Enriched Educational Opportunities (EEOs) are high-quality off-campus mobility or other experiential opportunities, and are officially recognized by your Faculty. They foster self-development and help students transition successfully to the workplace or graduate studies. The EEO program is open to all students.
The EEO Bursaries Program is administered by the Scholarships & Student Aid Office as non-repayable forms of financial assistance based on demonstrated financial need. The Faculty has partnered with this program to ensure Science students have equal access to fully participate in these opportunities regardless of their financial capacity.
The Faculty of Science will determine which opportunities shall be eligible and will provide you with a supporting document (such as a transcript entry or letter) to prove their recognition. It generally involves a vetting/selection process, academic oversight, clear learning outcomes and objectives.
Eligible EEOs may include:
- Field Study Courses and Semesters
- Unpaid Internships and Research Experiences (excludes McGill on-campus or in affiliated hospitals and research institutes)
- Research Abroad
The EEO activity must be approved by the Faculty prior to your departure. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Steps for students
- Prepare the following documents:
- A description of the EEO activity: Send this to the professor whom you would like to endorse your EEO activity. Note that the professor must have sufficient understanding of the area of study to deem the opportunity relevant to your degree program. They will also be responsible for attesting to the activity's successful completion, so you must discuss what constitutes proof of successful completion with the professor (for instance, a report or evaluation from the EEO activity supervisor/mentor that the professor then reviews).
- The Science EEO Approval Form (download here): You must complete and sign this document before sending it to the professor to sign their section.
- Your entry in the McGill Travel Registry: This item is mandatory if your activity takes place outside of the Greater Montreal Area.
- List the Science Field Studies & Internship Office (FSIO) as the “Application Reviewer”
- List ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca as the “Application Reviewer Email Address”
- List the details of the organization you will work for under the “Host Institution” information.
- The Pre-Departure Orientation Certificate of Completion: This item is mandatory if your activity takes place in a country outside of Canada that is not your country of residence.
- Registration for the Pre-Departure Orientation only opens in the first week of each month.
- The Certificate of Completion must be completed before the end of the month or it will disappear (see the specific dates on the webpage).
- Email the following items to the Field Studies and Internship Office (FSIO) (ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca):
- The completed and signed Science EEO Approval Form,
- (If required) Screenshots of your McGill Travel Registry entry (the images must show the details of your specific visit for the internship),
- (If required) Pre-Departure Orientation Certificate of Completion (in PDF format).
- Refer to the Scholarships & Student Aid Office (SSAO) website for the steps on how to apply to the EEO Bursaries. Make sure to bring the Science EEO Internship Approval Form with you when you visit SSAO.
Important note on document requests
Due to Quebec's laws concerning universities' responsibilities to their students, the Faculty cannot sign external documents. Our capacity to provide customized letters attesting to students' status or academic status is also extremely limited and reserved solely for highly exceptional circumstances. Thus, if your host institution requires us to sign their documents, we cannot do so.
In addition, we do not assist with the immigration process within or outside of Canada. As such, it is your responsibility to obtain the required documentation for visas or other immigration items.
After completing the EEO
- Submit the proof of completion of your EEO activity to the professor supporting you in your department for validation.
- Remind your professor to send an email to the Field Studies and Internship Office (FSIO) to confirm the successful completion of your EEO activity. Once our office receives confirmation from your department that your EEO activity was successfully completed, the EEO activity will be added to your Student Experience Record (SER).
Steps for the professor
- The professor will review the description of the student’s EEO activity and decide if it is related to their studies and worth adding to the co-curricular record.
- Once the professor agrees to endorse the EEO activity, they will sign the Science EEO Internship Approval Form.
- Once the student successfully completes the EEO activity, the professor will review the proof of completion provided by the EEO activity supervisor/mentor.
- If the activity was successful, the professor will send an email to IFSO: ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca to confirm the successful completion of the EEO activity.