The University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) is the umbrella organization of all departmental graduate student course unions (including the GEA) and represents graduate student interests at various levels within the university administration and in the community at large. A portion of your incidental fees, paid alongside tuition, go to the UTGSU and in turn are allocated to individual course units as well as to projects and organizations beneficial to graduate students in all departments. This page will provide brief descriptions of particularly relevant UTGSU programs and supports, accompanied by links to the UTGSU website for more detailed information.
Health and Dental Insurance
All graduate students are entitled to coverage under the UTGSU’s Health and Dental insurance plan, though students with their own third-party coverage can choose to opt out. A brief summary of the UTGSU plan can be found here, or visit the UTGSU website for more details.
Advocacy
The UTGSU offers confidential advice and advocacy for graduate students facing academic and/or administrative obstacles in their time at U of T, including “problems with your supervisor, department, or the university; charges of academic misconduct; petitions and appeals; discrimination and oppression).” Simply contact the UTGSU Membership and Advocacy Coordinator (membership@utgsu.ca) and they can provide you with information and suggestions for your specific circumstances, as well as referring you to other available resources and solutions.
UTGSU Building/Spaces
The UTGSU Building, located at 16 Bancroft Avenue, features a number of amenities and spaces for graduate student use.
Gym
The UTGSU gym is available for bookings for badminton and basketball, and is also used to host the UTGSU Intramural Volleyball League.
Pub
The UTGSU Pub, open to all graduate students, features an accessible outdoor patio and can also be reserved for parties and events.
Room Bookings
The UTGSU features two spaces for booking: the Basement Lounge and the Grad Loft, which can respectively host 15 and 30-40 people. The gym can also be reserved for non-athletic events with up to 150 attendees.
Funding
The UTGSU offers a number of funding opportunities for individual members and groups.
Conference Bursary
UTGSU members who incur expenses in order to attend or present at an academic conference are eligible for the UTGSU Conference Bursary. A total of 120 bursaries are available (split across two application cycles), each worth up to $250.
Graduate Community Development Fund
The GCDF was created to recognize “exceptional students on campus for their contributions to the graduate student experience.” A total of 15 awards are given each year: five worth $1,000 and ten worth $500.
Black Graduate Students’ Excellence Bursary
Created in partnership with the School of Graduate Studies, this bursary aims to “help improve fair and equitable access to educational opportunities for Black students commencing graduate studies at the University of Toronto.” Up to 15 $2,000 need-based bursaries are awarded each year to students in the first year of their studies.
Donation Requests
Any UTGSU member may submit requests for monetary donations “towards events and/or initiatives which enhance the University of Toronto graduate student experience, as well as non-University of Toronto events and/or initiatives which include or are of interest to UTGSU Members.”