I started here as an MA student last year (now in the PhD) with the minimum funding package that Cheryl says doesn't exist. I moved here from the US after working (and saving!) for several years and, due to work responsibilities, arrived in Toronto the same day as orientation, three days before the first day of class. As a newcomer to the city, I found it nearly impossible to find somewhere to live. Every day for three weeks I pounded the pavement looking for affordable housing. I finally gave in when I found somewhere for about $1000/month. I lived three km away from campus and walked to school every day, regardless of weather, because I couldn't afford to pay $3 in TTC fare. I never ate out, bought food in bulk when it was on sale, and allowed myself a half pint of beer ($2.75) once a week at the GSU pub. My first winter in Canada was pure hell, because I'd never had cause to own a real coat before and I certainly couldn't afford to buy one once I started my program. Regardless, things were going well and according to budget until a series of family emergencies in the spring put some serious strains on my budget. This combined with the cost of PhD applications in the winter (roughly $100 + $40 in transcript fees a pop) meant that once June rolled around things were pretty desperate. I've had a job since I was 14, worked multiple jobs during undergrad, and had a career before going back to school. I have been a fully independent adult in every way for a very long time. This summer my dad offered me money to pay my rent, and I had to take it. I've always been the person in my family who helped every one else when they needed money, and it's hard to convey how it felt to need to accept money that I had not earned. When I received my offer from U of T, my letter said that I would be funded to the tune of $23k/year. Not a lot, but doable with careful budgeting and no extra frills--which I was willing to do. However, what my letter of offer didn't say was that they would be deducting tuition from that number, leaving me with $15k/year. In fact, I didn't receive an actual breakdown of my funding and where it was coming from (TAship, RAship, fellowship, etc.) until Nov/Dec. Now, in my PhD, things are slightly better (but with zero guarantee that will continue). I was very lucky and was hired to work on a research project completely outside of my department as a consultant (so the university can't take my funding), and I also received a small, one-time only fellowship that I applied for that the university also cannot take. I won an OGS this year that's technically worth $15k, but I haven't seen a penny of it. The university replaced my "guaranteed minimum funding package" with the external OGS that I applied to and won. My SSHRC application is in Ottawa right now, and I hope to God I'm not funded, as I believe you are not allowed to hold another job at the same time. This is technically true of OGS as well, so my research position is as secret as possible--wouldn't want them to take any more of my funding away!