Last updated:  September 21, 2023

Mitacs Inc. is a Canadian not-for-profit organization that supports student research and innovation projects through a number of different programs for both domestic and international opportunities.  Senior undergraduates (third year and above), master's and PhD students, as well as post-doctoral fellows at Lakehead are eligible to participate. Unless otherwise noted, international students are eligible, and all disciplines are eligible.

1.  Mitacs Accelerate (undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows)

OPEN CALL - no deadline

Accelerate supports research collaborations between the university and for-profit corporations and eligible not-for-profit corporations, municipalities, and hospitals in Canada, as well as for-profit businesses outside of Canada (Accelerate International).  Undergraduate students can complete up to 3 internship units (each unit is four months in duration), master's students can complete 4 units, and PhD students up to 8 units. Total awards are $10,000-15,000 per internship unit.  Partner organizations must be willing to host the intern for 50% of the project duration and must also contribute $7,500 in cash funding per internship unit. Applications are submitted through the Office of Research Services; contact:  Lexi Haslehurst,  nserc.research@lakeheadu.ca.  Please see the following document as well.

2.  Mitacs Globalink Research Award (GRA)  (undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows)

Allocation stream (eligible countries): OPEN CALL - apply 4 - 6 months in advance

Partnership stream - review partner requirements (some are call-based, some are open call)

Globalink Research Awards provide funding for short-term international research stays in over 50 eligible countries (see the Mitacs website for the current list of eligible countries).  Students propose a research project, to be co-supervised by a Lakehead supervisor and a host supervisor.  Successful applicants will receive a CAD 6,000 award to support a 12-16 week research stay.  Applications should be submitted approximately 4-6 months before the desired start date (e.g. apply by January for a summer project). Applicants have one year from the date of approval to start the project.

International students are eligible to participate in the Allocation stream and some partnership calls, but may not use the award in their home country.

Lakehead also offers a special GRA program through the CALAREO Consortium, for opportunities in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico).

Applications are submitted through the Office of Research Services; contact Jill Sherman, intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.

 3.  Mitacs GRA Thematic Call (general - undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows; partner agencies may have their own (narrower) eligibility requirements).  Thematic calls are like standard GRA awards, however they are with specific partner institutions who may have their own criteria regarding student level, citizenship, eligible disciplines, etc.  There are no limits to the number of applications, and no co-pay required from Lakehead.  Partners in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Taiwan, and the UK are participating, along with Francophone partners in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Ukraine.  Mitacs provides assistance with finding host institutions for project ideas.  Applications are reviewed by both Mitacs and the partner agency.  Results of the competition are expected in February-March 2024, and successful applicants have one year from the date of approval to start their project. The call for applications is NOW OPEN. 

PRESENTATION:  Click HERE                      WEBINAR RECORDING:  Click HERE

Deadline:  November 17th, 2023 for projects starting in 2024

Themes: 

• Advanced Computing (e.g. AI and Quantum technologies, Robotics, Cybersecurity)
• Clean Technologies (e.g. electric vehicles)
• Health Innovations (e.g. biomanufacturing
• Open theme: Social and Scientific Innovation

Participating international partners:

• Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Colombia/Mexico/Ukraine: Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) 
• Australia: Universities Australia
• Brazil: Fundação Araucária Foundation
• France: Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
• France: Embassy of France in Canada
• France: Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (Inria)
• France: Aix-Marseille Universite
• France: Université de Lorraine
• Germany: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (Helmholtz Association)
• Germany: Forschungszentrum Jülich (Helmholtz Association)
• Germany/USA/Luxembourg/Italy/The Netherlands: Max Planck Society
• Japan: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
• Korea: National Research Foundation (NRF)
• South Africa: National Research Foundation
• Taiwan: National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)
• United Kingdom: British High Commision, Ottawa

Mitacs has a new online application process for GRA programs (online submission is mandatory for the Thematic Call) - below are the recommended steps:

1.  Student(s) along with their home and host supervisors collaboratively develop the application and proposal through the Mitacs Application Portal.  Each must register on the portal (any of the three can be the first).  

• If you wish, you can give access to the International Research Facilitator (intl.research@lakeheadu.ca), to provide assistance.

2.  Download the complete application and submit to Jill Sherman, Office of Research Services (intl.research@lakeheadu.ca), along with a completed RPAF, for review and signature.  The internal deadline is 2 weeks before the external deadline.

3.  Once approved and signed, the application will be returned to the student and applicants for uploading and submission on the Mitacs portal.

4.  CALAREO International Research Mobility Experience  (undergraduates only)

In coordination with CALAREO´s partners in Mexico and Colombia, the Canada and Latin America Research & Exchange Opportunities (CALAREO) Consortium is offering a program of undergraduate research internships in Latin America, co-funded funded by The Government of Canada´s Global Skills Opportunity Program and Mitacs.  Researchers at partner institutions offer internships, for which students can apply.  Students must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Students approved for co-op can use these internships for an international co-op.  OPEN CALL (no deadline).  To view available internships and learn how to apply, go to the CALAREO website for more information. 

5.  Mitacs-DAAD RISE-Globalink Research Internships in Germany  (undergraduates only)

Application Period:  October 15 -  November 30, 2023 for Summer 2024  NOW OPEN

In collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Mitacs supports summer research internships for undergraduate students at universities across Germany.  Students from Canada and other countries in STEM-related programs compete for over 400 internships on offer. The selection process is competitive, with the call for applications held each Fall (late October-December) for the following summer.  Internships are ideally conducted the summer before the student’s final year; students who graduate before completion of the internship will not be eligible. 

Canadian students are funded by Mitacs (not directly from DAAD) and will receive a CAD 6,000 award.

WEBINAR:  Monday, October 16, 2023, 1:00pm-2:15pm Eastern; Click HERE FOR PRESENTATION

For more information and assistance, contact: Jill Sherman, intl.research@lakeheadu.ca.

     CLICK HERE for a list of internships

     view the full internship descriptions on the DAAD RISE Portal

6.  Mitacs Business Strategy Internships (BSI)  (undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows)

BSI internships are to work with companies on innovation projects, under the supervision of a Lakehead professor and a company supervisor.  Awards to students are for $10,000 for four-month blocks or the equivalent (part-time projects will be extended to 6 months); multiple blocks are permitted.  Internships may be conducted on a full-time (4 months, 40 hours per week) or on a part-time basis (6 months), and part-time students are permitted to participate.  All disciplines are eligible.  For more information, contact: 

Faculty of Business students:  Ms. Maryann Kleynendorst, Experiential Learning Navigator, mkleynen@lakeheadu.ca

All other students:  Ms. Kelly Fettes, Office of Innovation, Partnerships and Economic Development (IPED), kafettes@lakeheadu.ca.