Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 76.32
Liaison Karen Oberer
Submission Date Dec. 11, 2020

STARS v2.2

McGill University
PA-8: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.62 / 4.00 Cara Piperni
Director, Scholarships & Student Aid
Student Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Percentage of need met, on average, for students who were awarded any need-based aid :
86

Percentage of students graduating without student loan debt:
74

Percentage of entering students that are low-income:
28

Graduation/success rate for low-income students:
84

A brief description of notable policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:

McGill’s Entrance Bursary Program makes need‐based aid available to all (first time, first degree) newly admitted undergraduates, regardless of geographic origin and citizenship. McGill's In-Course Financial Aid Program (Bursaries and Loans) makes need-based aid available to all degree students regardless of geographic origin and citizenship. Additionally, McGill has a specialized aid programs for Indigenous students, and students from Youth-in-Care (child protection services)

Growth in McGill’s need‐based aid programs is made possible by the University’s commitment that 30% of net new revenue derived from tuition increases be allocated to student financial support, as well as student financial support being a key capital campaign priority.

From 2012/13 to 2018/19, there was an 104% increase in aid recipients and a 207% increase in aid dollars going to under‐represented groups, including first generation, indigenous students, students with disabilities, and students with dependents (as self‐declared by aid applicants).
Source: Annual Report on Scholarships and Student Aid (2018-19): https://www.mcgill.ca/senate/files/senate/06_d19-43_scholarships_and_student_aid_report.pdf

The SSAO also provides information and advice on scholarship funding, government aid programs, debt management, and individualized budget counselling. Financial assistance is available through Tuition Fee Deferrals, a Work Study program, and McGill loans and bursary programs (both Entrance and In-Course).


A brief description of notable policies or programs to support non-traditional students:

McGill has published guidelines for pregnant and care-giving students, entitled Guidelines for the Academic Accommodation of Pregnant Students and Students Caring for Dependants (2012). The Environmental Health and Safety unit has published Guidelines for Accommodation of Pregnant/Breastfeeding Students in Labs. The McGill Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Leave of Absence and Vacation Policy also allows students to go on leave for maternity, parental, and family health reasons; students on maternity and parental leave may request and expect guidance on thesis and research work while they are away.

For further information, see:
Guidelines for accommodation (2012) - pregnant and caregiving students: https://mcgill.ca/wellness-hub/files/wellness-hub/guidelines_for_the_academic_accommodation_of_pregnant_students_and_students_caring_for_dependants_0.pdf

EHS Guidelines for Pregnant/Breastfeeding Students in Labs: https://www.mcgill.ca/ehs/files/ehs/guidelines_pregnant_students_in_labs.pdf

The Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Leave of Absence and Vacation Policy: https://mcgill.ca/gps/students/registration/progress/leave-vacation

McGill employs a Family Resources Coordinator, who connects students with dependants to resources on campus and in Montreal. The coordinator also plans events and activities, and provides support for students with families. The coordinator also oversees the Family Care website, which is a centralized hub for all of the university resources pertaining to childcare, eldercare, healthcare, and Quebec's school system.
Family Care Hub: https://mcgill.ca/familycare/

The Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) approved a Policy on Support for Family Care (2016) that mandates consultation with various university stakeholders; support for student parents; support for students with dependants; and regular reporting to the SSMU Legislative Council.
SSMU Family Care Policy (2016): https://ssmu.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/9b.-Appendix-A-Family-Care-Policy-Approved-2016-03-31.pdf

McGill also has a dedicated aid programs for:
- Indigenous students via our partnership with Indspire, an Indigenous-run charitable organization;
- students with disabilities who need ADHD testing;
- guaranteed funding for students with a Youth-in-Care background (in or were under child protection services).

The Scholarships and Student Aid Office also assists international students with dependant children, with demonstrated financial need, to help pay for health insurance coverage for their dependants.


Estimated percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students:
30

Website URL where information about the institution’s accessibility and affordability initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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