Frequently Asked Questions

Research Interns

University of Alberta International Student & Visitor Services staff coordinate research internships for visiting international students who are sponsored or funded by specific programs. They are outlined and hyperlinked at the top of this Frequently Asked Questions page.

In short, while all ISVS-coordinated research internship participants are academic visitors, not all academic visitors or guests are considered research interns.

ISVS staff collect research projects from U of A faculty members who are willing and able to host and mentor visiting researchers through some specific programs. Examples include UARE and CSC-funded research internships. Student applicants then apply directly to the specific research project(s) during specific application periods by following the How to Apply steps for that program. 

For other ISVS-coordinated research internship programs, research projects are not centrally collected and applicants must independently initiate finding an appropriate placement. Once an applicant has obtained the tentative supervision of a suitable professor, then ISVS staff assist with all invitation processes if funding is successfully obtained to support the stay. This is the pathway for research internship programs such as Global Affairs Canada International Scholarships (ELAP; SEED-2; SICS) or the University of Alberta-RWTH Aachen Junior Research Fellowship. These still have deadlines each year, and are not accepted on a rolling basis.

All other Visitors to the University (Foreign, Canadian + Academic) must refer to the posted information for advice and procedures. Thank you for your interest!

Each research internship participant whose stay is coordinated by ISVS is offered the following:

• Coordination of immigration processes and documents, including the Foreign Visitor Category Assessment (FVCA) and/or Contract/Invitation Letter as necessary
• 'Guest' (Academic Visitor) CCID and ONEcard;
  • ISVS staff aim to set up the guest's ID number and request a CCID in Bear Tracks approximately two weeks or more before the guest's arrival
  • Participants in most research internships coordinated by ISVS have the $25 guest ONEcard fee billed to our office, rather than paid for directly by the participant
  • Research interns are NOT considered Students nor Staff/Employees while at U of A
  • As such, guests are NOT covered by U of A liability insurance
• Academic Visitor liability waiver form processed in-person at the International Service Centre
• Person of Interest (POI) processing for campus registration
• In-person intern orientation session for an overview of the campus services that are accessible to research interns and what costs may be involved
• Information for an optional hour-long tour of North Campus
• Professional development seminars and academic networking opportunities
• An opportunity to present at a research symposium*

*Typically offered in mid-March, mid-late July, mid-late August, and early December

Interns may have the option to participate in the following seasonal activities:

• Trips to the Canadian Rocky Mountains (Banff or Jasper)
• Trips to the Canadian Badlands to visit Drumheller, Alberta's world-renowned Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (read: Dinosaurs, including a HUGE T. rex skeleton!)
• ISVS Programs & Events for social activities and weekly programming such as International Conversation Club
• Cultural events offered in Canada's Festival City including many free or low-cost unique seasonal outdoor festivals year-round celebrating music, food, art, sports, theatre, and more!

While each situation is different and visitor may be advised differently depending on their individual circumstances and IRCC processing times, generally speaking, visiting international students participating in an ISVS-coordinated research internship typically enter Canada via one or more of the following categories in order to primarily perform research work as a temporary resident:

• Visitor Visa via Global Skills Strategy 120-day Work Permit Exemption for international research visitor stays of less than 4 months
• Work Permit for stays of over 4 months
  • Some interns may be required to apply online in advance
  • Some interns may apply in-person at the border upon entry to Canada
  • There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so applicants are kindly advised to await specific advice for your individual situation before proceeding
• eTA (electronic Travel Authorization), which may need to be purchased on its own for $7 CAD and/or in addition to the above options of a visitor visa or work permit

Check if you need a visa or eTA to travel to Canada

Please note that none of the above options are study permits. Do not apply for a study permit, as research internship participants are not coming to Canada to enroll in courses or participate in a study exchange for credit. No academic transcript will be issued.

As per IRCC, international student visitors entering Canada to work performing research through the specific programs in this portfolio are not able to study or enroll in any courses at any education institutions, not even to audit.

All research internship placements are intended to be a consecutive stay for the entire duration listed on your Contract/Invitation Letter. 

Word of caution—if you are entering Canada through the Global Skills Strategy 120-day Work Permit Exemption program, please do not automatically assume that you can enter Canada, leave Canada, and then re-enter Canada. It is a special program with specific rules. If you have been selected as a participant and you know well ahead of your confirmed research stay that you plan to enter Canada, leave Canada briefly for any reason, and then re-enter Canada to resume your research internship, please follow the instructions below to seek professional immigration guidance from our qualified U of A HR Immigration Services staff on an exceptional case-by-case basis before you proceed with making any inflexible plans of this nature, as they may or may not be allowed by IRCC (and ultimately remain at the discretion of the CBSA BSO at time of entry). 

