UBC Four Year Doctoral Fellowship

UBC’s Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF) is a program that provides recipients with a $24,000 stipend plus tuition per year, for up to four years of their doctoral studies. Graduate School at The University of British Columbia (UBC) states the purpose is to attract and support domestic and international doctoral students with stable, base-level funding for doctoral studies and research.

4YF fellowships may be held by domestic and international students. The fellowships are offered in general to students beginning their first year of full time PhD, DMA, or MDPhD studies, and may be offered to continuing students. The program provides funding for up to four years, with possible shorter duration in some circumstances, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

Selection is based on academic excellence, upon the recommendation of the graduate program. UBC states that students holding certain Tri-Agency awards automatically become 4YF designates, and that other major external scholarship winners selected as 4YF designates may be eligible for 4YF tuition coverage and stipend support after their external scholarship funding ends.

UBC states that 4YF recipients are provided stipend and tuition support for up to four years, but duration may be less in some circumstances and is subject to satisfactory academic progress. 4YF holders are required to apply for other funding to maintain eligibility: Canadian citizens and permanent residents must apply each year for Tri-Agency funding or forfeit remaining 4YF funding, while international students are not required to apply to the annual Affiliated Fellowship competition but may do so if they wish.

• May be held by domestic and international students
• In general, offered to students beginning their first year of full time PhD, DMA, or MDPhD studies
• May be offered to continuing students
• Funding may be offered for up to four years, but duration of funding may be less in some circumstances
• In all cases, funding is subject to satisfactory academic progress
• Students holding the following Tri-Agency awards automatically become 4YF designates: Vanier Scholarships; Doctoral Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGSD); CIHR Doctoral Research Awards; NSERC Doctoral Postgraduate Scholarships (PGSD); SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships
• Doctoral students who obtain Tri-Agency scholarships may be eligible for 4YF tuition coverage and will receive 4YF stipend and tuition support once external scholarship funding ends, until four years after the external award start date or until the end of their 5th year in Doctoral program, whichever comes first
• Other major external scholarship winners who are selected as 4YF designates may be eligible for 4YF tuition coverage and will receive 4YF stipend and tuition support once their external scholarship funding ends, until four years after the 4YF start date or until the end of their 5th year in Doctoral program, whichever comes first
• All PhD, DMA, and MDPhD applicants offered admission are automatically considered for 4YF funding

• $24,000 stipend plus full tuition coverage
• Stipend and tuition are provided per year for up to four years of doctoral studies

1. Submit an application for admission to the appropriate graduate program at UBC to be considered for Four Year Fellowship funding.
2. UBC states that all PhD, DMA, and MDPhD applicants offered admission are automatically considered for 4YF funding.
3. Graduate programs review incoming and continuing students and offer Four Year Fellowships to students with priority given to incoming students.
4. Graduate programs notify Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies by submitting a signed University Award Recommendation Form listing award number 6456; it is not necessary to list an award amount.
5. Recommendation forms should be submitted at least eight weeks before the requested 4YF start date.

• Signed University Award Recommendation Form (submitted by the graduate program)