Research Assistantships and Funding
Work as an undergraduate research assistant with a USask faculty member or as part of a campus research team. As a research assistant, students gain excellent experience for future career and academic paths.
Research assistantships are term positions which often take place during the spring and summer months, but may go all year round.
Student assistants are directly involved in conducting research and generating data, in the lab, field, archive or anywhere, as part of a larger team or on an individual project. These students may go on to co-author a manuscript or paper, create a poster and showcase it in a symposium, or give presentations.
By Connecting
- Research assistant jobs are often found by word of mouth - ask a faculty member if they have room on their team for you.
- Pay attention to college calls - some colleges have allocations for undergraduate research, such as College of Medicine Dean's Scholars program, WCVM undergraduate research, and more. They can help match you with a faculty member looking for student researchers for their team.
- Some student research positions are listed through the University of Saskatchewan's CareerLink. Others can be found on the USask Careers site as Staff.
Funding Opportunities
Open to All Students
Faculty across the university hold research funding grants. They may be looking for undergraduate student researchers to join their lab, research group, or project. Approach a supervisor to land a research position!
Student Travel Award | Provides financial assistance to students to participate in academic-related conferences, competitions and other university activities.
College/Department Specific
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition Summer Student Research Program | Undergraduate research opportunities are available every January for the upcoming summer, including interdisciplinary salary awards with the College of Medicine and College of Dentistry, as well as supervisor-funded projects in the basic, clinical, and social sciences.
Chemistry Undergraduate Research | There are a number of research awards and scholarships available through the Chemistry Department that will hire students to do research over the summer. Some of these awards are for on-campus positions, and others include travel to other universities for research.
Biology Undergraduate Research | Biology undergraduate students can gain significant research experience through specific research courses.
St. Thomas More College Engaged Learning and Study Abroad | A competitive grant provided to successful candidates to participate in an event or project regarding social justice or community service-learning, harmonized with STM’s Catholic mission, that benefit students or the larger community.
Kinesiology One Credit Research Experience | Research is knowledge creation. Research is asking questions and figuring out the best way to answer them. The OCRE classes will give you an opportunity to experience real research related to the Kinesiology classes you are taking. You will get hands-on experience doing a real experiment, but with a reasonable workload (~ 1hour/week) that matches the one-credit expectation. Class size is small and there is weekly direct contact with the instructor.
Toxicology Undergraduate Research Experience Program (TUREP) | Offers more laboratory or field based research experience opportunities to undergraduate students, especially those in earlier years of their academic program. The TUREP is a research experience program, not an independent research project; it is not part of a student’s formal academic program.
WCVM Undergraduate Summer Research and Leadership Program | Provides research experiences to undergraduate students who are enrolled in veterinary medicine as well as in pre-health sciences courses at the University of Saskatchewan.
College of Medicine Undergraduate Research | Dean's Projects (for students in the College of Medicine), Biomedical projects (for students in biomedical sciences), InterD projects (students co-supervised by PharmNut and Medicine) and more.
For domestic students in the natural sciences and engineering. Student gains 16 weeks of research work experience related to their studies under the supervision of a faculty member. The University of Saskatchewan hosts a varied number of NSERC USRAs every year. These positions require students to co-apply with a supervisor.
Qualified Indigenous students are encouraged to apply, and these applications are considered separately by NSERC over and above USask allocation.
Discover national funding available to undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Undergraduate Student Research Awards | For domestic students in the natural sciences and engineering. Student gains 16 weeks of research work experience related to their studies under the supervision of a faculty member. Qualified Indigenous students are encouraged to apply. Apply via USask Awards Portal.
National Research Council (NRC)
NRC Co-op Program | Provides practical, career-related experience to promising students in science, engineering, and technology. Work terms are also offered in the business, public relations, communications, library sciences, marketing and administration fields. Jobs are posted through the Student Employment and Career Centre.
NRC Student Employment Program | For students interested in gaining practical, industry experience in a range of disciplines. Applications are accepted throughout the year and placements are for 16 weeks, full-time in the summer or part-time during the academic year.
Mitacs Accelerate
Mitacs Accelerate Program | Put your talent to work with a paid internship at an organization that needs your expertise. Funding starts at $15,000, and your partner organization’s financial contribution starts at $7,500. Students work with a supervisor and an industry partner to develop a proposal.