For selected research internship participants seeking advice about any immigration-related questions, please contact the Staff Service Centre with “Immigration - Academic Visitor” in the ‘What do you need help with?’ subject line. The Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) in U of A's HR Immigration Services unit are best positioned to answer these inquiries. Please be patient, as it may take 1-4 business days on average to receive a reply after you send an inquiry. 

Research interns offered a placement through an ISVS-coordinated research internship will be provided with more specific information and guidance at the time of invitation, as immigration policies and procedures are subject to change. 

Awards and scholarships contribute to funding the research internship placements coordinated by ISVS. That said, award or scholarship funds are not intended to cover every single expense necessary for you to participate in a research internship. Scholarship providers will readily clarify that you must retain access to some of your own funds to help with your stay in Canada, especially during the first week or two.

Research interns are treated as independent adults and responsible for coordinating and paying for their own:

• Immigration-related expenses
  • These typically cost between $7-200 CAD
  • Please follow the instructions we provide to you carefully
  • You may repay yourself for this up-front expense from your award funds after arrival
• Travel arrangements such as international flights
  • We recommend booking only after receiving confirmation from IRCC that you will likely be allowed to enter Canada, such as after an eTA is issued
• Shelter
  • Rental housing/accommodations, most likely off-campus
    • Security/damage deposit fees
    • Lost key or key fob replacement (if applicable) 
  • There are limited opportunities to stay in certain U of A dormitories or residences on-campus between May-August; this information will be shared directly with selected research internship participants once it is confirmed, typically in early March.
    • Staying on-campus typically costs more than living in private accommodations off-campus nearby, but comes with the security of a known established landlord in a convenient location.
• Food
  • Groceries
  • Take-out meals
  • Dining hall locations and food options on our campuses
    • Hint: It's likely more expensive and may require more individual preparation/effort than what you are used to!
• Clothing and Toiletries
  • Seasonally appropriate gear for the wide swings in temperature that this part of the world experiences
    • Hint: it's probably colder and/or less humid here than wherever you are traveling from, so bring warm layers and be prepared to moisturize your skin!
• Local Transportation
  • 747 Edmonton International Airport Bus or taxi/ride-share/shuttle from the airport to the university
  • Daily or monthly fares for using Edmonton Transit Service (ETS)'s integrated public bus and light rail transit (LRT) network
  • Private pay-per-use transportation options such as electric scooters and e-bikes
    • weather-dependent; typically offered by Bird/Lime/Neuron between late March through early November
  • Rent a bicycle from the U of A's North Campus Bike Library for only $15/week between the months of May through mid-October
    • Requires a refundable security deposit of $160 as long as the bicycle is returned, so be sure to lock it up well with the included U-lock each and every time it's left unattended
    • They have a volunteer-run bicycle workshop on-site and may be able to help you fix it if you get a flat tire, or a component requires adjustment/fixing
    • Typically open Tuesdays, Wednedsays, and Thursdays from 1-6pm

Exactly how much funding and spending money you will need depends upon your usual standard of living and quality of life in your home country. Fair warning that Canada is generally considered an expensive country to live in compared to many around the world. Any funds you have saved up in your home currency may have higher or lower value here on any given day.

Thankfully, Edmonton and area is considered one of the most affordable major urban centers of 1+ million people in Canada. There are also many free tools + resources available to help you increase your Canadian financial literacy (as our systems may operate a little differently than the ones in your home country), including budgeting + planning. 

Edmonton enjoys abundant fresh water from the North Saskatchewan River, and our public city tap water is safe to drink straight from the tap. That said, you may see our water frequently filtered due to its high mineral content, as it originates from glaciers in the Canadian Rockies. 

How interns will be paid and by whom varies, as some research internship programs are funded by the researcher's home university, or a home country's scholarship agency. Others may be funded by provincial and national research agencies in Canada, or the University of Alberta (often so that our students may in turn be considered for reciprolal opportunities to conduct research at other institutions), or some combination of all of the above. 

For example, Mitacs Globalink Research Internship is sent via direct deposit from Mitacs to an intern's Canadian bank account that the intern receives instructions ahead of time to set up shortly after their arrival in Canada. A similar process may be used for China Scholarship Council-funded researchers. 

