• MSc domestic students: $2,102.40 per term
• MSc international students: $5,698.74 per term
• PhD domestic and international students: $2,102.40 per term

Students are solely responsible for paying their tuition. Tuition is due mid-September, mid-January and mid-May. If tuition is not paid in full, a 1.2% per month interest charge will be applied on the second last business day in September, January and May. For a detailed list of this year’s fees and payment methods, please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website.

To learn more about graduate fees, please visit the registrars website.

Please Note: The Graduate Students Association (GSA) Health & Dental Insurance Plan automatically covers members who pay GSA and McMaster fees. If you are covered under another health and dental plan, you can opt out of the GSA plan before the deadline. Visit the Graduate Student Association website for more details.

Stipends may consist of up to three separate bank deposits depending on the type. For detailed information, please refer to our student handbook.

Current minimum levels of support are:

Many of our students secure scholarships from Provincial or Federal granting agencies including, in particular, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, National Science and Engineering Research Council and Ontario Graduate Scholarships. Stipends will be adjusted for students who hold external award/scholarship.

The program typically offers half-TAs based on the annual TA allocation received from the Faculty of Health Sciences dean. Teaching assistantship positions within our undergraduate program are assigned according to the academic background of the student, by the course instructors and the biochemistry graduate program associate chair of undergraduate education. If you have been offered a teaching assistantship, you will become an employee of McMaster University, in addition to being a graduate student. TA’s must complete 130 hours of work in addition to three hours of orientation and health and safety training. The terms and conditions of your employment are governed by the collective agreement between the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 3906 Unit 1 and the University.

Please Note: PhD students are guaranteed a teaching assistant, and the PhD base stipend includes TA income. MSc students are not guaranteed a TA. MSc students who hold a TA position will receive an additional $6,586.16 to their base stipend.

To learn more about your responsibilities as a TA, please review the review the Teaching Assistant Guidebook (PDF).

Karl Freeman Prize for Graduate Seminars

The Karl Freeman Prize is awarded annually to graduate students in the department who are deemed to have presented the most outstanding graduate seminars. The School of Graduate Studies awards the prizes on the recommendation of the department.  Prizes are given for first and second place seminar ranking in the MSc and PhD program. This prize was established in 2001 by Karl Freeman, chair of the Department of Biochemistry from 1973 to 1979 and acting chair for six months during 1982.

Impact Awards (Recognition for Student Publications)

This award will be presented to biochemistry graduate students for highly meritorious contributions to scientific literature. A prize for the most impressive first-authored publication(s) by our graduate students will be given based on the recommendation of the Departmental Graduate Admissions Committee. The department anticipates bestowing up to three awards annually.  Prizes are valued at $500.

Biochemistry Graduate Student Travel Award

The department will grant up to 40 competitive $500 travel awards each year to assist students planning to attend scientific meetings. To qualify, students must be enrolled on a full-time basis in either the MSc or PhD program and must present data either as a poster or as a speaker at the meeting they plan to attend. Students who have received a travel award in the past will only be eligible for another one if funding permits.

Thomas Neilson Award

This award was established in memory of Dr. Thomas Neilson by his family, friends and colleagues as a token of their appreciation and respect. The Neilson Scholarship will be awarded by the School of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the Departmental Graduate Admissions Committee, based upon performance in the program with particular emphasis upon the overall academic standing, supporting letters, contributions to teaching, the seminar presentation, the transfer report, research contributions and publications.  The award will not necessarily be given every year and may be awarded twice in a given year. The value of the award is $1,000.