Graduate Student Study Space
Weldon Library offers two types of dedicated study space for graduate students, individual assigned study rooms and the Graduate Student Commons.
Graduate students must apply for access to these spaces. You can apply for both types of spaces, but only one will be assigned to you. Indicate your first choice of space in the application.
Applications for the 2025/26 academic year are now closed. Applications for Summer 2026 will open in March.
Individual assigned study rooms
These are locked, private spaces for graduate students, engaged in research and learning at Western. There is a $25.00 security deposit for the room key. The deposit will be refunded at the end of the occupancy period.
Outside of the assigned rooms, there are several individual study rooms avaiable for daily use. Daily-use study room keys are available at the Info Desk and can be borrowed using your Western ONECard.
Keys must be returned to the Info Desk before the library closes. Daily-use rooms are offered on a first come, first served basis.
Graduate Student Commons
This is a workspace for graduate students inside Weldon's Scholars Lab. It includes 24 height-adjustable tables with privacy and sound barrier screening, as well as 4 collaborative rooms suitable for two people per room.
Assigned lockers are available for use in the Graduate Student Commons. The locker fee is $20.00 for the academic year. If you are interested in using a locker, indicate this on your application.
The Scholars Square is also available as an open study space for students with access to the Graduate Student Commons. This space is not available when it is booked for an event. Notifications of event bookings are posted in adavance.
Eligibility
Weldon accepts applications from:
- PhD candidates
- Master’s students
- Postdoctoral scholars
We will give priority to students who have varied life experiences and specific needs, including:
- Access to physical collections
- Need for private study space
- Difficult home situations
- Accessibility needs
Applicants need to describe how access to graduate student space benefit them and their studies. There are many reasons why an individual may benefit from an assigned space. The assignment process has been adapted to take many of these reasons into account.
Applicants are encouraged to share as much information as they are comfortable with when responding to questions. All information submitted in the application is held in confidence and will be used only for the purposes of study room assignments.
Applications and timelines
Applications are reviewed by a panel to ensure that the criteria for eligibility are met. Final assignments are approved by Weldon's User Services Manager and successful applicants will be notified of their assigned space by email.
Our assigned study space is in high demand. All eligible applicants will be reviewed and considered. If you are assigned to a space, you must agree to the Terms of Use for the individual assigned study rooms or the Graduate Student Commons.
Current assigned graduate study space occupants are elgible to apply for renewal, within the parameters described in the Terms of Use.
For successful applicants, access to individual assigned study rooms will begin on October 6, 2025. Access to the Graduate Student Commons will begin on September 29, 2025.