While more specific and current details are provided to successful applicants who are offered a placement, some basic information is outlined below for applicants to programs such as UARE, Global Affairs Canada International Scholarships (ELAP/SEED/SICS), etc. so that you may know what to expect ahead of time.

This information is provided as a courtesy to prospective applicants, and is subject to change.

1. You will be registered as an academic visitor (guest) on campus during your research stay, as you are not here to enroll in courses as a student, so this saves you from having to pay mandatory tuition and fees to the University of Alberta. You are also not considered a staff member and do not receive privileges such as complimentary gym access. There are pros and cons to this. Please keep reading for some examples.
2. As a University of Alberta community member, you will be given the option to sign up and pay a fee of ~$31 per month for access to the gym/swimming pools/recreational facilities. This is because academic visitors (guests) are not charged the normal mandatory term access fees that University of Alberta students must pay for various facilities and services, such as the gym/swimming pools/climbing walls. The monthly fee works out to be nearly equal to what a University of Alberta student pays per term to access the same facilities.
3. As an academic visitor (guest), you are not eligible for UPass, which is a bundled deal on transit for students that they pay for in mandatory term fees. Since you are not charged the normal student UPass fees per term that University of Alberta students must pay, you are not eligible to opt-in or receive a UPass.
4. The adult Arc card for local public transit has a fare cap (maximum monthly amount) if you choose to take the bus or LRT on a frequent basis. You can choose to spend up to $102 per month on transit and live further from campus, or you can choose to put that ~$100 per month towards living closer to campus that you can walk to.   
5. No funds are ever able to be sent ahead of a participant's arrival in Canada. Only after you have arrived in Canada and have completed campus check-in procedures are we allowed to disburse award/scholarship funds. No exceptions.
6. Award/scholarship funds disbursed by University of Alberta are typically given in two separate installments. The first is shortly after arrival, to assist with immediate settlement costs and necessary travel expenses you've incurred prior to your arrival. The second installment is approximately halfway through your research internship. Any mandatory health insurance fees will be deducted from your first installment if disbursed by U of A, or if you are externally-funded you may be required to pay for health insurance fees shortly after arrival. 

Faculty members interested in inviting an international visiting researcher (academic visitor) to the U of A who is not part of an ISVS-coordinated research internship program should complete the Foreign Visitor Category Assessment (FVCA). This will be reviewed by our U of A HR Immigration Services colleagues and guidance will be provided accordingly.

The visiting researcher(s) that you are interested in inviting will need to provide some personal information to you such as their passport number, citizenship, date of birth, so that the FVCA can be completed. 

In this scenario, all academic visitor immigration/invitation as well as campus registration procedures (CCID, academic visitor liability waiver form, POI, etc.) are the responsibility of the inviting faculty member and/or department, not ISVS.

HR Immigration Services advisors can be reached via the Staff Service Centre if you have questions about this process before starting the FVCA. Submit an inquiry with the word "Immigration—Academic Visitor" in the subject line and share as many details as you have about the prospective visiting researcher.

After the invitation process is complete and once the visiting international student has arrived in Canada to perform research with you or in your department and you've registered them on campus, then our team at International Student + Visitor Services (ISVS) would be pleased to invite the academic visitor to join a research Intern Orientation session, or any other ISVS Programs + Events that they may be interested in, as space permits. In order to facilitate this, around their start date, please have the visitor(s) send intern[@]ualberta.ca an email with the dates of when they will be here so that we can invite them. They can also sign up for the International Student & Visitor Services newsletter.

The following information is provided as a courtesy to prospective international student applicants seeking to perform research at the University of Alberta.

Some of our research internship programs require students to independently seek and arrange a tentative U of A host professor willing and able to supervise their research, should they be successfully funded.

Step 1

In order for interested international student researchers to find an appropriate/suitable research project with a host professor/supervisor/mentor at University of Alberta, we recommend visiting the U of A Colleges & Faculties webpage. From there, click on the webpage of the academic faculties you are interested in to view a list of our professors and their research areas.

Alternatively, you can also search for anyone whose job Title includes 'Professor' in the Advanced Search of U of A Directory.

You may also wish to consult this list of Successful [Research] Grants or Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects.

Step 2

Your next step is for you to reach out to the University of Alberta faculty member(s) directly via email.

It is a good idea to start by reaching out to two or three potential host professors in your field. Your odds naturally decrease if you only reach out to one professor.

