• The BSI proposal is submitted to and evaluated by Mitacs to confirm eligibility with the program.
• If your application is approved by Mitacs, Mitacs will invoice the company for payment.USask is responsible for the payment of students.
• Most internships begin May 1 (although internships that are required to start early may begin once the proposal is approved by Mitacs, and invoice payment has been made by the organization).
• Full time internships are 4 months in duration. If part time hours are approved by the organization, internships can extend to a maximum of 6 months.
• Companies may apply for multiple projects with one application; up to 10 internship units may be requested per application.
• For projects leveraging $15,000, the minimum stipend is $10,000. Up to $5,000 may be used for project costs occurring at the university, expensed through USask and subject to USask guidelines and policies.

Stream 1: You’ve Already Identified an Intern

Companies who have already confirmed a student match through their own networks may apply anytime and are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. To participate in this exciting opportunity, companies should complete the Mitacs BSI Project Proposal Template and return to    Jaime Speed ASAP but no later than January 29 for instructions on submitting the application in UnivRS and the Mitacs portal.

Stream 2: You Require an Intern

Please note that there are two options for being matched with a potential intern:

Stream 2.a Name Intern First and Then Submit Application

Companies interested in being matched with a USask student or recent grad for this opportunity should complete the Mitacs BSI Project Proposal Template and return to Jaime Speed by January 5. Companies are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Company proposals will be posted online and announced to students. Students will apply directly to companies, using the contact information supplied by the organization. Students must submit their resume directly to the organization. Companies review student applications, conduct interviews if applicable, and identify a match for their proposal. Please note that students must also confirm the support of an academic supervisor once they are chosen for an internship. Once a student is confirmed, companies should contact Jaime Speed for instructions on completing the application form in UnivRS and the Mitacs Portal.

Stream 2.b Submit Application First and Name Intern After

Companies interested in being matched with a USask student or recent grad for this opportunity should complete the Mitacs BSI Project Proposal Template and return to Jaime Speed by January 29. Companies are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Companies will be instructed to submit their Mitacs application form in UnivRS and the Mitacs Portal as soon as possible, listing the intern as “TBD”. Please note that an academic supervisor will still need to be named at the time of application.

Company proposals will then be posted online and announced to students while the Mitacs application is being processed. Students will apply directly to companies, using the contact information supplied by the organization. Students must submit their resume directly to the organization. Companies review student applications, conduct interviews if applicable, and identify a match for their proposal. Once a student is confirmed, companies should contact Jaime Speed for instructions on completing the appropriate Mitacs form to add the intern to the project.

• Eligible organizations:
• Incorporated businesses in Canada, any size
• Most incorporated independent not-for-profit organizations: contact  Zsuzsa Papp to determine eligibility
• Municipalities, hospitals

• Eligible sectors and disciplines:
• All disciplines and sectors are eligible

• Eligible students:
• Undergraduate students (full time or part time)
• Recent graduates of any program (within 2 years of graduation)
• Masters, Phd and postdocs: are eligible for at least three internship units per program (for at least one year: inquire about details)

Please note:

• International students qualify for this opportunity. Students must be living in Canada throughout the duration of their internship to participate in this program, and must hold a valid study permit and are legally able to work in Canada.

*Important Note on Conflict of Interests
Mitacs will not approve an application if any of the Conflict of Interests (COIs) listed below are true for the intern/academic supervisor (no exceptions) will be made.
If the intern/academic supervisor is:

• An owner or a co-owner (including owning shares) of the organization
• A relative of an owner or co-owner (including owning shares) or a relative of a participant in the day to day management of the organization
• A current employee of and/or a participant in the day-to-day management of the organization 
• A relative of the intern, academic and/or organization supervisors of the proposed project

Summary of Organization Requirements:

• Submit the Mitacs BSI Partner Application to  Jaime Speed, and be willing to incorporate any feedback on the proposed internship.
• Be willing to vet student applications through reviewing resumes and/or conducting interviews and communicating results to applicants.
• Identify a student match by emailing  Jaime Speed.
• Complete and sign-off on application in Mitacs portal.
• Appoint a supervisor or point person within the organization to oversee the work and the student.
• Be willing to complete an exit survey supplied by Mitacs at the end of the program to report on skills developed and provide feedback on the program experience.
• Be willing to support an innovation-based internship, with the understanding that the student intern may be managing a course load along with the hours of the internship.
• Apply for ethics approval, if needed for the completion of the project. Please visit the Human Ethics Website for more information.

Summary of University’s Role:

• USask provides student and academic supervision for the project
• USask supports the Mitacs application submission process and will process the application internally in UnivRS in accordance with USask policies
• USask receives funds from Mitacs and pays the student directly

 Summary of Mitacs’ Role:

• Mitacs provides evaluation of eligibility
• Mitacs provides pre-review of proposals as needed
• The BSI proposal is submitted to and evaluated by Mitacs
• Mitacs will invoice the company for payment and sends the funds to Usask along with Mitacs funds

The Mitacs BSI may also be paired with a co-op program at USask.

• Capacity for the discount is limited, so apply early.
• Eligibility includes all SMEs and not-for-profit organizations, excluding hospitals and municipalities.
• This special discount will only be applied to one internship unit per named intern.
• No cap on reduced-cost units per partner.
• Partners can now apply for up to 10 students per application.
• Students can hold up to three BSI awards, though not simultaneously. Students and partners can apply for all three BSI placements with one application, but the SME discount may only be applied to the first BSI project. 
• For projects with an Indigenous partner organization and/or an intern who is Indigenous, the partner contribution is only 25% of the cost. There is no deadline on this discount. All partner organizations are eligible for this reduction in costs, including municipalities and hospitals.

Process for combining USask Co-op programs with the Mitacs BSI:

• Co-op students will be placed in internships as per the processes of the college's internship program.
• The Mitacs BSI is a 4-month program; however, students and partners can apply for multiple BSI placements with one application to cover the entire period of the internship placement. 
• Once co-op students accept their co-op placements, the student, partner, and USask may begin the application process for Mitacs BSI funding. Please contact  Jaime Speed for next steps, once the student has accepted the co-op placement.
• Students who participate in the Mitacs BSI via the co-op program will be appointed an academic supervisor for the terms of the project, however, direct supervision of their internship will be supported by the ESB co-op coordinator and the partner supervisor.
• To apply, students and partners should complete the Mitacs BSI Project Proposal Template. Students should also contact  Zsuzsa Papp to have their application pre-reviewed prior to submission. Once completed, a representative at USask will submit the application to UnivRS for College and Institutional approval. Once approved in UnivRS, the student submits the application to the Mitacs portal with sign-offs from both the partner and a representative at USask.
• The student will deliver a final presentation to the co-op coordinator and partner organization.
• The partner supervisor and student will complete an exit survey supplied by Mitacs at the end of the program to report on skills developed and provide feedback on the program experience.
• Please note: Following the Mitacs outcome letter and approval of the project, Mitacs will invoice the partner. The student will be paid directly by USask.
• If you have any questions about the process or would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact  Jaime Speed.

Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit organization that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for 20 years. Working with 70 universities, 6,000 companies, and both federal and provincial governments, we build partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada. 

Mitacs Business Strategy Internship

Mitacs Business Strategy Internship Program

Please contact  Jaime Speed or (306) 966-8576 with any questions.

BSI partner proposals can be viewed here. We accept applications from partners at all times, so our proposals are updated frequently. 

• PROPOSALS