Program Details

Mitacs Accelerate International supports bilateral research collaborations between interns, universities, and industry partners, both in Canada and abroad. Interns at Canadian universities can undertake projects in Mitacs’s partner countries. Interns from Mitacs’s partner countries can undertake projects in Canada.

Accelerate projects with international travel to and/or from Canada have additional requirements from domestic Canadian projects:

  • College students are eligible to participate in Accelerate projects with international travel from Canada
  • Applicants should submit their completed proposal package at least 16 weeks prior to the planned start date
  • Interns travelling abroad (either to or from Canada) must attend any pre-departure orientations as mandated by their home university
  • All Accelerate interns are paid by the participating Canadian university
  • Benefit to Canada will be considered in pre-submission eligibility screening and also in the review process.

For Accelerate projects involving international collaborations and interns travelling to/from Canada, Mitacs will review proposals to ensure that projects demonstrate sufficient benefits to Canada.

Benefits will be considered under categories such as:

  • training of Canadian citizens and permanent residents
  • bringing talent to Canada
  • creating new research relationships
  • growing research activities in Canada
  • foreign investment in Canada
  • creating IP held in Canada (joint or full ownership by Canadian organizations, allowance for Canadian industry to commercially exploit the IP)
  • creating markets for existing Canadian IP

For projects with international travel, you can submit the following documents after the submission of the proposal; however, funds will not be released until Mitacs receives these forms.

For travel abroad: 

  • International pre-departure form 
  • Code of Conduct

For travel to Canada: 

  • International pre-departure form
  • Code of Conduct

Please contact your local Mitacs Advisor for a list of Mitacs partner countries and regions

Funding

Funding starts at $15,000; the partner organization’s financial contribution starts at $7,500. Fellows also earn a stipend/salary starting at $10,000 per four-to-six month period.

Eligibility

  • Students – from undergrads and graduate students – and post-doctoral fellows at Mitacs partner colleges and universities in Canada.
  • Full-time students and postdoctoral fellows in select Mitacs partner countries 
  • Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and international students over the age of 18
  • All academic disciplines
  • For-profit corporations and eligible not-for-profit corporations, municipalities, and hospitals in Canada
  • For-profit businesses operating outside of Canada

How to Apply

  1. Review the following information when you begin writing your proposal:
  • Eligible research and adjudication criteria
  • Writing Your Proposal guide
  • Policies

  2.   Get feedback on the proposal from all participants and your Mitacs Advisor

  3.   Collect all required signatures: intern(s), professor(s), partner contact, and university Office of Research Services or equivalent

  4.   Email your proposal package to your Mitacs Advisor

Note: Interns travelling internationally (whether to or from Canada) for an Accelerate project must visit our Accelerate International page for additional instructions and requirements.

PROPOSAL PACKAGE

Accelerate proposal (under Application). Please note that only this latest version of the Mitacs Accelerate template proposal will be accepted.

Intern CV (interns may use Mitacs’s optional template)

Please be sure to include supporting documents as required by your university or province.

For projects with international travel, you can submit the following documents after the submission of the proposal; however, funds will not be released until Mitacs receives these forms.

For travel abroad: 

International pre-departure form
Code of Conduct

For travel to Canada: 

International pre-departure form
Code of Conduct

What happens next 

  1. Peer review of your proposal will take approximately six to eight weeks. Proposals with multiple internships or that require revisions may take longer.
  2. Partner organizations will receive an invoice (refundable if not approved), so that the intern receives payment when the project begins
  3. Mitacs will contact all participants with the outcome and applicable instructions.
  4. Mitacs forwards the Accelerate funds to the academic institution upon receipt of the partner contribution and the proposal’s approval.

Application timeline

Questions? Consult the FAQs or reach out to accelerate@mitacs.ca

Additional resources for partner organizations:

 

TAX CREDITS FOR YOUR R&D

Read our blog post

HOW ACCELERATE HELPS COMPANIES

View our industry-survey infographic

 