When contacting University of Alberta host professors via email, they may find it helpful for you to include:

• your full name and contact information
• your home university and home country
• whether you are currently an undergraduate (bachelor) or graduate (master or doctoral) student
• current year of your academic program and/or number of semesters completed vs. remaining
• anticipated date (month/year) of graduation
• how you expect to fund your research stay (ex. funding from your home university or other sources; a scholarship you have already received; a scholarship that you plan to apply for but need someone to agree to supervise you first, etc.)
• the full name and a website link to the program which you expect to fund your research stay with, or that will be applying to
• your research background and academic interests, and how they align with the chosen host professor's
• whose research project you plan to work on (yours, theirs, or both?)
• desired length of program (how long you wish to stay to do research), including your ideal start & end date and/or which specific months you are available, or how flexible you can be
  • stays of 3-6 months seem to be the most feasible for the majority of host professors
  • generally speaking, research stays of only a few weeks are not considered feasible or worthwhile for all parties
  • for example, the shortest research internships for ISVS-coordinated stays are 12 weeks or around 3 months long
• your academic goals or anticipated outcomes based on the research visit (i.e., do you aim to co-author a published article, or wish to get trained in using a special piece of equipment that is uniquely available at University of Alberta?)
• documents such as your resumé (rather than an entire CV), transcripts, or relevant academic history can be attached in this initial email or alternatively offered to be sent in follow-up should they express interest or wish to learn more about you

Please allow 4-6 business days for a response to your email (read: please do not count Saturday or Sunday or our statutory holidays) before following up or resending, as professors receive many requests.

Please respect if someone tells you that the timing does not work for them, or that your research strengths are not a good fit for their projects. There may be a better fit elsewhere. 

In order to effectively perform research, visiting international student participants must have proficient English speaking, reading, writing, and listening capabilities.

Research Internship Applicants

While a formal test is NOT required to apply for a research internship, we may ask about your English language proficiency in our application forms.

In terms of standardized testing and benchmarking, this translates to a minimum score of TOEFL 70 iBT or 5.5 IELTS or B2 CEFR (or the equivalent through another testing platform).

Of course, we understand that some of our research interns are native English speakers, or have taken courses in English as the primary language of instruction or as an additional language during the majority of their schooling.

There are also opportunities to utilize French as the primary language of communication with specific Host Professors, such as for research projects with our faculty members based at University of Alberta's Campus Saint-Jean in Edmonton.

While Campus Saint-Jean's primary language of research and campus communication is French, and it is nestled in the beautiful French Quarter of Edmonton, English is still the most commonly spoken language throughout Edmonton and area. Knowledge of conversational English is still necessary to navigate the greater Edmonton community.

As an applicant, if you are interested in learning more about test scores, or how your skills compare to the students you may be expected to communicate with on campus or in the lab, the University of Alberta's language requirements for degree-seeking students can be found at the following: 

• Language Requirements for undergraduate applicants
• English Language Proficiency for graduate students

Faculty Members and Host Professors

University of Alberta International Student + Visitor Services encourages faculty members to set up a brief video interview to evaluate if the prospective visiting international student has sufficient communication capabilities to contribute to the host professor's research project. This is due to the unique technical nature of specific terminology in many academic subjects and fields of research.

NEW in 2026: U of A employees can now view the new Safeguarding Research Office website to access additional information, guidance and resources. U of A Employees must sign in to their browser with their ualberta.ca email account to view this resource.

The University of Alberta's Safeguarding Research Office has published guidance regarding Safeguarding Your Research. Faculty members and research staff may direct any questions about safeguarding your research to safegrd@ualberta.ca.

The Government of Canada has published guidance for research organizations, funders, and universities. These include sensitive research technology areas and named research organizations.

International Student & Visitor Services (ISVS) requires all visiting international students participating in our affiliated research internship programs to have mandatory health insurance coverage through the University of Alberta Health Insurance Plan (UAHIP).

The only exception is for Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (GRI) program participants, as they are covered by StudyInsured.

UAHIP fees are assessed per calendar month at $53 CAD (as of June 25, 2026, the rate has increased from $50 to $53 for new research internships starting on or after September 1, 2026). Research internship participants with eligible dependents may add them to their plan for an additional fee.

Edmonton

The University Health Centre and Pharmacy, which are located in the Students' Union Building (SUB), are an excellent medical clinic and pharmacy for research interns based in Edmonton.

University Health Centre 

University Health Centre Pharmacy 

Camrose

Research interns based at Augustana Campus have numerous health care services and providers available locally via Camrose Hospital and Health Care. 

While more specific and current details are provided to successful applicants who are offered a placement, some basic information is outlined below so that you can make an informed decision before making the commitment to apply to any of our research internship programs.

