MITACS Globalink Research Internship | Go Abroad

MITACS Globalink Research Internship scheme

Each year, UK universities are invited to participate in the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (GRI). GRI is a competitive initiative for undergraduates to participate in a 12-week research internship under the supervision of Canadian university faculty members in a variety of academic disciplines, from science, engineering, and mathematics to the humanities and social sciences.

Why apply?

Students who successfully apply for the scheme will have the chance to:

participate in an internationally competitive and highly subsidised* mobility opportunity in Canada
develop research expertise with the assistance of leading professors at Canadian institutions with outstanding research facilities
enhance vital workplace skills, including critical thinking, cultural awareness, and developing a global outlook
take part in professional training covering areas such as teamwork, project management, problem solving, communication, and entrepreneurship
experience educational, social, and recreational opportunities
join an international alumni community and become eligible for the Mitacs Globalink Graduate Fellowship

95% of interns spoke positively about their experience in Canada.

*See 'Programme Costs' for details on what the funding will cover.

Eligibility Criteria

*EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST for Summer 2025 placements will be published in July 2024*

Please see the MITACS Globalink webpage and Universities UK webpage for further details on the MITACs scheme.

Summer 2025 Applicants must:

be at least 18 years of age
be enrolled full-time in the University of Exeter
have one year remaining in their undergraduate program when they return to the UK OR two years remaining in an integrated master degree when they return to the UK.
have a minimum weighted average of 60% (for students meeting Exeter's widening participation criteria), or 65% (for students not meeting Exeter's widening participation criteria) equivalent to a 2:1*
apply to a minimum of three to seven projects and ensure selections are from at least three different Canadian provinces
be able to spend 12 consecutive weeks during the period 1 May – 31 October 2024 at a university in Canada on a research project related to their area of interest and expertise
demonstrate oral and written fluency in the language of the project (English and/or French)
not have been awarded a Globalink Research Internship project in the past
the internship is for enrichment purposes and cannot count towards a students' degree programme

*PLEASE NOTE that the criteria, nomination and application deadlines are set by MITACS. If you are unsure whether you meet Exeter's widening participation criteria, please contact the Outbound Team. The University of Exeter will determine students' minimum weighted average directly from the Student Record System. If you are a student who has missing, referred, or deferred marks/examinations but believe you will meet the eligibility criteria by the MITACS deadline, we invite you to express your interest to the scheme.

Programme exclusions:

Students on Nursing programmes are not eligible for this programme.
Students 'with study abroad', 'with industrial experience' or 'with Professional Placement' may apply but carefully consider whether this is feasible according to the academic calendar of the multiple placements.
Students cannot count the MITACs placement towards a degree programme

What have students said about their MITACS Experience?

Velizar Kirkow, MMATH Mathematics

“I started my internship on 24^th May, and it has been fantastic so far despite the internship taking place remotely. I have received a lot of support from the staff and students at the university of Alberta and I can tell they are expecting great things from me. For the first few weeks it was a steep learning curve getting to grips with the jargon and the ins and outs of the field but recently I have come into my own with mathematical modelling and I'm feeling comfortable working to deadlines set. 

My only qualm is the student engagement in the sense that we have had little to no opportunities to socialise as interns which is a natural by-product of remote working which is no fault of the program itself. Nevertheless, it is shaping up to be a fantastic experience and I m so grateful to Exeter supporting me in application process!”

Becca Leeland, BA History

“I've had a very good experience with the scheme so far; when I was applying it was all very easy to understand the process, and I was so surprised at the range of research projects that were available, I was spoilt for choice when it came to finalising my decisions.

Exeter was very helpful as well both with providing advice for my CV and promising additional funding.

Obviously the fact that the internships have all been moved online is a massive disappointment, but they are really trying to make up for that as much as they can with online activities, networking opportunities, giving extra funding for ticketed seminars etc.

My personal host professor has been brilliant also, incredibly informative and supportive from the start.”

Programme Costs

Summer 2024 placements

The programme costs in the region of $12,000 CAD (approx £7,020 GBP) per student placement. The scheme, however, operates on a subsidised/matched basis.

MITACS will cover two-thirds of this programme cost and the University of Exeter will pay the remaining 1/3 programme fee to the organisers directly, for the successful students.

Please note that MITACS will reimburse costs to the student on arrival in Canada.

The Globalink Research Internship award is subject to change by Mitacs each year, but will typically include:

• Funding contribution towards the cost of a round-trip airfare (via reimbursement)
• Funding contribution to the cost of transportation from the Canadian airport to accommodation
• Emergency health insurance policy (note: this covers emergency medical needs. Students will be required to purchase an additional health AND travel insurance policy*)
• Stipend for food and incidentals
• Stipend for housing
• Access to industry events and professional development courses
• Stipend towards student enrolment fees at host institution (up to $300)
• Support from student mentors on campus in Canada

Please note that under Mitacs’s funding policy, Mitacs is unable to provide the student with any funds in advance of their internship start date and arrival in Canada - some of these fees will be incurred by selected students upfront. In order to receive funding, all interns must possess a valid immigration permit for the duration of their internship. Interns will be responsible for opening a Canadian bank account, following Mitacs’s instructions, in order to receive funds once in Canada.

Students must ensure to obtain adequate travel and health insurance (including repatriation) in advance of organising travel to the Placement. Policy wording must be checked carefully for any exclusions. Insurance for the placement must cover Personal Accident Insurance and Personal Liability Insurance. At the very least the following should be covered:

Travel Insurance (Including damage or loss of luggage)
Personal Accident/Third Party Liability
Accident and Serious Illness (including permanent or temporary incapacity)
Death (including repatriation)

It is a condition of University of Exeter that all students participating in the MITACs scheme complete a Risk Assessment and secure comprehensive travel insurance in advance of organising travel for your Canadian placement. Failure to do so may result in your placement being withdrawn.

