Teaching Awards & Grants Database

Teaching awards and grants recognize and fund pedagogical innovation and excellence. The Teaching Awards & Grants Database provides an overview of the divisional and institutional teaching awards and grants available across the University of Toronto as well as major external teaching awards.

Use the database to search for a specific award or grant using the search bar, or filter the database using these eligibility requirements:

  • Division (including institutional awards).
  • Award or grant type (i.e., “Early Career” or “Experiential”).
  • U of T position (i.e., “teaching stream faculty” or “teaching assistant”).

Each divisional teaching award and grant has a divisional contact listed who should be your main point of contact for questions. For questions related to institutional teaching awards, email awards.provost@utoronto.ca.

Awards & Grants Database

Award Eligibility Division Award Type
FIFSW Supervision Excellence Award Factor–Inwentash Faculty of Social Work Divisional Teaching Award, Graduate Education
BIPOC TA Teaching Excellence Award They self-identify as a member of a Black, Indigenous and/or racialized community They receive 2 or more student nominations (NB: Faculty may submit a nomination, but evidence of student support will be required as well) They have at least 100 hours of TA experience at the University of Toronto prior to the current academic year They have held a TA appointment during the current academic year in an undergraduate course They have been a member of CUPE 3902, Units 1, 2, or 4 and enrolled in the School of Graduate Studies They have been a previously shortlisted nominee Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation Institutional Award, Student-Nominated, TA Award
Arts & Science Outstanding Teaching Award – Early Career The OTA – Early Career is open to assistant professors in the tenure and teaching stream holding a continuing, contractually limited, or part-time appointment, in the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus). Faculty of Arts and Science Divisional Teaching Award, Early Career Teaching Award
Graduate Education Innovation Fund University of Toronto faculty members with continuing appointments are eligible to apply (i.e., assistant professor, associate professor, and professor for both the tenure and teaching streams; part-time assistant, associate, and professor that have undergone continuing review). Typically, applicants will hold Graduate Faculty Membership with SGS. Collaborators can include librarians, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows etc., as appropriate to the project. School of Graduate Studies Institutional Pedagogical Grant, Pedagogical Grant
Part-time Faculty & Contractually Limited Term Appointments (CLTAs) Teaching Award Up to three awards will be offered per year in this category. University of Toronto Scarborough Divisional Teaching Award, Early Career Teaching Award
Experiential Learning Fund (ELF) UTSC appointed faculty and staff are eligible to apply University of Toronto Scarborough Divisional Pedagogical Grant, Experiential Learning, Pedagogical Grant
A&S Teaching & Learning Fellowship Candidates must hold a continuing appointment in the Faculty of Arts & Science (St. George campus), of at least the duration of the Fellowship requirements (3 years). Courses developed through the Teaching & Learning Fellowship are intended to benefit and serve the goals of academic units and must be approved by the Chair or Academic Director as part of the application process. Fellowship funding includes a 0.5 FCE course release funded by the Faculty; the unit leader must sign off on the proposed course release. Faculty of Arts and Science Divisional Pedagogical Grant, Pedagogical Grant, Teaching Fellowship
Experiential Learning Development Grant All instructors at UTM with an interest in experiential learning are encouraged to apply. This includes Faculty (teaching or tenure stream), CLTAs, Sessional Lecturers, and Course Instructors teaching in the current or next academic session at the time of application. Previous grant recipients are also welcome to submit an application to expand existing projects. University of Toronto Mississauga Divisional Pedagogical Grant, Experiential Learning, Pedagogical Grant
Experiential Learning Faculty Fellows Program Continuing appointment Arts & Science faculty members in tenure or teaching stream, pre- and post- promotion, are eligible. Faculty of Arts and Science Divisional Pedagogical Grant, Experiential Learning, Pedagogical Grant, Teaching Fellowship
Community-Engaged Learning Faculty Fellowship Program The Fellowship program is open to any faculty member with a continuing appointment at the University of Toronto who is/will be scheduled to teach a new or existing CEL or CER course in the next academic year. 6 to 8 Fellowships are awarded each year. The Senior Fellowship program is open to experienced CEL/R faculty who have demonstrated both excellence in CEL/R and in supporting colleagues new to CEL/R. 4 Senior Fellowships are awarded each year. Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching Fellowship