Application
Accelerate Budget & Invoice Schedule
Download
Accelerate: Guide to Writing Your Proposal
Download
Accelerate Proposal
Download
Accelerate Independent Administrator Profile
Download
Accelerate Intern CV template
Download
Conflict of Interest Declaration form
Download
Mitacs Academic Institution Acknowledgement form
Download
Complete Package - Paper
Download
All Files.zip
Project Name Terms, Conditions & Policies
Accelerate Code of Conduct: Travel from Canada
Download
Accelerate Code of Conduct: Travel to Canada
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Accelerate Project Start/End Dates Policy
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All Files.zip
Mitacs Terms, Conditions & Policies
Mitacs Academic Institution Acknowledgement form
Download
Mitacs Confidentiality Policy
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Mitacs Conflict of Interest Policy
Download
Mitacs Corporate Social Responsibility Policy
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Mitacs Diversity Policy
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Mitacs Indigenous Research Policy
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Mitacs Intellectual Property Policy
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Mitacs Intern Eligibility & Conflict of Interest form
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MItacs Participant Expectations
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Mitacs Responsible Conduct of Research Policy
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Mitacs Privacy Policy
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Mitacs Terms & Conditions: Academic Institutions
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Mitacs Terms & Conditions: Academic Supervisor
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Mitacs Terms & Conditions: Host Organization
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Mitacs Terms & Conditions: International Supervisor
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Mitacs Terms & Conditions: Participant
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Mitacs Travel Subsidy
Download
Mitacs Use of Funds Policy
Download
MItacs Virtual Interactions Guide
Download
Mitacs Website Privacy Statement
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Mitacs Whistleblower Policy
Download
All Files.zip

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Program Administration

Release of funds Intellectual property Adjudication

Mitacs invoices a partner organization upon submission of their Accelerate proposal. Upon receipt of the partner’s contribution, Mitacs forwards the research award to the Canadian academic institution. No funds will be released to the academic institution until the invoice has been paid and the proposal is approved. Mitacs has no control over when funds are administered by the academic institution. If you have questions about your Accelerate award after Mitacs has released funds, contact your academic institution’s Office of Research Services (or equivalent).

Mitacs’ policy is to take no position and claims no intellectual property (IP) from projects it funds. All Mitacs Accelerate participants are bound by the IP terms of the academic institution where the intern is enrolled. IP is left to be shared between the academic institution, its researchers, and the partner organization, according to the IP rules of the academic institution, unless a separate agreement is negotiated.

The following universities have developed their own IP terms for Mitacs projects:

Note that these IP agreements may not apply to joint applications with other funding organizations.

External reviewers for internship proposals receive the following questions to guide their assessment of the proposal:

  1. Mitacs Accelerate supports research-based internships. Does the proposed project qualify as research in its discipline?
  2. Is the project appropriate for the academic degree level of the intern(s)?
  3. Are the objectives clear?
  4. Is the methodology appropriate to achieve the objectives?
  5. Is the timeline realistic?
  6. Other comments and suggestions for the applicants. For example, is there prior work that should be considered by the researchers?
  7. Confidential comments for Mitacs:
  8. Will the research work potentially have adverse effects on the environment? Do you recommend that an additional environmental impact review be conducted?

Proposals for large and long-term projects may sometimes involve significant technical or scientific uncertainties, complex project management plans, or highly structured intern recruitment, supervision, and training plans. In these situations, Mitacs reserves the right to hold a review meeting between applicants and reviewers to support the assessment of such proposals before arriving at a final funding decision. The need for such a review meeting will be determined as part of the review process, and applicants will be notified as soon as possible if a review meeting needs to be scheduled.

Responsibilities

The following steps outline the responsibilities of each Mitacs Accelerate participant before, during, and after their project. For projects with multiple internships, each intern is responsible for his or her individual steps.

Interns traveling internationally (whether to or from Canada) may have additional or different responsibilities.

Mitacs Accelerate Terms and Conditions outline participants’ responsibilities in further detail — each participant is expected to understand and adhere to the Terms and Conditions of the program.

