About the GSA
What We Do
The GSA fee is assessed for all eligible graduate students.
GSA members thus receive access to a wealth of benefits, including:
- Over $960,000 in grants, awards, and bursaries,
- Various services, including the GSA Health and Dental Plan, the Graduate Student Assistance Program, group rate home and auto insurance through TDIMM, and the U-Pass,
- A multitude of social events throughout the year to connect graduate students,
- Funding to support the activities of the Campus Food Bank, and
- Subsidies to the Career Centre and Academic Success Centre to help them offer targeted programming to graduate students.
See the detailed breakdown of the GSA fee and benefits for more information.
Labour Relations Code
Under Section 58.4(1)(c) of the Labour Relations Code, the GSA is "the bargaining agent for academically-employed graduate students" and is to act with "exclusive authority" in representing graduate students in negotiating a Collective Agreement. For more information about the Graduate Student Assistantship Collective Agreement, please click here.
The GSA advocates for graduate students on issues of importance to them, such as the need to make quality supervision an institutional priority, the creation of guaranteed minimum finding packages, and affordable tuition, among others.
As the official representative body for all masters' and doctoral students at the U of A, the GSA represents over 8,000 graduate students on committees, councils, and boards that regulate and shape a graduate student's academic and non-academic life at the U of A. To list a few, the GSA is represented on the Board of Governors, General Faculties Council, the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Council, the Senate, the Alumni Council, and the various standing committees of these bodies. The GSA also has a GSA Council, a Board, and several Standing Committees.
What We Are
GSA operated as a Society under Alberta's Societies Act
Since 1972, the Graduate Students' Association (GSA) has operated as a not-for-profit organization under the Post-Secondary Learning Act (PSLA), representing graduate students at the University of Alberta to the administration and government. Governed by a Council, led by Directly-Elected Officers, and supported by professional staff, the GSA is committed to maintaining a culture of respect, professionalism, and transparency. We regularly review our governance processes and ensure smooth transitions for newly elected student leaders.
Graduate students are valued as junior colleagues, contributing to their fields through research, teaching, and academic collaboration. Their work includes coursework, theses, academic employment, and community engagement, all of which are integral to the University's mission and deserving of fair compensation.
If you encounter any issues or concerns during your time at the University, the GSA is here to assist you or direct you to the appropriate resources. We're here to support you every step of the way!
How We Are Different From the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
Many people confuse the GSA with our colleagues and Triffo Hall neighbors at the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). GPS is the home faculty of graduate students and thus it is GPS which oversees your graduate program in accordance with the regulations of the General Faculties Council (the University's academic governing body). Prospective students should contact GPS for questions about programs and admissions.
The GSA, meanwhile, represents all graduate students on- and off- campus to government and University administrators, and negotiates for several services on behalf of graduate students as well as the Collective Agreement which governs the academic employment of graduate students.