All Benefits and Funds by Unit
Please note that for many funds available to graduate students, members apply using their York Student Financial Profile (SFP), an online form that automatically registers you for certain bursaries using a single application. Applications are usually due in October-November (for Fall/Winter funding) and May (for summer funding) of every year.
Email Transfer of Funds
All funds administered by CUPE 3903 are paid through e-transfer. The Local uses the e-transfer company Plooto for this service. You can find instructions on receiving funds through email transfer from Plooto here: instructions in PDF, instructions in Word (docx), and instructions as online text (no images).
All Units Funds and Benefits
Sunlife Health Benefits Plan
Your health benefits plan covers you and your dependents at no additional cost. In order to use these benefits, you must enroll if you are new or have had a contract gap of more than 5 months. For more information, visit the Sun Life Health Benefits page.
Extended Health Benefits (EHB) Fund
EHB helps members cover health expenses that are not covered by the Sunlife health benefits plan. Dependents cannot access EHB (with the exception of reproductive technology where the member’s partner is trying to conceive). For more information, visit the Extended Health Benefits page.
Professional Development Fund (PDF)
The PDF helps members with the costs associated with attending and presenting at conferences or other professional development expenses. For more information, visit the Professional Development Fund page.
Ways and Means Fund (Emergency Financial Aid)
Ways and Means helps members with expenses due to unforeseen or emergency situations. Ways and Means will not cover tuition or computers (with the exception of members who require adaptive software for their computers). For more information, visit the Ways and Means Fund page.
Trans Fund
The Trans Fund helps members cover the costs associated with gender transition. For more information, visit the Trans Fund page (coming soon!).
Kilometrage Allowance
If you are required to work somewhere that is not a York campus, you can be reimbursed at the rate of $0.45/km for the distance in excess of your usual drive to campus. If this applies to you, speak to your hiring unit about the process to get reimbursed.
Childcare Fund
Members who have children under the age of 13 (or 18 in the case of a child with a disability and/or additional needs) are eligible for payments to help with the cost of childcare. Members whose children are enrolled in one of the two campus daycares can also get a subsidy. For more information, visit the Childcare Fund page.
Sexual Assault Survivor Support Fund (SASSF)
The SASSF exists to help members with the costs associated with sexual or gender based violence, such as therapy costs in excess of the benefits coverage, costs associated with moving, etc. For more information, visit the Sexual Assault Survivor Support Fund page.
Pension
Members who meet the eligibility requirements can join the York University Pension Plan, as long as they are not enrolled in another pension plan. For more information, visit the Retirement page.
Unit 1 Funds and Benefits
Tuition Cost Rebate/Graduate Financial Assistance (GFA)
Deadline: None. As a member of CUPE 3903 you are automatically eligible for this rebate every semester you are enrolled at York.
All Unit 1 (also applies to Unit 3) members receive the amount in the table below to off-set tuition increases. This amount will be credited to your student account sometime in the first two months of each term. York will issue a refund to your bank account through direct deposit.
STUDENT STATUS YEAR AMOUNT DUE
International Student MA1-2 or PhD 1-2 $1182
Domestic Student MA1-2 or PhD 1-2 $708
International Student PhD3+ $1410
Domestic Student PhD3+ $887
Books/Supplies Fund
A fund of $8,000 for the purpose of offsetting the cost of books and materials required for the performance of an employee’s teaching duties, where they are not provided by the employer.
Apply to Faculty Relations using this form and attach the syllabus.
Graduate Student Bursary Fund
A fund of $225,000 distributed on the basis of need, especially prioritizing international students who pay UHIP, single parents with child care expenses, and members who incur large, uncovered medical expenses.
Apply through the Student Financial Profile once in the Fall semester and once in May.
Masters Bursary Fund
A fund of $107,000, distributed on or after June 15th to assist members who do not have other sources of funding in the summer (excluding bursaries). First priority is for members who will be returning to a masters program in fall, second priority is for those who will be entering PhD in the Fall.
Apply through the Student Financial Profile in May.
PhD Completion Fund
A $100,000 fund, distributed on or after June 15th on a basis of need to members who have no funding in the last term of their PhD studies. There is also a Fall adjudication for members whose last term doesn’t fall in the Summer.
Apply using the PhD Completion Fund application form and filling out your Student Financial Profile.
Research Costs Fund
This fund (also available to Unit 3 members) assists with the costs directly connected to research undertaken by registered full-time York graduate students who are or have been members of CUPE 3903. Applications are vetted by a York administrator, a faculty member and representatives of CUPE 3903.
Apply to your hiring unit in either the Fall or Winter adjudication round. Details can be found here: Information on the Research Costs Fund.
Thesis Allowance
This fund offsets costs of producing the final form (printing and binding) of an MRP ($200), Master’s Thesis ($300), or Doctoral Dissertation ($400). Allowable expenses include but are not limited to photocopying, binding for two copies, and certain expenses related to the production of other media such as CD-ROMs. Hardware, software, mailing envelopes, stamps, and couriers are not eligible.
