
Funding and Awards
Undergraduate
- Andrew MacIntosh Memorial Book Prize in Fine Arts - BA
Book prize for best essay in an undergraduate Art History seminar submitted by a BA student.
- Andrew MacIntosh Memorial Book Prize in Fine Arts - BFA
Book prize for best work in the BFA end-of-year show.
- Canadian Society for Asian Arts Prize
A $500 prize is offered by the Canadian Society for Asian Arts to a student in third or fourth year studying Asian arts. The award is made on the recommendation of the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory.
- Faculty Women’s Club Ida Green Scholarship
A $1,865 scholarship has been endowed by the Faculty Women's Club in memory of Dr. Ida Mabelle Green, LL.D. Ida Green was a pioneer in the American Association of University Women and in the provision of graduate fellowships for women. With her husband Cecil H. Green, Dr. Green was a major benefactor of post-secondary education and the advancement of science. The scholarship is awarded on the joint recommendation of the School of Music and the Departments of Creative Writing, Fine Arts and Theatre to a student entering the third or higher year of study in the creative or performing arts.
- First Nations Graduate Fellowship
The University of British Columbia offers several fellowships and scholarships to First Nations graduate students. Award winners are selected on the basis of academic merit through an annual competition. The Faculty of Graduate Studies administers the awards in consultation with the First Nations House of Learning. Applicants may or may not be UBC graduate students at the time of application - the competition is open to both incoming and continuing graduate students. However, awardees must be enrolled as full-time graduate students at UBC for the coming academic year.
- Florence Muriel Smeltzer Scholarship
A $2,500 scholarship has been endowed in memory of Florence Muriel Smeltzer by her family. It is given on the recommendation of the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory in consultation with the Department of Visual and Performing Arts to a student with demonstrated ability in painting.
- Frank Stevens Scholarship in Studio Arts
A $1,000 scholarship is offered by Cheryl Stevens in memory of her grandfather, Frank Stevens, an amateur artist who switched hands to continue to paint after becoming partially paralyzed in mid-life. The scholarship is awarded to a third or fourth year student majoring in Studio Art in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Program. The award is made on the recommendation of the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory.
- Governor General's Gold Medal
A gold medal is awarded to the graduate student who has achieved the most outstanding academic record in the graduating class for the Doctoral degree. A second gold medal is awarded to the graduate student who has achieved most outstanding academic record in the graduating class for the Master's degree with thesis. This is an opportunity to honour the best in the graduating class within the Faculty of Graduate Studies, as there is only one award for approximately 1,000 Master’s graduates and one award for more than 300 Doctoral graduates. Medals are presented on behalf of the Governor General of Canada by participating educational institutions, along with a personalized certificate signed by the Governor General. There is no monetary award associated with the medals.
- Graduate Teaching Assistant Teaching Awards
The Faculty of Arts normally awards up to 3 GTA awards per year. Administered by the Dean's Office based on departmental nominations. The award is open to any graduate teaching assistant who acts or has acted in this position during the current and/or preceding academic year.
- Helen Pitt Fund for Fine Arts Graduating Year Award
Visual Arts students in their graduating year at SFU, UBC, ECIAD, UVic and Okanagan University College will be eligible for awards based on merit as determined by the Department in each of the institutions with preference given to students from Vernon. For these purposes, Visual Arts will include painting, which was Mrs. Pitt's particular stipulation, as well as sculpture, printmaking, drawing and photography.
- Hunter Campbell Lewis Memorial Book Prize
A book prize, valued at $300, honours the memory of Professor Hunter Campbell Lewis who, as an undergraduate, helped his class of Arts '23 to establish the "first study collection" for the study and appreciation of painting. Later, during his teaching career at UBC, he, on his own initiative and at his own expense, sought out and had brought to the campus the first totem poles of our indigenous people to be given to the University. These were mounted at Totem Park. Endowed by a gift from Annie M. Angus (Arts '23), the prize is awarded to a student entering the fourth year in the field of art history. The recipient is selected on the basis of academic distinction by a departmental committee appointed by the Head of Art History and Visual Art.
- IODE Fine Arts Foundation Scholarship
Four awards of $1,095 each have been endowed by the University Chapter of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire. They are made on the joint recommendation of the Departments of Creative Writing, Fine Arts and Theatre, and the School of Music, for excellence in these fields.
- John Alexander McDonald Scholarship in Humanities
Scholarships totalling $49,000 have been endowed through a bequest from John Alexander McDonald, Associate Professor Emeritus of Spanish (1974). The awards are offered to fourth year undergraduate students taking a combined Major or Honours program in two Humanities fields. Preference may be given to students in Hispanic and Italian Studies, English, French, Classics, Philosophy, or Fine Arts. The awards are made on the recommendation of the respective departments in consultation with the Dean, Faculty of Arts.
- Sharon Yacowar Frohlinger Memorial Scholarship
A scholarship of $320 has been endowed by relatives, friends, the B'nai B'rith Family and especially B'nai B'rith Women Centennial Chapter No. 1022 in memory of Sharon Mavis Yacowar Frohlinger in recognition of her devoted community services and her love of the Fine Arts. The award is made to an undergraduate proceeding to a degree in one or more of the fields of theatre, fine arts, or music; the award shall be based on promise for the future and past performance. Consideration is to be given to the financial circumstances of the recipient.
- Stafford D. Plant Scholarship in Fine Arts
A 2,000 scholarship is offered by Thelma ønd Stafford Plant to an undergraduate
student entering the second year of study in the Department of Art History, Visual Art
and Theory. The award is made on the recommendation of the Department.