Government of Canada
Research Affiliate Program | Work part-time as a research affiliate with the Government of Canada, while pursuing your studies. Conduct innovative research related to your degree or program, and gain experience with a federal department or agency. Working for Canada’s top student employer, you’ll enjoy a diverse and inclusive workplace, and could kick-start a meaningful career that spans hundreds of fields and offers thousands of jobs across the country.
Student Work Experience Program | Get valuable and meaningful experience working for the top student employer in Canada! Explore hundreds of career paths and thousands of jobs that the Government of Canada has to offer across the country.
Post-Secondary Co-op/Internship Program | Choose the Government of Canada — the top student employer in Canada — for your next co-op/internship placement. Gain hands-on experience, benefit from a diverse and inclusive workplace, and kick-start a meaningful career that spans hundreds of fields and offers thousands of jobs across the country.
Student Work Placement Program | To participate in a student work placement you must be: Registered in a post-secondary program that includes work placements; Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person with refugee protection given under the law; and legally able to work in Canada according to the laws and regulations of the province or territory where you live.
Information and communication technology
Environment
Biotechnology
Entrepreneurship
Mining
Aerospace/Aviation
Electricity
Manufacturing
Additional sectors
Other
Baycrest Research Training Centre in Toronto (RTC) | For undergraduate students to conduct research in a laboratory/clinical setting at Baycrest under the supervision of a practicing scientist from the Research Division. The program is 12 weeks in length.
BC Children's Hospital Research Institute - Summer Student Program | Includes studentship opportunities for top-ranked students and an education program for funded and non-funded students. From May-August, students work closely with a supervisor on a specific program. Along with the elements inherent to each student's specific research project, students have the opportunity to participate in the research education program in June-July.
Women Techmakers Scholars Program | Google is furthering Dr. Anita Borg’s vision of creating gender equality in the field of computer science by encouraging women to excel in computing and technology and become active leaders and role models in the field. Recipients will receive $10 000, be invited to Google Scholars' Retreat, and connect with others in the research community.
SickKids Summer Research Program | Provides opportunities for university students to conduct research in a laboratory or clinical setting at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) under the supervision of a Research Institute scientist. The program runs for 15 weeks from early May to mid-August.
Canadian Foundation for Infectious Diseases (CFID) Undergraduate Summer Research Awards | For undergraduate students who plan to conduct summer research in the form of a research project, research elective, or co-op work-term.
International funding opportunities for undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan.
Mitacs
Mitacs Globalink Research Award | Supports research collaborations between Canada and international partner countries. Select destinations are open to senior undergraduates in all disciplines to apply.
RISE - Globalink Research Internship | Provides summer research internships to North American and British students, and aims to promote student exchange to Germany in the fields of natural science, engineering, and life sciences, and to motivate undergraduate students to learn more about Germany’s research landscape and study opportunities.
Others
EuroScholars | European Undergraduate Research Opportunities: a research abroad program designed for advanced and talented undergraduate students from US and Canadian institutions looking for an international research experience. Offers these students to conduct research in almosty any discipline at one of the 9 internationally renowned European Research Universities.
The Kupcinet-Getz International Summer School | For undergraduate students in mathematics, physics, chemistry or the life sciences. Students participate in 8-weeks of research.
Society for Vascular Surgery Student Research Fellowship | For students to spend from 2 to 12 months on a project at an educational facility under the supervision of an Active Member of SVS.
APA Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Grants | For psychology students. Will provide undergraduates who have little or no prior laboratory experience with the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of how scientific research is conducted. The grants are designed to enable psychology departments to hire undergraduates to work as research assistants in faculty members’ labs over the summer.
Summer Research Program for Undergraduate Life Science Students | This program is offered by the School of Life Sciences in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is open to all undergraduate university students from anywhere in the world.
Research in Industrial Projects for Students (RIPS) | A nine-week program emphasizes research and group work. It offers each undergraduate student with a travel allowance and a stipend of US $3,500 to work on research projects. This program is available in LA and Hong Kong.
Dobbin Atlantic Scholarship Programme | To support the development of links between Ireland and Canada. For research visits of 3 to 5 weeks.
German Studies Research Grant | Undergraduates with at least junior (third-year) standing pursuing a German Studies track or minor may be nominated for the grant by their department and/or program chair. Applicants are expected to have completed two years of college German and a minimum of three courses in German Studies (literature, history, politics or other fields) at the time of nomination. The grant may be used for short-term research (one to two months) in Germany.
Microscopy Society of America (MSA) | Undergraduates with an interest in conducting a research project involving the use of any microscopy technique and who are sponsored by an MSA member may submit a project proposal for a chance to recieve up to $3 000 in funding.