Accessing your Graduate Assistantship and Graduate Funding

Graduate Assistantship (GA) Overview

Graduate Assistantships may be available to full-time students, including Visa students. Below is more details:

  • Compenstation
    • Master’s Level (2025-26): $11,314.28
    • Doctoral Level (2025-26): $12,338.50
  • Work: Up to 270 hours across Fall/Winter (avg. 10 hrs/week)
  • Duties: Teaching support, leading seminars, grading, supervising examination and lab sets, field trips, consulting students, etc.
  • Eligibility: Max 4 terms (Master’s) or 8 terms (Doctoral)

Setting Up Your GA

Your GA must be renewed each year. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Register
  • Enroll in Fall/Winter or Spring-Summer terms (Registrarial Services will notify eligibility).
Step 2: Contact Graduate Studies
Step 3: Await Email Instructions from Graduate Studies
  • Using GA for tuition? Email graduate.accounts@lakeheadu.ca (Accounts Receivable) to assign payroll towards your student account.
  • Not using GA for tuition? (i.e you are using other payment methods such as Scholarships/Awards and/or Bursaries, OSAP or out of province funding, Sponsorship, or personal funds) Email hr.assistant@lakeheadu.ca (Human Resources) to receive your GA package.

Graduate Scholarships, Awards, Bursaries

Funding is allocated in September, January, and May by Graduate Studies. Scholarships are first applied to any outstanding student account balance. Overpayments are refunded via Interac e-Transfer (PayMyTuition) by Financial Services.

Contact Information

Refunds: graduate.accounts@lakeheadu.ca

Scholarships, Awards & Bursaries:  Taylor Laughton scholarship.grad@lakeheadu.ca or Maegen Lavallee at funding.grad@lakeheadu.ca 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between my GA and my other graduate funding (e.g. Awards, Scholarships, and Bursaries)?

A Graduate Assistantship (GA) is an offer of employment. Funds are issued to students through Payroll.

Questions about employment can be directed to Human Resources: hr.assistant@lakeheadu.ca

Awards, Scholarships, and Bursaries are awarded by Lakehead or external funding agencies (e.g. OGS, NSERC) and are applied to registered students typically at the beginning of each term. If there is a surplus of awards on your student account, a refund could be issued to you each term.

Questions about award refunds can be directed to Accounts Receivable (Student Accounts): graduate.accounts@lakeheadu.ca

 I do not have my SIN number yet. Can I start my GA duties?

 No, you must have a SIN number and a Canadian bank account before you can set up your GA.

 My supervisor says I only need to complete 100 hours. Is this acceptable?

No, you must complete 270 hours over two terms, or 135 per term.

 Can I start my GA duties before I have registered for courses?

No, you must be fully registered for your Fall and Winter terms before you can set up your GA.

 Can I continue my GA duties after I withdraw from the program?

No, once you withdraw from the program, you are no longer able to work your GA position. To withdraw from the program, reach out to admin.grad@lakeheadu.ca. To stop your GA duties please immediately reach out to your GA supervisor and email graduate.assistant@lakeheadu.ca

 Where do I find out what my GA duties are?

Please reach out to your Graduate Coordinator, found here

 My Supervisor said I can split my hours per term. Is that allowed?

No, you must complete 270 hours over two terms, or 135 per term.

 Is my GA supervisor also my academic supervisor?

Sometimes. Some students are paired with their supervisor while others may be paired with a professor in their department.

Will my GA pay cover my tuition?

Maybe. Your individual circumstances will determine what kind of statutory deductions and required benefits will appear on your paystub. Statutory deductions include Income Tax, Canada Pension, and Employment Insurance. Other required deductions include union dues, medical, dental, and vision benefits.  Tuition is deducted last. 

When your first pay occurs please login to myInfo to view your Student Account (Student Tab –>My Financial Profile -->View My Account) to confirm that the amount requested from your Payroll Deduction Authorization Form matches what was applied from your pay to your student account. At minimum, please make sure to check again after the first pay in January as tax rates may change. If there is a shortfall, you will have to make an additional payment by the last Friday in April.

Questions about Payroll: payroll.analyst3@lakeheadu.ca

Questions about Student Account: graduate.accounts@lakeheadu.ca

 Do I pay tax on my GA?
 

Earnings as a graduate assistant are classified as employment income, and as such, subject to statutory mandatory deductions for Canada Pension Plan contributions, Employment Insurance premiums, and income tax deductions. 

Income tax amounts can vary based on individual circumstance and declarations made when filing out the federal and provincial TD1 tax credit forms.

Earnings for your GA position are reported on a T4 Statement of Remuneration paid and reported in Box 14 as employment income.  T4’s are made available to employees through their myInfo accounts by the end of February for the prior calendar year.  For example, earnings paid to a graduate assistant during the 2022 calendar year will be reported an a T4 made available through myInfo by the end of February 2023.

When will I be paid for my GA?
 

Graduate assistants are paid on a semi-monthly pay cycle with 2 deposits made each month.

Deposits are made on the 15th and last of each month unless that particular date falls on a weekend or banking holiday.  In those cases, the deposit is made the last business day before the banking closure.  For example, should the 15th of the month fall on a Saturday or banking holiday, your deposit will be made on the prior Friday (the 14th).

When will my funding (scholarships, awards, or bursaries) be placed on my student account? 

Scholarships, awards, or bursaries will be placed on your student account after the start of the term, and before the end of the first month of the term.

Where can I apply for more funding

Please see more about other funding here.

If my graduate funding covers my tuition & compulsory fees (term fees), do I have to send payment by August 15?

No. If you have enough funding from any of the sources below (or combination of sources), to cover your fees in FULL, your payment is deferred, and you do not need to make a payment by August 15:

  • OSAP
  • GA
  • Scholarships, Awards, Bursaries
  • Sponsorship

However, if the above sources only partially cover your fees, you are responsible to pay the difference by the published Payment Due Dates