Research interns are responsible for their own housing/accommodation arrangements, including the payment of any rent, security deposit, or key replacement fee(s) from your personal and/or award/scholarship funds. University of Alberta staff are not able to act as a guarantor, or send any of your award/scholarship funds to a landlord on your behalf.

University of Alberta On-Campus Housing is only available during certain periods of the spring & summer terms (typically mid-May through early to mid-August; exact dates vary each year) in designated buildings, such as:

• Edmonton North Campus Lister Centre's Summer Accommodation
• Edmonton North Campus St. Joseph's College Summer Accommodation
• the Ravine Complex at Augustana Campus in Camrose

Please be aware that as per University of Alberta Residence Services, academic visitors are ineligible for traditional student dormitories in the Fall & Winter semesters (September 1 through April 30). As such, academic visitors, including any ISVS-coordinated research internship participants, should not attempt to fill out any online student housing application for a dormitory on-campus, except under exceptional circumstances such as when an online reservation form or instructions have been provided to you directly by the Internship Coordinator.

Find Off-Campus Housing

It is very important that interns start searching for a place to stay before arriving. Most interns arrange at least short-term housing for the first few days before they arrive, and then look for longer-term housing once they are here. Many interns even find their long-term accommodations ahead of time, but it is better to undercommit and be able to adjust things after arrival, rather than paying a lot in advance and being locked into a place that you later find out isn't suitable or the best fit for you and losing a security deposit that is often in the hundreds of Canadian dollars.

The temporary accommodations listed below are being highlighted because they are relatively inexpensive compared to other local options and/or have a great location near campus:

• Hosteling International (HI) Edmonton off Whyte Avenue in Old Strathcona

• UAlberta Conference Services Short-Term Accommodation in Lister Centre

• Campus Tower Suite Hotel located beside Laurent Apartments, across the street from Telus International Centre & Timms Centre for the Arts

• Mettera Hotel on Whyte Avenue in Old Strathcona

• Varscona Hotel on Whyte Avenue in Old Strathcona

#1 Rule - Please be very skeptical and overly cautious with any request from a landlord or rental agency to send money to them online, sight unseen! Many fraudulent scams and various schemes exist to trick otherwise smart people into sending money based on perceived urgency or other factors. Looking to rent in Edmonton? Beware of scams, experts say.

Research Internships at the University of Alberta are an excellent opportunity for you to explore all that the University and the province of Alberta has to offer.

Interns will have numerous opportunities to meet new people and discover life in Canada through social and cultural activities on and off campus. University of Alberta events offer a chance to connect with members of the public and greater campus communities.

Please visit our ISVS Programs & Events page for more details about optional social activities, group trips, and intercultural experiences. Our ISVS student program assistants can also be found on instagram by searching for ualbertavp.

Our campuses are connected in the fall and winter semesters (September through April) by a free shuttle minibus between Campus Saint-Jean and North Campus, as well as a low-cost shuttle van between Augustana Campus and North Campus. Please note, neither of these shuttles run in the spring/summer terms between May through August. 

Exploring Alberta (and beyond!) can be done by airplane, bus, and even passenger train!

Airplane

WestJet, Air Canada, Porter Airlines & Air North (plus many international airlines) service Edmonton via Edmonton International Airport (YEG).

Edmonton International Airport is connected to the city at Century Park station via the public 747 route bus, which is only $5 CAD one-way. This is the most economical way to get to the airport and surrounding area, which also offers a convenient stop at the Premium Outlet Collection Edmonton Intl Airport

Bus

A few private companies offer coach bus passenger service to connect people in Edmonton to popular Alberta tourist destinations such as Banff, Calgary, Canmore, and/or Jasper. Fares typically start at $60-80+ CAD one-way per-person. Some of these companies include:

• Edmonton Explorer (tourist destination bus within Edmonton)
• Ebus / Red Arrow
• Flixbus
• Rider Express
• Sundog Tours
• Explora Alberta
• Magic Bus to Marmot Basin near Jasper (operational only during ski season winter months and $155+/person round-trip fares for transportation with upgrade options available if you wish to ski/snowboard at Marmot Basin)

Rail / Train

VIA Rail Canada has limited passenger rail service between Edmonton to Jasper for a unique way to reach this mountain town in Jasper National Park!

• current students at the University of Alberta and actively working towards a degree program
• interested in exploring internship experiences outside of Canada

Our colleagues at the Undergraduate Research Initiative are a great resource for any current undergraduate (Bachelor degree) University of Alberta students wishing to get involved in research early in their academic career.