Desire2Learn (D2L) Innovation in Teaching and Learning Award Applications are invited with a demonstrable record of innovation(s) in areas including pedagogical approaches, teaching methods, course design, curriculum development, assessment methods, and various tools or technologies that enhance learning and have had a significant impact. Award recipients are expected to attend the annual STLHE conference and present a poster. External Teaching Award / Fellowship
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) Teaching Award Candidates for the OCUFA Teaching Award must be members of an OCUFA-affiliated faculty association. They must show evidence of teaching excellence in multiple areas, including instruction, student advising/support, thesis supervision, course development, curriculum development and leadership, educational leadership, educational material development, service in teaching/educational leadership, and research and dissemination of research on university teaching. Ideally, candidates for the OCUFA will have received a major internal teaching award prior to being nominated. Approval for Nominations: Head of Department or Division (NB: faculty member must be a member of UTFA and UTFA must be notified of nomination) External Teaching Award / Fellowship
3M National Teaching Fellowship The 3M National Teaching Fellowship is open to any individual currently teaching at a Canadian university, regardless of discipline, level, or term of appointment. However, the 3M is intended for faculty who have a history of excellence in teaching and educational leadership, and a strong record in undergraduate teaching. Most successful candidates will have received major internal teaching awards, and another significant external teaching award. Nominations must include significant and documented evidence of educational leadership in and outside of the candidate’s discipline and department/division, effective teaching strategies, teaching excellence (through both student evaluations and recognition) and course and curriculum development efforts. External Teaching Award / Fellowship
Alan Mewett Award for Excellence in Teaching Any Instructor from the Faculty of Law. Faculty of Law Divisional Teaching Award
CI Teaching Excellence Award To be eligible, all of the following requirements must be met. The CI: has an appointment in the current academic year and held at least one previous appointment as a CI. Preference will be given to CIs who have held more than one appointment. Is currently enrolled (in good standing) in the School of Graduate Studies and is a member of Unit 1, 2 or 4 of CUPE 3902. Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation Institutional Award, Non-Continuing Teaching Appointment, Teaching Award
TA Teaching Excellence Awards TA is eligible if: They receive 2 or more student nominations (NB: Faculty may submit a nomination but evidence of student support will be required as well) They have at least 100 hours of TA experience at the University of Toronto prior to the current academic year. They have held a TA appointment during the current academic year . They have been a member of CUPE 3902, Units 1, 2 and 4 and enrolled in the School of Graduate Studies.  They have been a previously shortlisted nominee. Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation Institutional Award, Student-Nominated, TA Award
UTM Teaching & Learning Conference & Colloquia Fund Eligible conferences and colloquia must take place at UTM, and must have an external component in terms of attendees consisting of both UTM-based instructors and instructors from other institutions. We encourage all instructors teaching at UTM to apply. Sessional Lecturer II and Sessional Lecturer III can apply for funds provided that they are teaching at UTM in the current or next academic session at the time of application. University of Toronto Mississauga Divisional Pedagogical Grant, Pedagogical Grant
UTM Teaching Development Travel Grant We encourage all instructors teaching at UTM to apply. Sessional Lecturer II and Sessional Lecturer III can apply for funds to present at teaching-themed conferences or symposia, provided that they are teaching at UTM in the current or next academic session at the time of application. Applicants that have been previously successful for this grant will have lower priority for funding than new applicants. University of Toronto Mississauga Divisional Pedagogical Grant, Pedagogical Grant
UTM Teaching Development and Innovation Grant We encourage all instructors at UTM with an interest in teaching and learning to apply. This includes faculty members with continuing appointments in the teaching or tenure stream, librarians, sessional instructors II and III (teaching in the current or next academic session at the time of application), and staff. Collaborative proposals from multiple departments or academic support units on campus are encouraged. University of Toronto Mississauga Divisional Pedagogical Grant, Pedagogical Grant
Writing Development Initiative Faculty with permanent positions are eligible - i.e., Assistant, Associate and Full professors, whether teaching or research stream. Sessional instructors are not eligible, unless a faculty member is willing to be the guarantor for the proposal. University of Toronto Mississauga Divisional Pedagogical Grant, Pedagogical Grant