Students who may not be able to pay these costs up front may be able to request support via the Hardship Fund.

How do I apply?

MITACS is an extremely competitive programme and there will be limited number of placements available. For a general summary of the application process, please see the MITACS Globalink Research Internship webpage and contact outbound@exeter.ac.uk if you have further questions.

If my application is successful, what happens next?

Firstly, congratulations on your acceptance to this highly competitive scheme!

MITACs will contact students with further information to support your preparations in due course. This will include details about accessing the Intern Logistics Platform, along with a GRI Handbook which details the support provided by MITACs (this includes a 24/7 Mentor throughout your placement).

University of Exeter will require students to complete a Risk Assessment in advance of the placement, here you will be asked a number of questions about the health and safety aspects of your placement, including details on insurance policies.

Travel Insurance (Including damage or loss of luggage)
Personal Accident/Third Party Liability
Accident and Serious Illness (including permanent or temporary incapacity)
Death (including repatriation)

On completion of the Risk Assessment, students placement details will be recorded and you will receive relevant in-country briefings for your placement in Canada.

The Global Opportunities Team will also contact students in March with details of an information session.

George Tanner, University of Lethbridge

MSci Conservation Biology and Ecology - Cornwall

Kamila Fraczek, Mount Royal University

BSc Exercise and Sport Science

Dan Williams, Carleton University

BSc Politics and International Relations

Hafeez Oyefuwa, Toronto Metropolitan University

BSc Mathematics with a Year in Industry

Mia Stanbrook, Université de Montréal

BA English and Modern Languages

James Pilcher, University of Waterloo

BSc Computer Science with Industrial Placement

George Tanner, University of Lethbridge

MSci Conservation Biology and Ecology - Cornwall

Completing data processing and analysis for my professor's paper has grown my confidence in my own skills. It has improved my confidence for my 3rd year at university and my confidence in managing myself once I enter the professional world.

My perspective on my field of study has broadened significantly; I now see the direct impact of research on health practices and policies, appreciating the importance of evidence-based approaches. I will enhance my resume and job applications by highlighting my hands-on experience with research techniques, my role in data management, and my ability to draft research materials, all of which demonstrate my readiness for future roles in research, health, and medical settings.

I didn't think I'd get on this programme in a million years and yet I made it. So please please please apply you never know what might happen.

I am making numerous professional connections, and I plan to maintain contact with them for mentorship and potential collaboration in the future. This internship has solidified my desire to pursue a career in health and clinical research, as the exposure to real-world applications of my studies has inspired me even more to pursue PhD in the medical/clinical field.

Kamila Fraczek, Mount Royal University

BSc Exercise and Sport Science

I have gained a lot of hands-on experience, which will be very beneficial in my career, especially since I am studying sports science in the UK, and securing an internship is really hard and competitive in that field. I have learned how to use different softwares, and technology which is really beneficial for my future career as I am planning to pursue a PhD after my undergraduate studies. I have broadened my network and made so many connections with academics in sport and exercise science field.

The most valuable aspect of my internship has been the hands-on experience in the FasTER laboratory, where I’ve worked directly with advanced technologies like metabolic carts and ultrasound imaging. This exposure has deepened my understanding of human locomotion research and its practical applications. The GRI experience has significantly improved my confidence in a professional setting; engaging with professionals and participating in weekly meetings has helped me articulate my thoughts and contribute meaningfully to discussions.

Dan Williams, Carleton University

BSc Politics and International Relations

My MITACS Globalink Research Internship experience has been invaluable, significantly shaping my professional development. As a student that decided not to partake in a Year Abroad or Year in Industry, this 12-week internship was the perfect opportunity to work in an academic setting abroad during the summer break and return just in time for my final year at Exeter.

My internship predominantly consisted of gathering literature and sources relevant to my professor’s research topic year by year, to better inform their research and improve its quality. The most challenging part of this was regularly briefing my professor on what I had found and discussing the differences between years, but this only served to deepen my knowledge of the topic and improve my ability to justify my opinions with evidence. I had the opportunity to visit Toronto for a long weekend, which was a great chance to relax and even go to see Niagara Falls!

Hafeez Oyefuwa, Toronto Metropolitan University

BSc Mathematics with a Year in Industry

I'm currently doing an actuary internship and the amount of coding that I needed to learn and apply has been doing wonders for me.

The constant communication with my supervisor has made me much more focused on my research, which has in turn helped my teamwork and interpersonal skills. The Internship is filled with practical experience which I imagine would really help prepare me for the working world. The main professional connection I’ve made is with my supervisor and through consistent showings, actually getting the job done, and reflecting on feedback we have made a great connection. Using him as a professional reference as well as actual research experience will surely help my applications for actuary experience in the future.

Mia Stanbrook, Université de Montréal

BA English and Modern Languages

As part of my internship I worked within the digital humanities which was an area I had previously never had experience with. After doing this, I am now taking on a position at the University of Exeter as a digital humanities intern. Furthermore, after completing my undergraduate I am considering doing a master's and PhD in this field.

One of the best things about the internship is that it made me rethink my future, opening up opportunities that I had never considered possible beforehand.

James Pilcher, University of Waterloo

BSc Computer Science with Industrial Placement

The most valuable part was having the direct exposure to a research environment, and producing a project out of that. It has certainly built my interest in the area of Human-Computer Interaction and has gained me some credibility in that area when I start applying to both jobs and more academic positions.