Claims must be submitted via Concur. See the detailed instructions for submitting expenses in Concur for more information.
Tuition Costs Fund
$10,000 of the Professional Development Fund is allocated each year to offset tuition costs for courses / programs / conferences related to members’ employment. Regular Graduate Student fees at York are not covered by this fund.
Apply by August 31 using the online Tuition Cost Fund application.
UHIP Fund
A total of $77,000, distributed evenly amongst International Students who use UHIP. If funds remain, member’s dependents may also be covered. Your UHIP reimbursement will be applied automatically to your student account. However, if you are not listed as UHIP by early October then you may need to contact FGS and inform them of your status as recently enrolled.
Unit 2 Funds and Benefits
Conference Travel Fund
A total of $85,000 per year to support the attendance of scholarly/ professional/artistic conferences. While the June round will only defray travel costs, the other two rounds will also provide money towards accommodation (normally $150/night) and meals (normally $65 per diem). Applicants will normally only receive up to one grant per year.
Apply to using the CUPE 3903 Conference Travel Fund Online Application before one of three deadlines: October 1, March 1 and June 1
Professional Expense Reimbursement
This allowance for contract faculty can be used towards expenses including but not limited to books, software, and dues for professional organizations. Members receive an allotment of $375 for each type 1 or equivalent position (to a maximum of $1125 per year). These allotments roll over into the next year for up to 3 years per allotment. For example, a member who has never drawn from their PER and is in their fourth year of working as a course director will have only the funds from year 2, 3, and 4 still available. The funds from their first year would in effect have expired. See the guidelines for further details.
Apply to Faculty Relations using Concur (Guide to using Concur to claim PER).
Research Grants Fund
A fund of $165,000 to help members with research costs. Minor Grants of up to $8000 are available at either deadline; Major Grants equal in value to the salary rate of one course directorship plus one applicable prior experience credit are available only in spring round.
Apply to Faculty Relations using the Research Grants Fund online application form by one of two deadlines: March 1 and October 1. Members may only receive funds once a year.
Research Leaves
Up to four research leaves will be awarded every contract year. There will be three reserved for members in the Conversion Pool, while one will be open to any Unit 2 member. A research leave is the equivalent of 3 Type 1 positions. Members who receive a research leave can hold up to 1 Type 1 position or its equivalent during their leave.
Eligible Unit 2 members receive a letter in March informing them of eligibility and the application process. Applications are usually due in mid to late April.
Teaching Development Fund
The Teaching Development Fund assists in the development of a new program of study, new courses and teaching materials, and teaching skills. There are five minor teaching development grants of $3,000, as well as two major grants of the value of one course directorship. Only contract faculty who have held at least one Type 1 or equivalent position in each of the two years prior to the start of this contract year are eligible for the major grants. Adjudicated by 3903 and the Teaching Commons.
Apply to the Teaching Commons using the Teaching Development Fund form by February 1. Please note that the deadline has been extended to March 1 2023.
Tuition Costs Fund
$10,000 of the Professional Development Fund is allocated each year to offset tuition costs for courses / programs / conferences related to members’ employment. Regular Graduate Student fees at York are not covered by this fund.
Apply by August 31 using the online Tuition Cost Fund application.
Tuition Waiver
Contract faculty who have held at least 3 Type 1 positions or equivalent in the last three years, including one in the last year, will receive a tuition fee waiver for any undergraduate or graduate program for which they are admitted. This will be limited to part-time fee levels. (Enrolling in a graduate program full-time would place the member in Unit 1).
Apply to Pension and Benefits before the beginning of the course using the Tuition Fee Waiver Application form.
Tuition Waiver for Dependents
Provides a full tuition waiver for dependents or spouses (including common-law partners) of contract faculty members who have held an average 2.5 full course equivalents per year for three years.
Apply to Pension and Benefits before the beginning of the course using the Tuition Fee Waiver Application form.
Unit 3 Funds and Benefits
Tuition Cost Rebate/Graduate Financial Assistance (GFA)
Deadline: None. As a member of CUPE 3903 you are automatically eligible for this rebate for the Fall and Winter semesters if you are enrolled at York. In the Summer, you receive $3000 as summer assistance.
All Unit 3 (also applies to Unit 1) members receive the amount in the table below to off-set tuition increases. This amount will be credited to your student account sometime in the first two months of each term. York will issue a refund to your bank account through direct deposit.
STUDENT STATUS YEAR AMOUNT DUE
International Student MA1 $1181
Domestic Student MA1 $771
International Student MA2 $1410
Domestic Student MA2 $967
Graduate Assistant Bursary Fund
A fund of $275,000 to be distributed according to need as summer funding for Unit 3 members.
Apply using your Student Financial Profile (SFP) before Summer (usually May).
UHIP Fund
A total of $77,000, distributed evenly amongst International Students who use UHIP. If funds remain, member’s dependents may also be covered. Your UHIP reimbursement will be applied automatically to your student account. However, if you are not listed as UHIP by early October then you may need to contact FGS and inform them of your status as recently enrolled.