Society of Graduate Students (SOGS)

What Society of Graduate Students (SOGS) does

SOGS is the certified graduate student union, advocacy organization, and student government at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. Incorporated as a not-for-profit under Ontario's Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, SOGS represents approximately 6,500-7,000 graduate students across 60+ programs through automatic membership tied to student fee payment. The organization is governed by elected Executive Officers (President, VP Academic, VP Advocacy, VP Finance, VP Student Services), a Speaker/Deputy Speaker, a Board of Directors, and Council, with 9 full-time operational staff supporting a member base that spans Master's, PhD, domestic, international, and family-status students. SOGS operates as Local 47 of the Canadian Federation of Students, the largest student organization in Canada.

SOGS delivers a comprehensive suite of services anchored around the Grad Club — a wholly-owned licensed bar and restaurant in Middlesex College that serves as the social hub of graduate life and hosts the Goblet of Knowledge thesis-defense tradition. Core product offerings include the Health & Dental Plan administered via StudentVIP and insured by Simply Benefits (Policy #62250), a near-20-year universal Bus Pass contract with the London Transit Commission, and a financial aid apparatus exceeding $1.2 million annually in bursaries, subsidies, and scholarships (Graduate Bursaries, 125th Anniversary Scholarship, Financial Support Subsidy Program up to $500, Academic Joint Fund with Western Research and SGPS). Additional services include the Food Bank Program ($150 Loblaws gift cards), free tax filing through UFile.ca via CFS membership, ISIC international student ID cards, Peer Advisor for Academic Matters, and Pride Week/orientation/wellness programming.

Revenue is generated through per-term and annual student fees: full-time graduate students pay $34.93/term SOGS membership, $96.12/term Bus Pass, $7.69/term Bus Pass Admin Fee, $6.88/term CFS dues, $14.18/term Grad Club Levy, plus a $641.31/year Health Plan Premium and $25.65 Health Plan Admin Fee; part-time students pay a reduced subset and are not auto-enrolled in the bus pass or health plan. Budget approval flows through SOGS Council, AGM general membership, and ultimately Western University's Board of Governors. Grad Club food and beverage operations provide a non-fee revenue stream, and SOGS has negotiated member discounts with third-party vendors (barbershop, software, retailers). Distribution is direct through the SOGS office, the Grad Club, and StudentVIP/Simply Benefits online portals, with marketing via Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, email newsletters, and campus events.

Name

Society of Graduate Students (SOGS)

Legal name

Society of Graduate Students

Website

https://sogs.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The certified graduate student union and student government at Western University, representing nearly 7,000 Master's and PhD students across 60+ programs with mandatory automatic membership. Delivers health/dental coverage, transit pass, financial aid, the Grad Club social venue, and advocacy as CFS Local 47.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Union Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Aid Compliance, Verification & Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) (EDALAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)

Keywords

• Graduate student advocacy
• Student union services
• Student health insurance
• Graduate financial aid
• Student transit pass

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SOGS collects membership fees from graduate students each term. Full-time students pay $34.93/term and part-time students pay $17.47/term for SOGS membership. Additional fees include Bus Pass ($96.12/term), CFS Membership Due ($6.88/term full-time, $3.44/term part-time), Health Plan Premium ($641.31 annually), Health Plan Administration Fee ($25.65), and Grad Club Levy ($14.18/term full-time, $7.10/term part-time).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SOGS is the graduate student union, advocacy organization, and student government at Western University. It provides membership-based services to nearly 7,000 graduate students including a health and dental insurance plan, a universal bus pass program, financial aid (bursaries, subsidies, scholarships totaling $1.2M+ annually), a food bank program, free tax filing, and academic/social advocacy. SOGS also owns and operates the Grad Club, a licensed social venue that functions as the central community hub for graduate student life.

Product overview

SOGS offers a comprehensive suite of student services, advocacy programs, and social spaces for graduate students at Western University. The primary offerings include the Grad Club (a licensed bar and restaurant functioning as the social hub of graduate life), the universal Bus Pass Program for discounted London transit, and a Health & Dental Plan administered through StudentVIP/Simply Benefits. Additional services encompass financial support through bursaries, subsidies, and scholarships totaling over $1.2 million annually; the Food Bank Program providing grocery assistance; free tax filing via UFile.ca; the Goblet of Knowledge tradition for celebrating thesis defenses; ISIC cards for international student discounts; and various funding programs including the Academic Joint Fund, Wellness Joint Fund, and Social Fund for graduate student events and associations. SOGS also organizes Pride Week celebrations and maintains a network of advocacy commissioners serving diverse constituency groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Goblet of Knowledge: A SOGS tradition since 2008, the Goblet of Knowledge is a symbolic vessel that graduate students drink from upon successfully defending their thesis or graduating. It is a free benefit of SOGS membership available at the Grad Club.
• Grad Club

