Saltire Foundation Canada is a registered Canadian charity that supports Scottish university students to undertake funded summer internships with Canadian companies. Working with Entrepreneurial Scotland, it covers key costs such as travel and accommodation, and delivers experiential learning and leadership development through the global Saltire Scholars Internship Program. View Saltire Foundation Canada's website for more information.
Saltire Foundation Canada is a Canadian charitable foundation dedicated to expanding international work experience opportunities for high-potential students studying at Scottish universities. As the Canadian arm of the wider Saltire Scholars Internship Program, it mobilises philanthropic support from individuals and companies in Canada to finance structured internship placements and the associated costs of international mobility.
The organisation partners with Entrepreneurial Scotland to deliver a world-class internship experience. Each year, shortlisted “Saltire Scholars” in their penultimate or final year of study are matched with entrepreneurial and globally minded Canadian host companies for internships of at least ten weeks. By underwriting elements such as visa processing, flights, accommodation, insurance and pastoral support, the Foundation effectively provides in-kind financial aid that makes these international placements accessible to talented students regardless of background.
The Foundation focuses its support on experiential learning, leadership development and entrepreneurship. Its primary beneficiaries are Scottish undergraduate students across all disciplines who are selected through a competitive process run by the Saltire Scholars team. On the Canadian side, it works with a wide range of host organisations – from major corporates to growth companies and public institutions – that are willing to create meaningful project-based internships.
Through this dual focus, Saltire Foundation Canada both funds the development of Scotland’s future leaders and helps Canadian employers tap into an international talent pool. The internships often involve strategic projects in areas such as business development, engineering, data science, energy, public policy and other innovation-driven fields.
Students go through multiple pre-selection phases before being presented to host companies. Hosts then interview pre-screened candidates and choose their intern, while the Foundation and its partners manage the subsequent logistics. Throughout the cycle, the Scholar team provides leadership development, mentoring and ongoing practical support before, during and after the internship period.
Donations and sponsorships from individuals and corporations are a critical part of this model. Supporters can contribute to the Foundation as a whole or sponsor specific interns, with Canadian tax receipts issued for eligible gifts. These funds are used to increase the number of placements, deepen the leadership curriculum and ensure that essential travel and living costs are covered.
Since the Saltire Scholars Program began, thousands of students have been placed with hundreds of host companies in Canada and other countries. Testimonials on the Foundation’s website highlight transformative personal and professional outcomes for interns, including enhanced entrepreneurial ambition, stronger international networks and improved career readiness. Canadian hosts, in turn, benefit from fresh perspectives, specialised skills and a potential pipeline of graduate recruits.
By connecting Scottish heritage, Canadian business and a global entrepreneurial network, Saltire Foundation Canada plays a distinctive role in the international education and talent development ecosystem, acting as both a program operator and a financial enabler of cross-border internships.