Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (GRI) Canada: Eligibility, Funding, Projects and How to Apply

The Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (GRI) is a 12-week research placement in Canada for undergraduate students from partner countries and regions. You work on a real project under a faculty member at one of over 70 Canadian academic institutions, and the costs of getting there and living there are covered. It is not a degree scholarship. You do not earn credits toward a Canadian qualification, and you go home when the internship ends. For a strong second or third year student who is thinking about a master's or PhD abroad later, that is exactly the point: a summer in a Canadian lab, a professor who knows your work, and a reference letter that carries weight.

This guide explains how the program works, what the funding pays for, the eligibility rules that catch people out, and how to pick projects. You can also see the full scholarship details on our scholarship page.

A summer research job, not a degree: who GRI really suits

Top-ranked applicants spend 12 weeks between May and October doing research under a Canadian faculty supervisor. The program accepts students across a wide range of disciplines: science, engineering, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, IT and earth sciences, as well as the humanities and social sciences. Alongside the research, interns get professional skills development courses, industry events and social activities.

It suits students who already have a direction. If you have done a final-year-style project early, helped a professor with data collection, or built something in a lab course, you will write a much more convincing application than someone with a high CGPA and no idea what research looks like day to day. It is a poor fit if you are hoping to stay on in Canada or use it as a back door into a Canadian degree. The internship has a fixed end, and you need semesters left at your home university when it finishes.

One thing to check before anything else: GRI is open to students from participating countries and regions, and the list of partners can change. Confirm on the official Mitacs GRI page that Pakistan, or your home institution's country of study, is a participating country for the current cycle before you put hours into an application.

What the Mitacs funding pays for

The award is described as fully funded, but most items are framed as funding that contributes to a cost, or as stipends, rather than unlimited reimbursement. Plan with that wording in mind. The package includes:

• Funding to contribute to the cost of a round-trip airfare to Canada
• Funding to contribute to transportation from the airport in Canada to your accommodation
• A housing stipend
• A stipend towards student enrollment fees
• A stipend for food and incidentals
• An emergency health insurance policy for the duration of the internship
• Support from student mentors on campus
• Access to industry events and professional development courses

Exact amounts are not listed here, so check the current figures on the official site. Because these are stipends, a sensible approach is to arrive with some personal money for the first week or two, before your routine and spending settle. Do not assume that every rupee you spend will be matched.

The eligibility rules that decide most applications

Mitacs sets general criteria, and partner countries can add their own on top. The general ones are:

• You must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
• You must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or combined undergraduate/master's program at an eligible institution.
• You need to have completed at least two years of undergraduate study, or be enrolled in the second year of your current program. Confirm on the official site which of these applies to your country track.
• You must have one to three semesters remaining in your program as of fall 2027.
• You must meet the grade requirements set for your home country of study.
• You must apply to a minimum of three and a maximum of ten projects, spread across at least three different Canadian provinces.
• You must be fluent in the oral and written language of the project.
• You cannot have been awarded a GRI project in the past.

Why the semesters-remaining rule matters

This is the rule students most often get wrong, especially those close to their final year. Count your remaining semesters as of fall 2027, not as of today. If you will have graduated by then, or will have more than three semesters still to go, you are not eligible for that cycle, however strong your record is.

Graduate students are out

If you are already in an MS or MPhil, GRI is not for you. The program is strictly for undergraduates and those in combined undergraduate/master's programs.

Language is not always a test score

Mitacs does not universally require language proficiency scores. You do need to be fluent in the language of the project, which is English or French. Some international partner organizations do require specific test results, so read the requirements for your country track carefully.

The three-province project rule and how to choose well

You cannot write to a professor and ask to join their lab. Students must apply to projects listed in the online GRI project database, and you need between three and ten of them, covering at least three different Canadian provinces.

Many applicants treat this as a box-ticking exercise and pick ten projects with impressive titles. That is a mistake. Selection looks at research alignment with the host professor's project, so each choice needs a believable link to your coursework, skills or past projects. A tighter list of well-matched projects, with statements that say something specific about each, is stronger than ten loosely related picks.

Search the database with several keywords and across disciplines. A computer science student, for example, might find relevant work listed under engineering, earth sciences or the social sciences if the project is data-heavy. The province rule also forces you to look beyond the most familiar universities, which is no bad thing.

Paperwork to gather before the portal opens

The document list is short, but two items take time to arrange:

1. At least one reference letter in English or French from a professor
2. Official academic transcripts in English and/or French, or translated and notarized copies
3. A résumé or CV
4. Valid passport information (needed upon approval)
5. A student ID, for specific partner tracks such as China

Ask for your reference letter early. It should come from a professor who has supervised your work and be on academic letterhead. A generic letter from a head of department who barely knows you will not help much. Your passport should remain valid until at least January 2028 before you travel, so renew it now if it is close. If you are unsure what a complete application file looks like, our documents checklist for international scholarships is a useful starting point.

Applying through the Globalink Student Platform

1. Review the eligibility criteria and confirm your home institution qualifies and your passport is valid.
2. Collect your transcripts and reference letter, and update your CV.
3. Create a personal account on the Globalink Student Platform.
4. Search the GRI project database and select between three and ten projects across at least three provinces.
5. Complete all mandatory fields and upload the required documents.
6. Your application is submitted automatically at the deadline on the Student Platform, so everything must be in place before then.

Selection is based on cumulative GPA, your statements of interest, reference letters, and how well you fit the host professors' projects. The statements of interest are where most applications are won or lost, because they are your chance to show the alignment the reviewers are looking for.

From a September deadline to a summer in Canada

The cycle runs over more than a year, which is why early planning matters:

The deadline is set in Pacific time, so convert it to Pakistan time yourself, and do not leave it to the last evening. Platforms slow down near deadlines. Confirm the current dates on the official portal, because they change from cycle to cycle. If the listed deadline has already passed when you read this, use the time to prepare for the next intake.

Once you have an offer, you will still need to sort out travel documents for Canada. Our guide to common visa rejection reasons for Pakistani students covers the mistakes worth avoiding.

Mistakes that sink otherwise good applications

• Not checking partner-country rules. Some regions require a separate internal nomination or a language test, and missing that step can end your application before Mitacs sees it.
• Miscounting semesters. Work out exactly where you will be in fall 2027.
• Choosing projects by university name instead of fit.
• Using a weak reference. A professor who has actually supervised you is worth far more than a senior name.
• Sending untranslated transcripts. They must be in English and/or French, or translated and notarized.
• Leaving submission to the final hours and running into technical problems.

For broader planning across Canada, see all Canada scholarships in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply to a Canadian professor who does not have a project in the database?

No. Students must apply to projects listed in the online GRI project database.

Are graduate students eligible?

No. The program is strictly for undergraduate students or those in combined undergraduate and master's programs.

Do I need a language test?

Mitacs does not universally require language proficiency scores, but you must be fluent in the language of the project. Certain international partner organizations do require specific test scores, so check the rules for your country.

How many projects can I apply for?

A minimum of three and a maximum of ten, across at least three different Canadian provinces.

Can Pakistani students apply?

GRI is open to students from participating countries and regions. Check the official Mitacs page to confirm whether Pakistan is a partner for the cycle you are applying in.

I did a GRI internship before. Can I apply again?

No. Applicants must not have been awarded a Globalink Research Internship project in the past.

Before you apply, check the latest rules and dates on the official Mitacs website, and keep the Mitacs GRI scholarship page handy for a quick summary.