” I was completely disappointed. Financially, yes, I regret my choice,” says Gianluca Secolina, who came from Italy 18 months ago to pursue a PhD in biology at the University of Quebec in Rimouski.
I chose to comeUQARIn Canada, as a research project [auquel je pouvais participer] It was really good. I feel like I'm doing something important
Gianluca explains in impressive French.
But after his visit, he realized that the funding system for doctoral students was much less generous and more complicated than he had expected.
Since he is a foreign student, he is not eligible for scholarships from major central government-sponsored institutions.
In fact, a small minority of graduate students, Canadian or not, receive these scholarships, which is not a panacea; We will come back to that.
Without a stipend, Gianluca receives about $20,000 a year, an income provided by his doctoral supervisor through the funding of a research chair, but he explains that it is not enough. His French is not good enough to be a lecturer and the competition to become a lab assistant is very high, leaving him with few options.
He used a substantial part of his savings in a few months. He lives in a small room in a university apartment, the cheapest he can find.
I live without a car, I don't go on vacations, I don't eat out. I often wonder why I am doing this and why I am here.
I was recommended to look for a catering job. But I already work eight to ten hours a day at the university, he explains in a discouraging tone. It's a trap. You come here thinking you're going to earn something, you're going to be treated as a researcher, but in the end, you're dependent on your savings.
Last year was very difficult for him. He had to get financial help from his parents and see a psychologist to manage his depressive symptoms. If he doesn't give up, it's because he doesn't want to go back to square one and start his doctorate all over again.
Although he appreciates the quality of the program and the teaching, if he had to make a choice again now, he would definitely return to another country, perhaps in Europe, where his financial situation would be less. .
Not enough scholarship… and not indexed
Even for those lucky enough to receive a scholarship, it's not always financially blissful.
It is clear that the SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) grant is insufficient
says Marlene LaRochelle, PhD in Educational Sciences at the University of Montreal.
When she returned to school in her late thirties, she knew it would mean a significant drop in her family's income, but she had no idea how complicated it would be.
Every time she receives money from her $35,000 annual stipend, she puts a quarter of it away. why To finance his fourth year of studies, the grant will not be awarded because the main federal scholarship lasts for three years. Completing a doctorate in three years is very, very rare
She explains.
In addition to her research project, she says she needs to juggle two research contracts and a course load to be financially successful. I participate in other programs to develop my knowledge and advance my career, yes. But if I do so much, it is for financial reasons.
It is difficult to find a balance between advancing my thesis and the time I can devote to all the other projects [dans lesquels je me suis investie] To earn income.
Marlene LaRochelle
Photo: Radio-Canada / Amelie Philibert
He says that he knows many colleagues who accept several subjects in each session, but for this reason have to extend their studies by one or more years. The more we work, the less time and energy we have to pursue a doctorate.
The grant Marlin receives has not been indexed since 2003, as have most grants awarded by the three major federal research councils.
However, Quebec Research Fund grants were increased significantly last year, and it was a breath of fresh air for my colleagues who receive them.
she says with a bit of bitter conviction.
Evolution of the Value of Graduate Scholarships Awarded by the Government of Canada (Master's and Doctoral)
| Project name | Annual amount | Evolution of value |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Graduate Scholarships – Masters | $17,500 | Unchanged since 2003 |
| Canada Graduate Scholarships – PhD | $35,000 | Unchanged since 2003 |
| NSERC Graduate Scholarship – PhD | $21,000 | Unchanged since 2003 |
| SSHRC Research Grants – Ph.D | $20,000 | increased from $19,000 to $20,000 in 2004 |
A report with unequivocal results
Constituency MP Maxime Blanchette-Joncas has heard stories like Gianluca Segolina and Marlène Larochelle. He has been attentive for a while to the aid of the research community, which has recently decried the fact that Canada is lagging behind in funding scientific research.
As a member of the Standing Committee on Science and Research, he worked on the Government of Canada's graduate and post-graduate scholarship programs.
Maxime Blanchet-Zoncas, MP for Rimouski-Neiget-Demiskovata-les-Basques, is vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Research and Science in Ottawa.
Photo: Radio-Canada
The Committee heard forty witnesses, including representatives of students, universities and major research forums, and received several briefs.
The report, which was prepared and tabled quietly in Parliament last November, is a scathing attack on the government. He reported a Problematic funding
This increases students' risk of financial problems, increased mental health problems, increase in failures, extension of study duration and dropout and brain drain.
The danger is that only the wealthiest or most privileged students can pursue graduate studies.
According to statistics provided to the Federation of Canadian Student Associations, the average student finishes their studies with $28,000 (master's) or $33,000 (doctoral) in debt.
Furthermore, a 2022 national survey conducted by the Ottawa Science Policy Network found that 86% of respondents reported experiencing stress and anxiety about their finances, and 43% of those who described their financial situation as Dangerous
Or In trouble
We learn from the report of the committee.
This financial aid does not make it possible to pay for groceries or rent, and many graduate students live below the poverty line.
Catherine Beaubeu-Lorraine, president of the Quebec Student Union, notes.
Catherine Pbeu-Lorraine, President of the Union of Quebec Students (UEQ).
Photo: Radio-Canada / Fannie Bussières McNicoll
Amounts that have stagnated for two decades, the real value of this financial aid, taking inflation into account, has fallen by 50% since the beginning of the 2000s, we can read in the same report.
Also, the increase in the number of scholarships distributed has outstripped the number of graduate students. The result is fierce competition among students, which is by no means healthy for the research environment, explains MP Maxime Blanchet-Zoncas.
We are in a time of labor shortage. If a student has a choice between pursuing an education with financial stress or taking a well-paying job, for some the choice is very simple.
He explains.
Failure in international competition
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas says the lack of support for graduate students is driving away the next generation of researchers, as Daniel Jutras, rector of the University of Montreal, recently complained. We compromise our ability to innovate. We cannot rely on top international talent to come here.
What is the government's priority? […] Do we always want to follow other countries that are going to develop new technologies? […] Should we send our best talents to other countries for study and scientific research?
Comparing the levels of generosity of doctoral scholarships
| Country | Annual value (in Canadian dollars) of a doctoral scholarship in pure science or engineering |
|---|---|
| Canada | $21,000 (grant from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, NSERC) |
| Australia | $31,200 (indexed for inflation) |
| United Kingdom | $31,500 |
| America | $65,000 (including $49,000 paid to the student and the rest to the institution) |
| Germany | $66,000 |
| Denmark | $73,500 |
Take action
The report of the Standing Committee on Research and Science makes very simple recommendations.
First, he recommends increasing the value and number of scholarships awarded. It is a mistake to increase the value of scholarships without increasing the total envelope, which will reduce the number of scholarship recipients and consequently reduce access to financial aid.
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas warns.
He recommends extending the duration of the funding, which would have helped someone like Marlene LaRochelle, and expanding eligibility for scholarships, especially for foreign students like Gianluca Cecolina.
Also, well aware that non-scholarship students also need better financial support, the committee members recommend Renewed support for research
.
In recent years, there has been a retrenchment on the part of the Liberal government in supporting research chairs, particularly in the three major grant-making bodies. For two years, there was not even an extra penny to adequately support scientific research
Condemns Maxime Blanchette-Joncas.
We request the government to take action.
More than three months after the report was submitted, a response from the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, is still awaited.
His spokeswoman, Audrey Chamboux, confirms that the response will be provided by March 11 within the 120-day deadline.
We thank the Committee for its important work and take note of the report and recommendations. We support students and university research, but we know we need to do more
Audrey Champoux writes.
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