- Thea Koerner Memorial Scholarship
A scholarship of $1,660, endowed by her friends in memory of Thea Koerner and in recognition of her most generous encouragement of the arts at the University and in British Columbia, is awarded upon the recommendation by the Theatre Program, the Creative Writing Program, the Departments of Art History and Visual Art, and the School of Music, to a full-time student regularly enrolled in one of these areas and proceeding to a degree, whose past performance and future promise qualify him as the most suitable recipient of the award.
- UBC-CCA Collection Research Grant
PhD candidates in the department of Art History Visual Art and Theory can apply to participate in a joint fellowship offered by The Canadian Centre for Architecture to undertake research in CCA's collection and library.
- University of BC Medal (in Fine Arts)
Awarded to the student standing at the head of the graduating class in the BFA degree.
- Wesbrook Scholarships and Premier Undergraduate Scholarships
The Premier Undergraduate Scholarships and Wesbrook Scholars are the University’s most prestigious designations, given to senior students with outstanding academics, participation in sports, leadership, and involvement in student and community activities. Awards range from 20 Wesbrook Scholar designations (including a $1000 scholarship) to renewable scholarships worth $15,000 over two years.
- Zoe Prize in Fine Arts
A $500 prize is offered by Robert Wilson to an undergraduate student in the Department of Art History and Visual Art, with preference to students continuing on to a Master of Fine Arts Program. The award is made on the recommendation of the Department.
Graduate
- Andrew MacIntosh Memorial Book Prize in Fine Arts, MA or PhD
Book prize for best essay in graduate Art History seminars.
- Andrew MacIntosh Memorial Book Prize in Fine Arts, MFA
Book prize for best essay in the graduate seminar.
- Art History Travel Research Scholarship
Scholarships totalling $6,500 have been endowed for graduate students in Art History to assist them in the study of works of art in galleries and museums around the world. The awards are made on the recommendation of the Department of Fine Arts in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
- Audain Foundation Graduate Fellowship
Awarded on the Basis of academic excellence to graduate students in the Critical and Curatorial Studies Program. The Fellowship is a major gift from philanthropist Michael Audain. The gift creates endowments that will augment the Critical & Curatorial (CCST) program and provide financial suport to CCST students throught four annual fellowships.
- BC Binning Memorial Fellowship
A fellowship of $18,000 has been endowed in memory of Professor Emeritus B.C. Binning, painter and founder of the Department of Fine Arts at UBC The award is made on the recommendation of the Department, to a student entering the second year in the MFA Program in the Department of Art History and Visual Art, and showing exceptional promise in drawing. Preference is given to a candidate who is a Canadian citizen or a landed immigrant.
- Graduate Entrance Scholarships (GES)
Graduate Entrance Scholarships are offered to the best and brightest incoming masters and doctoral students for full-time graduate study. All applicants to the program are automatically considered for this award. In the event that a student receives another funding offer, in excess of GES allocation, the department reserves the right to withdraw the offer so that another student can receive funding.
- Hugo E. Meilicke Memorial Fellowship
This fund was established by the late Hugo E. Meilicke who gave distinguished service to the community through his business associations and through active participation in organizations such as the Kiwanis Club, the Salvation Army, the Vancouver Foundation, the Crippled Children's Hospital, the Vancouver Art Gallery, and the Vancouver Symphony Society. The annual income of $39,000 provides awards in various fields such as agriculture, political science, commerce, fine arts, and music. The awards are made on the recommendation of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Masters and Doctoral Scholarships and Fellowships
Awards based on academic excellence. Students who are either Canadian citizens or Landed Immigrants with first-class averages in their last two years of full-time study may be eligible to submit applications for these prestigious national awards. Applications are submitted to the Department in the fall. Further information is available at www.sshrc.ca
- Teaching Assistantships
TA positions are normally offered to students entering their second year of graduate programs. Notices of teaching assistantships are posted in the Department on April 1st. Duties include leading discussion sections and marking exams and papers for certain undergraduate courses, for a maximum of 12 hours per week.
- Travel Fund - Conferences (Faculty of Graduate Studies)
Graduate students are eligible for reimbursement from the Graduate Student Travel Fund once per degree program. The Travel Fund provides travel support to a maximum of $400 per graduate student who presents a paper or poster at an official conference or symposium (student workshops are ineligible) or who participate in a music competition. The conference or competition must take place while the student is enrolled full-time in a graduate degree program.
- University Graduate Fellowships
The Faculty of Graduate Studies offers approximately 300 University Graduate Fellowships each year to meritorious students for full-time study and/or research leading to a graduate degree. Awards are made on the basis of academic excellence, and are open to currently registered, full-time UBC graduate students regardless of citizenship or visa status. Students must submit their applications to their departments. Departments recommend only their highest-ranked candidates to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Only the top graduate students with a minimum first class standing [80% or higher at UBC] in each of the last two years of full-time study are nominated. Competition for UGF awards is strong each year, and there are always many more nominations than available awards. Further information is available at www.grad.ubc.ca/awards.
Both
- Helen Belkin Memorial Scholarship in Fine Arts
A scholarship of $2,000 has been endowed by the President's Fund to honour the memory of Helen Mary Emily Belkin. The scholarship is offered to a fine arts student on the recommendation of the Department. Undergraduate and Graduate students are eligible.
- Roloff Beny Foundation Scholarship
The Roloff Beny Foundation has endowed a $10,000 scholarship (or two awards of equal value to a total of $10,000) for undergraduate or graduate students in the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory whose work focuses on photo-based practices. Roloff Beny, a famous Canadian photographer, painter and designer, died in March 1984. For the outstanding photography and design of his beautiful books, he won numerous awards, including the Gold Medal of the Leipzig International Book Fair, the Charles Blanc Medallion of the French Academy, and the Order of Canada. The award is made on the recommendation of the Department and, in the case of graduate students, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.