduced by the amount of the award(s). If the award(s) exceeds the amount equivalent to the Base Stipend and Top-Up, the student will not be eligible to receive the Top-Up.

Failure to report an award could result in the loss of your stipend.

Bursaries do not need to be reported.

Award Type

Stipend Adjustment

Top-Up Payments

CIHR CGS M

Heart & Stroke

NSERC CGS M

Various Awards -
$15,001 up to the
total value of the student's
stipend, plus top-up

Award applied towards the supervisor's portion of the student stipend. Any funds above the supervisor stipend will be applied to the MD/PhD portion of funding.

Supervisor will pay -
amount governed by graduate unit policy.

 

OGS/QE II-GSST and other
departmental/academic unit awards
between $10,00 - $15,000

Award applied towards the supervisor's portion of the student stipend. Supervisor will pay -
amount governed by graduate unit policy.
 

Combined Awards with
value of $10,000 - $15,000;
external, university-wide

 

Supervisor will pay -
amount governed by graduate unit policy.

Combined Awards with
value of $2,001 to $9,999;
external, university-wide
Award applied towards the supervisor's portion of the student stipend.

Supervisor will pay -
amount governed by graduate unit policy.

CGS-D

Award applied towards the supervisor's portion of the student stipend. Any funds above the supervisor stipend will be applied to the MD/PhD portion of funding. Please contact MD/PhD Program Manager.
Vanier Award exceeds the amount equivalent to the Base Stipend and Top-Up Not be eligible to receive the Top-Up.
Awards of $2,000 and under no stipend adjustment total award kept by student