To be considered for a CSPF fellowship, eligible applicants must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
    • Please note that Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status is required to obtain a security clearance with a host office to begin a fellowship. All applicants must have Canadian citizenship or permanent residency prior to the start of the interview process. The interview process starts in May of the year of the fellowship.
  • Hold a PhD in any academic discipline at the start of the fellowship
  • Be able to participate full-time in a 12-month fellowship at the host office
  • Secure accommodation in the host city and relocate to their host office as needed
  • Negotiate a leave of absence from their current employer, as applicable
  • Meet any additional requirements of their hosts, including (but not limited to) security clearance requirements
  • Fellowships cannot be held concurrently with other Mitacs awards. If you are currently participating in a Mitacs program, whether as an intern, postdoctoral fellow, academic supervisor, or representative of an industrial partner, the award term end date must be no later than August 31 of the year in which the fellowship is due to start.

Please note: Mitacs does not currently offer renewals or second-year fellowships. Current and past fellows are not eligible to apply for a subsequent year of the program.

See our How to Apply tab for more information on how to apply for a fellowship.

In addition to the requirements listed above, faculty applicants must also:

If you have any questions about the Mitacs Canadian Science Policy Fellowship program, please email the Canadian Science Policy Fellowship team.

To host a CSPF fellow, host offices must:

  • Be an eligible federal government office
  • Provide remuneration and employee benefits to the fellow, in the range of $70,000-$80,000 annually through an employment contract
  • Physically host the fellow at the appropriate office space (Note: if COVID-19 restrictions remain in place in September 2023, arrangements to carry out the fellowship virtually may be required)
  • Accommodate fellow participation in Mitacs professional development opportunities, including travel costs should the fellow be located outside of Ottawa
  • Provide mentoring and guidance to the fellow throughout the fellowship, particularly during the onboarding phase

See our How to Apply tab for more information on how to apply for a fellowship.

If you have any questions about the Mitacs Canadian Science Policy Fellowship program, please email the Canadian Science Policy Fellowship team.

Eligible CSPF positions must:

  • Offer a full-time 12-month fellowship to a PhD holder in a host office location
  • Provide remuneration and employee benefits to the fellow in the range of $70,000-$80,000 through an employment contract
  • Be a policy-focused position addressing a clearly defined challenge that requires the advanced competencies and skills of a PhD holder
  • Demonstrate a clear reporting and mentoring structure for the fellow
  • Outline the processes of the host office (accountability practices, mentorship, or other professional opportunities, etc.) that can support the success of the fellowship

Download a sample host position here.

See our How to Apply tab for more information on how to apply for a fellowship.

If you have any questions about the Mitacs Canadian Science Policy Fellowship program, please email the Canadian Science Policy Fellowship team.