Before the internship During the internship After the internship
  • Confirm the internship start date with your professor and partner. Notify Mitacs if your start date changes.
  • Develop a research plan with your professor and partner. Confirm intellectual property requirements with your academic institution.
  • Read and follow the Accelerate code of conduct.
  • Ensure appropriate insurance coverage, as necessary.
  • Start the internship only after funds have been forwarded to the academic institution.
  • For internships with international travel: International Pre-departure form and Code of Conduct must be received before the internship can begin.
  • Organize monthly status meetings and update Mitacs as necessary.
  • Spend approximately 50% of your time on site with the partner.
  • Spend approximately 50% of your time at the academic institution(s).
  • Maintain student or postdoc status at the university, or student status at the college, for the duration of your internship.
  • Consider taking a Mitacs Training workshop before or during your internship. Topics include essential interpersonal, project management, and entrepreneurial skills.
  • Complete a final report and submit it to Mitacs EDGE.
  • Intern must submit the final report no later than one month after the conclusion of the Accelerate internship
  • The final report template can be accessed on the EDGE platform and should:
  • Identify future research plans
  • Identify benefits for the partner organization
  • Summarize research goals, research techniques used, and research outcomes
  • Be no more than three pages in length 
  • Please upload completed final report to your EDGE profile
  • Complete the Accelerate Intern Exit Survey. You will receive an email from Mitacs with the survey link shortly after you complete your internship. 
  • Add your Accelerate internship and Training courses to your CV and LinkedIn profile  
  • Sign up for the newsletter (optional). As a participant in a Mitacs program, you can receive exclusive updates on job postings, funding and research opportunities, courses, and more.
  • Acknowledge all Mitacs-sponsored results, including work by professors, postdocs, other interns, and research associates with the following statement: “This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate program.”

Before the project During the project After the project
  • Develop a research plan with the intern(s) and partner. Confirm intellectual property requirements with your academic institution.
  • Provide feedback to the intern(s) to improve the quality of the proposal.
  • Ensure appropriate insurance coverage, as necessary.
  • Confirm the internship start date with the intern(s).
  • Start the internship only after funds have been forwarded to the Canadian academic institution.
  • Take fiduciary responsibility for the Mitacs grant (Canadian university professors only).
  • Provide ongoing direction and research support to the student prior to and during the research project.
  • Attend monthly status meetings and update Mitacs as necessary.
  • Supervise the intern(s) during their internship activities at the academic institution.
  • Sign the final report.
  • Complete an exit survey.
  • Acknowledge Mitacs-funded results with the following: “This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate program.”

Before the project During the project After the project
  • Develop a research plan with the intern(s) and professor(s).
  • Provide feedback to the intern(s) to improve the quality of the proposal.
  • Confirm the project start date with the intern(s).
  • Agree to protect and keep confidential intern(s)’s personal information with any third party, unless granted written permission by intern(s).
  • Ensure appropriate insurance coverage, as necessary.
  • Pay the contribution upon receipt of the Mitacs invoice. Projects can only begin after Mitacs has received the partner payment and forwarded the Accelerate grant to the academic institution.
  • Attend monthly status meetings and update Mitacs as necessary.
  • Supervise the intern(s) during their on-site internship activities.
  • Provide access to the project site for an in-person assessment at Mitacs’s request.
  • Sign the final report.
  • Complete an exit survey.
  • Acknowledge Mitacs-funded results with the following: “This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate program.”

Cancellations
  • Mitacs Accelerate internships require the active participation of the intern, professor, and partner organization. All participants should attempt to fulfill their project obligations.If all parties are in agreement, a project or individual internship may be terminated. If one party wants to cancel the internship without other parties’ agreement, s/he must first notify them in writing and allow 30 days for resolution of outstanding issues.Any funds remaining after a cancelled internship must be returned to Mitacs.

FAQs

Before You Apply When You Apply After You Apply During the Internship

Yes. Partner organizations are welcome to contribute additional funding but Mitacs will not provide any additional funding outside of the standard award. [This additional partner funding should be included in the application budget and the anticipated use of funds (e.g., stipend/salary top-up, specialized equipment)]. Top-up funds must be received at Mitacs at the same time as the minimum contribution and will be added to the award and forwarded to the academic institution.

Interns are required to spend at least 50% of their internship on site with the partner organization. In exceptional circumstances, interns may spend less than half of the internship with their partner. Consult with your Business Development Specialist to determine if your project is eligible.

International students are eligible to participate in Accelerate, however, Mitacs cannot give specific immigration advice. We recommend that you check with the international office at your academic institution or contact a registered immigration specialist or consultant for advice.

Internships are 4–6-month units of a research project, valued at $15K per unit, with $7,500 from both the partner organization and Mitacs, to support post-secondary research projects. Funds flow through the academic institution with a stipend to the student at a minimum of $10K, with up to $5K to support research costs. Please refer to the Funding section for an illustrated explanation.

Mitacs cannot find partner organizations for individual interns. For tips on finding a partner organization, view the Research Partnerships 101 webinar, talk to your academic supervisor, or visit the Researchers Wanted page.

