Internship Scholarship Program For International Students

Applicants must meet all the following conditions to be eligible for the program:

• Be currently registered full time in a Master's or Ph.D. program at a university outside Québec


• Be invited by a regular Université Laval professor involved in a research project funded by Sentinel North who agrees to supervise the applicant during their study period at Université Laval


• The project must be aligned with Sentinel North's research program


• The internship at Université Laval must be for a period of two to six months, and its objectives must be consistent with Sentinel North's research program.

To remain eligible for funding during an internship at Université Laval, applicants must maintain full-time student status in their graduate studies program at their home university.

The following documents must be included with the application:

• The scholarship application form, duly completed


• The applicant's résumé (up to five pages)


• A copy of the applicant's university transcripts¹


• A maximum one-page recommendation letter from the research supervisor justifying the relevance and added value of the internship to the applicant's academic and/or scientific progress


• A letter of invitation from the internship supervisor at Laval University mentioning the coaching offered and the resources made available to the candidate.

Applications and all required documents must be sent in a single email to formation@sn.ulaval.ca. 

¹After scholarships are granted by the evaluation committee, applicants from certain disciplines or certain countries must take steps to obtain the required legal documents before traveling to Québec (work permit and/or letter from Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec [RAMQ] confirming they are eligible for the Québec health insurance plan, where applicable).

Applications are assessed and judged by the Sentinel North evaluation committee according to the evaluation criteria and weighting process. Only proposals consistent with Sentinel North's research program and supported by applicants' supervisors will be considered.

Indicators by evaluation criteria

Quality of the student's academic record and aptitude for research (40 points)

• Cumulative grade point averages


• Student's experience and achievements

General quality of the internship proposal (35 points)

• Justification of the choice of the Université Laval research supervisor and the host laboratory


• Support proposed by the host laboratory


• Clarity of the scientific objectives set out in the internship proposal


• Appropriateness of the methodology in relation to the internship objectives and the student's expertise


• Feasibility of the proposed activities (budget, timelines, expected results)


• Relevance of the proposal in relation to Sentinel North's research program


• Multidisciplinary nature of the internship or the contribution of more than one discipline to carry it out

Added value of the proposed internship (25 points)

• Added value of the proposed internship in relation to the student's current graduate studies program (link and expected benefits)


• Recommendation letter from student's current research supervisor (at student's home university)

Announcement of the results

Each applicant will receive an email informing them of the evaluation committee's decision within four weeks of receipt of their application.

Applicants must accept or decline the scholarship within ten (10) business days of receipt of the notice of award by sending an email to formation@sn.ulaval.ca. If acceptance is not received within this time limit, applicants will be deemed to have declined the scholarship.

Sentinel North's decisions are final and binding.

Validity period of financial support

• The research internship at Université Laval must start within one year of receipt of the notice of award.


• The start date of the funding granted may not be earlier than the date of submission of the application. If a student decides to begin their stay before the evaluation committee announces its results, Sentinel North will not be responsible for expenses incurred if the student's application is deemed inadmissible or for any expenses incurred before the date of award.


• A funded internship must be completed before initial submission of a Master's or Ph.D. thesis.

Budgetary aspects

• The applicant's estimated budget will be reviewed when the application is evaluated by the committee.


• Eligible expenses include living expenses in Québec ($1,500/month), mandatory health and hospitalization insurance for international students according to the rate in effect (unless exempted), and registration fees for conferences / training activities (up to $500).


• Costs incurred to obtain legal documents are not eligible expenses.


• The Sentinel North Internship Scholarship Program for International Students does not cover costs directly related to research. Such costs must be covered by other funding sources.

Required documents

• A signed internship agreement between Université Laval, the student, and the student's home university is required prior to the student's arrival at Université Laval. This agreement must, at a minimum, specify the dates of the internship, the responsibilities of the parties, and the student's main activities. Detailed instructions on the preparation of this agreement will be shared with the scholarship recipient in the award letter.


• Scholarships are awarded on the condition that students obtain the required legal travel documents (visa, work permit, etc.), where applicable. Obtaining such documents is the sole responsibility of students.

Payment of financial support

• Upon receipt of the signed internship agreement, the funds will be transferred to a project managed by the internship supervisor's administrative unit at Université Laval.


• The scholarship will be paid by monthly living allowances. No payment will be granted before the arrival of the candidate in the place of training.


• If applicable, the administrative unit will pay the costs of compulsory health and hospitalization insurance for international students directly to Université Laval. Please submit the invoice issued by the Registrar to Sentinelle Nord (formation@sn.ulaval.ca) so that the funds dedicated to this purpose can be paid to the project. Please also forward this invoice to the unit for payment.


• Reimbursement of training and conference expenses will be made up to a maximum of $500 and upon presentation of original supporting documents deemed compliant by Université Laval.

Expected reports

• At the end of an internship, the scholarship holder must also produce a maximum two-page report on their training experience describing the activities carried out during the internship and/or the training received, and how the internship has contributed to their research and career plan. The texts produced may be published in whole or in part on the Sentinel North website.

Restrictions

• Internships whose main objective is attending a conference or symposium are not eligible.


• Students may not apply for more than one internship per degree program.


• Before doing an exchange, students must complete the equivalent of at least one year of full-time study in their selected program.

Further details on the procedure for awarding scholarships

The selection criteria are subject to change. Modifications will be duly posted on the website.