The Mitacs Globalink Research Internship
The Mitacs Globalink Research Internship scheme is a UK-Canada mobility programme for undergraduates to develop their research expertise. The competitive programme co-funds undergraduates from partner countries to complete an intensive 12-week summer research internship, in a variety of academic disciplines, under the supervision of a professor at one of 70 participating Canadian universities.
In the 2023-2024 academic year, Mitacs (in partnership with the University of Manchester) is offering full funding for 4 Manchester undergraduate students.
In the UK, the scheme is managed by Universities UK International (UUKi), who is a partner of Mitacs, a not-for-profit Canadian national research organisation.
For further information on the Globalink Research Internship scheme, please visit the Mitacs website and read the Mitacs-UUKi Globalink Research Internship Scheme Notes
To read about one student's experience of Mitacs and how it helped shape her future career path, see Ho Yiu Nichole Cheung's blog post on Manchester on the Road.
Information about the scheme
Eligibility 2023-24
Applicants must:
- Have one year remaining in their undergraduate programme as of autumn 2024, or two years remaining in a 4-year integrated Master’s programme.
Example: You have just finished the 1st year of a 3-year BSc(Hons) Physics (June 2023). Autumn 2024 you will be starting your 3rd and final year. You will graduate in Summer 2025.
Example: You have just finished the 1st year of a 4-year MPhys(Hons) Physics (June 2023). Autumn 2024 you will be starting your 3rd year, the final year of the undergraduate part of your programme. You will graduate from the MPhys in Summer 2026.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Have a minimum weighted average of 65%, equivalent to a 2:1, or 60% if from a Widening Participation background (household income of £35k or under or who meets the criteria here). N.B. Due to the current Marking and Assessment Boycott, your Expression of Interest will be reviewed considering the grades that you have available to date. Please do not submit an EOI if you do not genuinely expect to achieve the required grade average following the release of this semester's grades. Mitacs will be updated once final grades are released.
- Be able to spend 12 weeks in the period May – October 2024 at a university in Canada on a research project related to their area of interest and expertise.
- Apply to a minimum of three to seven pre-existing research projects designed by Canadian professors and ensure selections are from at least three different Canadian provinces
- Be nominated by UoM to participate in the scheme
Please see the Mitacs’s frequently asked questions for further details.
Funding 2023-24
This is a fully-funded opportunity. The total cost of the programme is $12,000 CAD per student (approximately £7,100).
Funding will cover:
- round-trip airfare to Canada (via reimbursement)
- airport transfer to accommodation in Canada
- stipend for housing, food, and incidentals
- health insurance
- stipend towards student enrolment fees up to a maximum of $300
- support from student mentors on campus in Canada
- registration for industry events, professional development courses, and social activities
Please note that you will not be able to receive any funding from Mitacs until you have arrived in Canada and opened a bank account, so initial payments such as airfare, accommodation deposits etc will be covered by reimbursement.
The Process/How to Apply
If you are interested in this programme you must be nominated by The University of Manchester– you cannot apply independently.
- You must check you meet the eligibility criteria before submitting an Expression of Interest.
- The Placements & International Programmes team will nominate all students who meet the essential criteria. Students' details will be shared with UUKi, who will confirm students' eligibility to apply.
- All eligible students will then receive instructions on how to apply to the Mitacs scheme.
- Selection decisions are made by Mitacs.
Required Documentation
The required documentation for the application is listed on the MITACS website here: Globalink Research Internship | Mitacs
