MITACS Globalink Research Internship 🍁
Hi, I am Ishika Tailor; an computer science engineering student (batch 2022) majoring in Information Technology from L. D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad, India. I was awarded the MITACS Globalink Research Internship in Athabasca University, Edmonton, Canada for Summer 2022. For students, this is one of the most prestigious and rewarding research internships available. I’ll be sharing my experience and all the steps that I took to get there in this article.
About MITACS Globalink Research Internship 💭
Mitacs Globalink Research Internship is a competitive initiative for international undergraduates from the following countries and regions: Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Taiwan, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States. From May to October of each year, top-ranked applicants 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. A 12-week internship that increases your knowledge of and explores hands-on research in your field of study. Mitacs Globalink Research Internships are currently available at over 70 universities across Canada.
Perks of Globalink research interns 🎁
- A matched project with a Canadian professor and university, based on their research interests, skills, and expertise
- Round-trip airfare to Canada (amount varies depending on country of origin)
- Transportation from airport in Canada to accommodation
- Stipend for housing (amount varies depending on country of origin)
- Health insurance
- Stipend towards student enrollment fees up to a maximum of $300
- Stipend for food and incidentals (amount varies depending on country of origin)
- Support from student mentors on campus in Canada
- Registration for industry events and professional development courses
- Access to Canada’s unique research landscape: applied, dynamic, and innovative
- Work under the supervision of outstanding faculty members, with graduate students and research associates
- Globalink Research Internship certificate of completion
- Get a chance to Publish this 12-week Research Paper in IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
- The opportunity to complete your graduate or post-graduate studies with a Mitacs Globalink Graduate Fellowship
Eligibility for apply in this internship 👩🏻💻
- Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application
- Be enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or combined undergraduate/master’s program at an eligible institution.
- Have one to three semesters remaining in their program as of Fall 2023
- Meet the grade requirements for their country of study [In India, MITACS collaborates with AICTE and SICI, and the minimum aggregate required to apply is 80% until 2023].
- Apply to a minimum of three and a maximum of seven projects and ensure selections are from at least three different Canadian provinces
- Be fluent in the oral and written language of the project (English and/or French). There is no Language proficiency exam require.
- Be available to complete an internship lasting 12 consecutive weeks between May 1 and October 31
Note: Do strictly adhere to the eligibility criteria; failure to do so may result in the application being rejected outright.
Process 🌀
For students, there are three phases.
- Application: [August to September 2022]
The application for MITACS GRI begins in August each year (based on previous year trends) and ends in September/October. One must be cautious about the application start date on its official website, social media, and so on.
2. Matching: [November to January 2023]
Between November and January, Mitacs provides professors with a shortlist of student candidates for their project. Professors are then asked to review student applications, conduct interviews and then rank the applicants in order of suitability. Mitacs collects student and professor rankings, then finalizes offers to students. Final results are announced in February.
3. Selection: [February to April 2023]
During this time, the selected interns communicate with their respective host professors in order to join and be briefed on the project. In addition, all official documentation and financial matters must be coordinated with MITACS.
My Applications Process and Selection 😎
- Beginning in August, I began preparing my resume, which included a summary of my academics, previous internships, projects, technical skills, and achievements.
- I compiled a letter of recommendation from my institute Professor as well as applied in college for transcripts. If you have not work before any research project, It’s complety ok. You can ask your university professor or your head of department for letter of recommendation.
- Choose a good grammar check plugin for the answers you provide in the application to ensure that there are no grammatical errors that could give the wrong impression. Use keywords that are used in project description which you have selected, that leads to better match with your profile and your selected project.
- I made a list of all the projects I worked on and accomplishments I had since beginning my bachelor’s degree (including non-technical and technical achievements) 🏆.
- I chose seven projects that matched my interests and technical abilities. I was interviewed for one project and then directly selected for another. Following the completion of the application, the candidate is contacted by MITACS and the host professors.
Bonus 🍬
- Prior research experience is beneficial when applying to foreign research programmes because it gives the professor confidence in the candidate. Your application will also benefit from a letter of recommendation.
- Don’t worry if you lack prior research experience; you can obtain LORs from your college professors and department heads.
- There are a few things that will increase your chances of acceptance:
a] Excellent responses in the application, succinct and to the point.
b] Innovative and good projects, with a strong foundation in your technical abilities
c] Excellent academic performance (grades/CGPA)
Apply: https://www.mitacs.ca/en/programs/globalink/globalink-research-internship
That’s it! I hope this was useful to all of you. 🍻
All the very best 🌸
Cheers!
