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Mitacs Accelerate International
Last Update: March 3, 2026
Canada
Funding to collaborate with international researchers
Grant and Funding
Overview
Get a grant when you partner with international researchers and universities to work on projects that benefit Canada by bringing talent here, creating domestically-held IP, increasing foreign investment and more.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Integrate new technologies
- Develop a new product
- Develop an online presence
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
- Minimum amount : 15,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Timeline
- Open continuously
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Newcomers to Canada
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Higher Education
- Research
- Hospitals and Rehabilitation
- Other Health Services
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Employment and Training
- International Activities
- Business Associations
- Professional Associations
Target groups
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Nonprofits / charities
- Academia / students
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Municipal
- Provincial
- National
- International
Activities funded
- Participation in interdisciplinary research projects that apply academic knowledge to real-world challenges.
- Internships that facilitate on-site research and development activities within partner organizations.
- Projects that require collaboration between Canadian academic institutions and international partner organizations.
- Research projects benefiting from a combination of academic supervision and industry involvement.
- Conducting research that involves the exchange of skills and expertise between academic and non-academic environments.
- Opportunities for international collaboration and interaction in research settings.
- Implementation of projects that enhance professional networks within academia and industry.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 15,000
Collaborate with Université de Montréal and Tsinghua University to innovate in public health systems
$ 15,000
Partner with University of Ottawa and National University of Singapore to study AI ethics
$ 15,000
Partner with a university and University of Copenhagen for climate change impact studies
$ 15,000
Develop AI-driven financial modeling tools in collaboration with University of Toronto and ETH Zurich
$ 15,000
Work with University of British Columbia and University of Tokyo on marine biodiversity research
$ 15,000
Collaborate with McGill University and Heidelberg University to research renewable energy storage solutions
Eligibility
- Applicable to students and postdoctoral fellows at Mitacs partner colleges and universities in Canada.
- Postdoctoral fellows must have graduated from a PhD program less than five years prior to the proposed start date, with exceptions for extenuating circumstances such as parental leave or military service.
- Applicants must not have been employed full-time at the partner organization prior to applying.
- Recent graduates must have graduated within two years prior to the start of their project and are eligible at the academic institution's discretion.
- Non-degree students (diploma, certificate, etc.) are eligible at the academic institution's discretion.
- Visiting students and researchers at Canadian academic institutions who are completing a degree at a university abroad may be eligible at the discretion of the Canadian institution.
- Interns must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, international students (with a student visa), or international postdoctoral fellows (with a valid work permit), and must be at least 18 years old.
- Open to all academic disciplines.
- For-profit corporations, eligible not-for-profit corporations, municipalities, and hospitals in Canada can participate.
- For-profit businesses and not-for-profit corporations operating outside of Canada are eligible as additional partners for projects with a Canadian partner organization.
Who is eligible?
- For-profit corporations in Canada
- Eligible not-for-profit corporations in Canada
- Municipalities in Canada
- Hospitals in Canada
- For-profit businesses operating outside of Canada (as additional partners with a Canadian organization)
- Not-for-profit corporations operating outside of Canada (as additional partners with a Canadian organization)
Eligible expenses
- Intern salaries or stipends (a minimum of $10,000 per four-month period).
- Additional partner contributions used for stipend/salary top-up or specialized equipment, as specified in the application budget.
- Expenses as outlined by Tri-Agency eligible expenses and the Mitacs Use of Funds policy (refer to Mitacs' official Use of Funds policy for precise details).
- Insurance coverage, if necessary and in accordance with institutional policies.
- Travel expenses in accordance with the academic institution’s policies on international travel and project requirements.
Selection criteria
- Whether the proposed project qualifies as research in its discipline.
- Appropriateness of the project for the academic degree level of the intern(s).
- Clarity of the project objectives.
- Suitability of the methodology to achieve the stated objectives.
- Realism of the project timeline.
- Assessment of prior work that should be considered by the researchers.
- Potential for adverse effects on the environment and, if necessary, recommendation for an additional environmental impact review.
How to apply
1
Prepare Your Proposal
- Review eligible research and adjudication criteria.
- Refer to the "Writing Your Proposal" guide and familiarize yourself with policies.
- Draft a detailed project proposal using the Mitacs Accelerate template (note that only the latest version of the template is accepted).
2
Get Feedback and Collect Signatures
- Obtain feedback on your proposal from all participants and your Mitacs Advisor.
- Gather all required signatures from the intern(s), professor(s), partner contact, and university Office of Research Services or equivalent.
3
Submit Your Proposal Package
- Email your completed proposal package to your Mitacs Advisor.
4
Address International Travel Specifications
- For projects involving international travel, ensure additional documents such as International Pre-departure form and Code of Conduct are prepared and submitted post-proposal.
- Ensure that funds will not be released until these forms are received by Mitacs if submitted post-proposal.
Additional information
- Interns must interact regularly with both their academic supervisor and partner organization throughout the project.
- An exit survey summarizing project results and experiences must be completed by the intern at the end of the project.
- For projects with multiple internships, each intern is responsible for their individual steps, including maintaining student or postdoc status for the duration of the project.
- Intellectual property developed during the project is managed according to the academic institution's policies, with Mitacs claiming no ownership.
- Partner organizations' financial contributions are subject to applicable GST, HST, or QST (value added taxes).
- Participants are expected to read and adhere to the Accelerate Code of Conduct and other relevant Mitacs policies.
- The program encourages adding the Accelerate internship and Mitacs Training courses to the intern’s CV and LinkedIn profile.
- If a project or internship is cancelled, any remaining funds must be returned to Mitacs.
- There are digital and non-digital application processes; eligibility for the digital application depends on certain project criteria.
- Orientation and certain skills development courses are recommended to maximize the internship experience.
- The Indigenous Pathways initiative is closed for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and will reopen in April 2025.
- Mitacs Accelerate supports both in-person and virtual interaction with partner organizations, allowing hybrid or fully remote internships where feasible.
- Interns can only start their internship after Mitacs confirms receipt of the partner organization's payment.
- A Mid-Term survey is conducted at the midpoint of each internship unit to monitor progress and gather feedback.
- Certificates of Completion are available to interns/postdocs in the Mitacs e-campus (EDGE) after the exit survey is submitted.