Please refer to Mitacs Conflict of Interest Policy (found in the downloadable General Mitacs Terms, Conditions & Policies zip file under How To Apply) for more details. If there is a conflict of interest, please discuss with your Mitacs Business Development representative before applying.

In order to apply for Mitacs Accelerate projects, you would need both an academic partner and a non-academic partner (e.g. a partner organization such as a for-profit or not-for-profit corporation) who would also be benefiting from the research.

For-profit corporations, including eligible intern-owned start-ups based at approved Canadian incubators, and eligible not-for-profit (NFP) Canadian corporations, municipalities, and hospitals can participate. Projects with an NFP, municipality or hospital partner in Canada must demonstrate an economic or productivity orientation, which must be described in the proposal and will be evaluated by the peer reviewers. Contact your Mitacs representative to verify eligibility of NFP, municipality, and hospital partners. Partners in Canada and abroad must have an office or site where the intern(s) undertakes at least 50% of the internship.
If you’re not sure if a partner is eligible, contact a Mitacs representative or accelerate@mitacs.ca.

Mitacs takes no position on intellectual property (IP). IP is to be shared between the academic institution, its researchers, and the partner organization according to the academic institution’s IP rules, unless a separate agreement is negotiated. Mitacs can facilitate IP discussions with any Canadian academic institution. Please refer to the Program Administration section for a list of academic institutions with their own IP policies for Mitacs projects.

Mitacs forwards Accelerate funds to the student’s academic institution only after it has received the contribution from the student’s partner organization. Please allow two weeks for processing upon receipt of this contribution. Interns travelling to Canada should be aware that their funding may not be available until they arrive in Canada. Mitacs recommends that interns contact their Canadian host institution’s Office of Research Services prior to the project to determine when they can access funds.

Invoices must be paid in full to Mitacs prior to any internship funds being sent by Mitacs to the university. Please note that all partner funds must be sent directly to Mitacs and not to the university. The funds must be received in advance of the internship start date.

Certain requirements must be met to be eligible to request a project extension. Please see the criteria below and contact your Mitacs Advisor for next steps. If your case does not meet the criteria below, you may submit a new project funding application.

1. Applicants who have an approved Mitacs Accelerate project may apply for a funding extension of 1 internship unit (IU) per intern — to a maximum of 10 IUs per project. Applications for an extension can be submitted once the internship(s) being extended is/are at least 75% through their original timeline. The funding extension shall be used to:

• Complete the existing project in cases where the project has experienced delays due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., lack of access to facilities due to COVID-19, sample delays due to transportation, seasonal delays in fieldwork, etc.)

• Broaden the scope of the project (e.g., conducting additional tests, including additional samples, adding data sources for analysis, etc.)

• In either case, the request cannot be used to add new objectives or change existing project objectives.

2. Extensions must be requested within 4 months from when the intern completed their last IU on the project. In cases where a new intern is being added to the project, the request must be submitted within 4 months from the end of the last IU completed on the project.

3. If the extensions will be used to add a new intern to the project, a New Intern Profile form and the new intern’s CV will be required along with this completed form.

4. All interns must remain eligible (including respecting maximum internship allocation) to hold Mitacs internships for the duration of the extension period.

5. No discounts or enhanced leveraging options are available to fund the extension internships. Only standard funding models may apply, regardless of the funding models for the original project. Partner organizations are required to contribute additional funds for the extension period.

Mitacs Accelerate internships require the active participation of the intern, professor, and partner organization. All participants should attempt to fulfill their project obligations.
If all parties are in agreement, a project or individual internship may be terminated. If one party wants to cancel the internship without other parties’ agreement, s/he must first notify them in writing and allow 30 days for resolution of outstanding issues.
Any funds remaining after a cancelled internship must be returned to Mitacs. For more information, please refer to the downloadable General Mitacs Terms, Conditions & Policies zip file found under How To Apply.

Participants should check their spam or junk folder. If they still haven’t received it, they should contact evaluation@mitacs.ca.

The Mid-Term surveys are mid-term checks that are sent to Accelerate Interns & the partner organizations at the midpoint of each internship unit on the project, to check-in and ensure that the internship started as originally proposed, to address any issues, and to offer an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback to the Accelerate team during the internship.

Participants should receive an invitation within the 30 days following the completion of their internship/fellowship.

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