Tuition & Finances

To estimate your expenses for a 12-month (three term) academic year, including tuition, visit the Graduate Student Affordability Calculator.

Tuition & Fees for the Master of Library & Information Science program are set by the University. For full information, visit the Office of the Registrar's Fee Schedules page.

Western Libraries and the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS) are committed to increasing diversity within librarianship and the information profession. During the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years, we are partnering to offer the Western Libraries–FIMS Master of Library and Information Science Fellowships for Black and Indigenous Students. The goal is to recruit and support applicants who identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) or Black and to help them develop a foundation for future professional success. Fellows will receive an award covering the cost of tuition and fees for three full-time terms of the FIMS MLIS program. They will also receive experiential learning and mentorship opportunities through a two-term, paid, on campus, co-op placement within Western Libraries.

Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Indigenous applicants will be required to comply with Western's MAPP policy 1.58 - Affirming Declarations of Indigenous Citizenship or Membership at Western University. Successful Fellows will demonstrate academic achievement, community involvement, and a desire to build a career in libraries and the information profession. The recipients will be selected in accordance with the FIMS Awards and Scholarships Policy and in consultation with Western Libraries.

Learn More

The MLIS program distributes over 20 donor funded awards each fiscal year totaling close to $90,000. The funds are made possible by generous donations from alumni, corporations, foundations, and other friends of Western in support of scholarship.

Donor Funded Award Search - Search by program (Library & Information Science) to review the descriptions, processes and values of each award.

Below are links to awards that have been advertised to LIS students in past. Please check individual websites for application deadlines and most recent updates.

AALL  - American Association of Law Libraries - George A. Strait Minority Scholarship & Fellowship
ACS - American Chemical Society - Division of Chemical Information - Lucille M. Wert Student Scholarship - $1500
AAO  - Archives Assn of Ontario - Shirley Spragge Bursary (apply if currently working or volunteering as an archivist)
ABOS  - Association of Bookmobile & Outreach Services - Conference Travel Grant ($500) and Bernard Vavrek Scholarship ($1000)
ACRL  - Association of College and Research Libraries - RBMS Rare Books and Manuscripts Section conference bursary ($1000+ total value)
AKLA- Alaska Library Association Scholarship- For Alaska residents pursuing MLIS, returning to Alaska ($4000)
AMIA  - Association of Moving Image Archivists - Mulitple scholarships ($4000)
AJL  - Association of Jewish Libraries - AJL Student Scholarship/Subvention Award (Up to $5000)
ALA   - Justin Winsor Library History Essay Award ($500)
APLA   - Atlantic Provinces Library Association - Carin Somers Scholarship Trust ($1000)
ARL - Association of Research Libraries - Julia C. Blixrud Scholarship ($1000 plus Fall Forum registration to attend the President's Institue)
ARL  - Association of Research Libraries - Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce (IRDW) - Kaleidoscope Program
ARL/SAA - Association of Research Libraries and the Society of American Archivists - Mosaic Program ($10,000 and a one-year complimentary membership in the Society of American Archivists and complimentary registration to the Society’s Annual Meeting for the year in which the scholarship is received)
ARLIS/NA  - Art Library Society of North America - Wolfgang Freitag Internship Award ($3000)
ARLIS/NA - Art Library Society of North America - Gerd Muehsam Award ($500 prize + one-year membership to ARLIS/NA)
ATLA - American Theological Library Association  - Diversity in Librarianship scholarship ($4000)
BRASS - Business Reference and Services Section of RUSA - Student Travel Award ($1250)
CALA - Chinese-American Library Association - various scholarships ($500 - $1000)
Calgary Foundation - Shelagh Neary Mikulak Memorial Scholarship for Leadership and Innovation in Library Sciences ($4000)
CALL - Canadian Association of Law Librarians - Diana Priestly Memorial Scholarship ($2500)
CARL - Canadian Association of Research Libraries - Graduate Student Research Grant - up to ($7000)
CRTC - Prize for Excellent in Policy Research ($1500)
JCHLA/JABSC - Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association/Journal de l’Association des bibliothéques de la santé du Canada
Kress Foundation  -  Summer Education Institue  Scholarships 

Margaret Williams Trust Fund Award - Promotes librarianship in Newfoundland (Up to $1500)
MLA - Medical Library Association - Gwendolyn S. Cruzat MLA Scholarship ($5000)
MLA- Medical Library Association - Ana D. Cleveland MLA Scholarship ($1000)
MLA- Medical Library Association - Beverly Murphy MLA Scholarship for Underrepresented Students ($5000)

NASIG  - North American Serials Interest Group ($600)
NCSU - North Carolina State University - Libraries Fellowship Program
NLM - National Library of Medicine Associate Fellowship Program - Bethesda, Maryland.
OLA -  OLA Dr. Janette Baker Scholarship (Up to $5,000 and a 1 year OLA Membership)

OLA -  OLA/OSLA/Ken Haycock SuperConference Travel Grant ($500)

OLA -  OCULA Lightning Strikes Award

PAPL  – Prince Albert Public Library – Helen Ferris Award ($2000)

SALALM  - Seminar of the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials - Conference Attendance Scholarship ($2000)
Schuman Trainees at the European Parliament
Saskatchewan Library Association - Maureen Woods Education Bursary ($5000)
UNYOC - Upstate New York/Ontario Chapter of the Medical Library Association - Ursula H. Poland Award ($5000 plus membership)
ViMLoC - The Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC) Mentorship Program - Visual Resources Association Foundation

• Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
• Bursaries and other funding through the Society of Graduate Students (SOGS)

The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies also maintains a comprehensive listing of both internal and external funding sources. This includes grants, bursaries and workstudy programs.