Products and services

• Grad Club A licensed bar, restaurant, and social space owned and operated by SOGS in Middlesex College at Western University. Functions as the 'Heart of Grad Life at WesternU,' offering food, beverages, event hosting, trivia nights, and the Goblet of Knowledge tradition. Provides a 10% discount for SOGS members.
• Bus Pass Program A universal bus pass program providing full-time SOGS members with access to London Transit Commission (LTC) routes. The pass is loaded onto the WesternONE student card. Cost is $96.12 per term plus a $7.69 bus pass administration fee.
• Health & Dental Plan Group health and dental insurance plan covering full-time SOGS members. Includes travel coverage, mental health support (I.M. WELL), and optional family opt-in. Premium is $641.31 annually (with adjustments for mid-year enrollees), plus a $25.65 administration fee.
• Food Bank Program A food assistance program providing $150 grocery gift cards (redeemable at Loblaws-owned stores) to SOGS members experiencing financial hardship. Limited to once per term, maximum 3 terms total.
• Free Tax Filing Service Free online tax filing through UFile.ca (and Impôt Expert in French), available to SOGS members through their Canadian Federation of Students membership. Includes access for spouses and dependents.
• International Student Identity Card (ISIC) Free international student ID card provided to full-time SOGS members through CFS membership, offering proof of student status and discounts in over 70 countries.
• Academic Joint Fund Jointly funded by Western Research, SOGS, and SGPS (~$18,000 annually), this fund provides up to $1,000 per application to support graduate student research events including conferences, lectures, and webinars.
• Financial Support Subsidy Program Financial assistance program offering up to $500 per subsidy to help members offset academic and personal expenses including academic travel, professional placements, childcare, health expenses, research equipment, and emergency costs.
• Graduate Bursaries Need-based financial assistance through the Graduate Bursary program, supplemented by the SOGS Bursary and New Bursary. Total bursary funding exceeds $1.2 million annually for graduate students at Western University.
• 125th Anniversary Scholarship Scholarship of $1,500 (4 awards per year) for full-time graduate students who pay more in tuition than they receive in funding. Assessed on academic merit, research excellence, community involvement, and financial need.
• Wellness Joint Fund Jointly administered by SOGS, SGPS, and Western Student Experience, providing $250 per event to support wellness events for graduate students including fitness classes, seminars, and health-focused gatherings.
• Goblet of Knowledge A SOGS tradition since 2008 at the Grad Club, where students who successfully defend their thesis or graduate receive a free celebratory drink from the ornate goblet. It is a free benefit of SOGS membership.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 7,000 graduate students represented across 60+ programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Canadian Federation of Students (CFS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1980SOGS is Local #47 of the Canadian Federation of Students, Canada's largest student organization. CFS is composed of 63 university and college students' unions representing 500,000+ students. SOGS sends delegates to provincial and national CFS meetings to advocate for graduate students.
• London Transit Commission (LTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOGS negotiates and manages a universal bus pass contract with LTC for nearly 20 years. All full-time graduate students receive the bus pass as part of membership. The contract secures affordable transportation for students in London.
• StudentVIPcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudentVIP administers the SOGS Health & Dental Plan. Students access enrollment, claims, and opt-out through the StudentVIP online portal. The group policy number is #62250.
• Simply BenefitscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimply Benefits is the insurance company for SOGS Health & Dental Plan (carrier #34). Students submit claims through the Simply Benefits mobile app or website.
• PSAC 610 (Teaching Assistant Union)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOGS works with PSAC 610, the TA union, to enhance student life on campus. SOGS also supports unionized labour and union-made goods. TA members can access additional Extended Health Plan through PSAC 610.
• University Students' Council (USC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOGS works with USC (which represents undergraduates) to enhance student life on campus. They co-host events like Out at the Beach Western Pride Celebration.
• Western ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Research partners with SOGS and SGPS to jointly fund the Academic Joint Fund, contributing $6,000 annually to support graduate student research events and conferences.
• School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGPS co-administers the Academic Joint Fund with SOGS and Western Research. Also partners on Wellness Joint Fund with Western Student Experience.
• Radio WesternminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio Western co-hosts the Out at the Beach Western Pride Celebration with SOGS and USC.
• Western Student ExperiencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Student Experience co-administers the Wellness Joint Fund with SOGS and SGPS, contributing marketing, graphic design, and logistical support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• PSAC Local 610 (Teaching Assistants at Western): Union representing TAs at Western; SOGS explicitly partners with PSAC 610 on student life, and TA members can access additional Extended Health Plan through PSAC 610.
• Canadian Federation of Students (CFS): National federation of 63 student associations; SOGS is Local 47 and benefits from collective bargaining, advocacy, and shared services like UFile.ca tax filing and ISIC cards.
• School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) at Western: Western University's internal graduate studies office; co-administers joint funds with SOGS (Academic Joint Fund, Wellness Joint Fund), making it an institutional partner rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Post-Graduate Students' Society of McGill University (PGSS): McGill's graduate student society provides health insurance, fee-based services, and advocacy for graduate students; closely mirrors SOGS's structure and offerings.
• University of Toronto Graduate Students' Association (UT GSA): Graduate student union at U of T providing health plan, advocacy, and services to a much larger grad population; directly comparable in mandate, dues-funded model, and CFS affiliation.
• Graduate Student Society at UBC Vancouver (GSS): UBC's graduate student society administers a health/dental plan, transit pass (U-Pass), bursaries, and advocacy — a direct functional peer to SOGS.

Regional players

• University of Western Ontario - University Students' Council (USC): USC is Western University's undergraduate student council, serving a parallel role for undergrads at the same institution; SOGS and USC co-host events like Out at the Beach Pride.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Western.SOGS
• Instagraminstagram.com/westernsogs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westernsogs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Society of Graduate Students (SOGS)