Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering

What is SURE?

The Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering offers summer research traineeships valued at a minimum of $5,625. Some of these research traineeships are funded through the Faculty of Engineering. The others are available through the NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Award (USRA) program.

SURE students work closely with a professor on one of their research projects for 16 weeks in the summer. The program provides exposure to the research experience as well as opportunities to learn more about the graduate school experience and about careers in research.

The traineeships funded through the Faculty of Engineering are available to all eligible McGill undergraduate students irrespective of their citizenship or immigration status and to a limited number of students external to McGill, both Canadian and international. If selected, non-McGill students will be expected to obtain the appropriate visa documents and insurance found at Citizenship and Immigration Canada. They will also be required to register at McGill as an ‘Undergraduate Research Trainee’.

Information for SURE 2013 Participants

PLEASE NOTE: The deadline to apply for a SURE 2013 placement has now passed.  For Summer 2014 opportunities, please check this webpage in December 2013.

Contact us:  MESC FDA22 or SURE-Info [dot] Engineering [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Email)

SURE Events 2013

Frequently Asked Questions

• The Summer semester at my University is less than 16 weeks.  Can the SURE program be shortened to accommodate my schedule?
  Unfortunately, to be eligible for the SURE program, students MUST be able to commit 16 weeks of full-time work.  If your summer is shorter, you may wish to explore the possibility of working in a lab independently of the SURE program.  For independent undergraduate research, the student is responsible for finding a research supervisor and registration as an Undergraduate Research Trainee
• What if I don’t have 3.0 CGPA?
  As SURE is considered to be a scholarship/award, only students having a CGPA of 3.0 or higher will be considered. If you do not have a CGPA of 3.0, you may apply to work with your professor independent of the SURE program.
• How do I know if I qualify for a professors’ research area?
  Seek out the professor and discuss your candidacy with him/her; you don’t know until you try.
• Is there a formal way to contact the professors?
  You can contact a professor by email to book an appointment or visit them during their office hours.
• Where do I submit my application form?
  The application must be completed online and printed. Printed application forms and your Official Transcript must be submitted directly to the professor. Deadline: February 1, 2013
• What is length of program and how much work is involved per week?
  SURE starts in May and lasts 16 weeks and you can expect to work a full work week of approximately 35 hours.
• Do I get vacations/days off?
  You can make arrangements with your supervisor to take time off and make up the hours at another time. ie. Working an extra hour a day or coming in on a Saturday
• Can I decline the offer of award?
  You will have to accept or decline the Offer of Award.
• Can I submit additional paperwork, ie CV?
  The only required documents are the printed application form and transcript. Note, however, that you may be required to submit other documents to the professor along with your application
• I graduate in April, am I still eligible?
  Yes, you can apply up to a year after graduation.
• How will I be notified that I have received a SURE?
  The first round of acceptance emails will be sent by February 20, 2013.
• Can graduate students apply?
  SURE is available to undergraduate students only.
• Are we taxed?
  This is a scholarship, therefore, you are not.
• How do I know how much my supervisor is paying me?
  The SURE award is valued at $5,625.00 however, you may discuss directly with your supervisor.
• What kind of visa is required of non-McGill students?
  International students are required to research the visa requirements at: http://www.international.gc.ca/experience/ or http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index-can.asp. Note that students without the appropriate visas will not be paid.
• My University’s semester ends after May 1, may I apply for SURE?
  Students are encouraged to discuss slight changes to the start and end date of their SURE project with their supervisors. As long as you are available for the full 16 week period, slight changes may be accommodated for external students.
• Is the SURE Program available year round?
  The SURE Program is offered in the summer (May-August) only. If you wish to work in a lab throughout the rest of the year, you must arrange to do so directly with your intended supervisor. International students should review the requirements for McGill Undergraduate Research Trainees at http://www.mcgill.ca/students/records/trainees.

What SURE Participants Said

• "I learned about the life of a graduate student which is what I will remember from my summer and how to make a good choice of supervisor, a research domain, and how to organize it during a masters."
• "The program was well run and very encouraging in terms of pursuing a graduate degree at McGill!"
• "I enjoyed this experience very much, especially presenting our research. Everything was well organized, thank you for everything."
• "It was a great program and I hope that future students will still have the opportunity to experience it! "
• "It enriched my education at McGill unimaginably. "
• "Sure was a great experience. I am considering it again next year to explore a different field of Mechanical Engineering "