Science Internship Program

Am I eligible to do an internship?

• You must be registered as a full-time undergraduate student (min. 12 cr) before and after the IP or the IYS is completed. For instance, if you would like to register for an internship in Winter 2023, you must be full-time in Fall 2022 before the internship starts, and full-time in Fall 2023 after completing the internship;
• You must have completed at least 27 credits at McGill and have at least 12 credits remaining in your degree program;
• Your CGPA must be 2.70 or higher;
• It is possible to register for one course during the internship if you have a CGPA of 3.00+ (with a maximum of 4 credits). You and your employer will be required to complete our Course Approval Form. You are also advised to speak with your Academic Advisor to discuss your program curriculum to make sure that you will remain full-time after the completion of the internship.

Is my internship eligible?

• Your internship opportunity must be in the industry. Work in a university lab or with a professor doing research is not eligible. If the latter is the case, please visit the Undergraduate Research website for information.
• Your internship must be paid (full-time salary); no volunteering will be validated.
• You must be hired as full-time (minimum of 32 hours per week) and for a minimum of 12 full weeks for the Industrial Practicum (IP), or a minimum of 8 months for the Internship Year in Science (IYS).
• This internship opportunity must be related to your current studies (major and/or minor).

As an ARTS/BA & Sc student - am I eligible?

BA students majoring in Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Psychology, Environment, or Software Engineering, as well as BA & Sc students can apply to register for the Industrial Practicum (IP) only. Eligible students can complete up to four IPs but will not have the Internship Program Designation on their transcript after completing the internships.

If you are unsure about your eligibility or have questions about the internship requirements, please do not hesitate to ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (email )us your inquiries or to book an appointment to speak with us.

The IP and IYS are zero credit. When you are registered, you do not have a status indicated on your transcript (e.g., Full-Time, Part-Time). You will see the internship registration of FSCI 200/300 Industrial Practicum I/II or Internship Term-Science for the IYS. As a result, certain fees will not be charged. You can check with Student Accounts about the possibility to pay fees to receive services (e.g., SSMU, Athletics, IHI, etc.) and more importantly, ensure that you have insurance coverage. If you obtained approval from your employer and have decided to take a credit course (maximum 4 credits), your status will appear as Part-Time. For international students, we will provide a letter confirming your internship registration should you need it to renew your immigration documents.

Can I be a full-time student while doing an internship?

Students with a CGPA of 3.00 or higher can register for one course (4 credits maximum) but will have to obtain approval from their employer. Eligible students can complete and submit the  Course Approval Form

Will the IP or IYS interfere with my studies?

It is ideal to do an internship in the Summer term so that it wouldn’t interfere with your studies, however, this is a personal choice. If you choose to do an internship that is 8 months long or during the Fall or Winter terms, we suggest you consult with your academic advisor/program coordinator to ensure that the internship will not have a negative impact on your academic status (e.g., delay your graduation, course availability).

How many times can I register my internship?

Eligible students can register up to 4 internships (16 months/4 semesters).

Can I register after my first year of studies?

You can apply to register after you have completed at least 27 credits at McGill. All grades must reflect on your transcript as we need to see your current CGPA.

I only found out about the Internship Program but already completed an internship. Can I still register?

Internships cannot be registered or recognized retroactively.

How do I find an internship?

Many internship opportunities are posted on McGill's Career Planning Service's (CaPS) website; you must apply as instructed on the job posting. CaPS has compiled a list of online job listing sites. Employers who post on these sites are actively looking to fill positions and you may find an opportunity that seems just right for you. You can apply through CaPS's myFuture portal or other job sites such as Linkedin and Indeed. We recommend you meet with a career advisor at CaPS should you need more help in your job search. We also encourage you to attend career-related workshops and consult how-to guides (e.g., CV writing, cover letter writing, interview techniques, cold calling). If you're interested in working in the Engineering, Computer Science and Physical Sciences fields, check out Engineering Career Centre's McGill Tech Fair. The Internship Offices Network (ION) also has a list of available internships.

What are the advantages of registering my internship?

Participation in an Industrial Practicum (IP) or in an Internship Year in Science (IYS) will be noted on your transcript. Moreover, many employers in Quebec specifically hire students whose internship can be registered with McGill for tax credit purposes. We will not sign tax credit documents for internships that were not registered with our Office. For B.Sc. students only - if you complete two IPs or an IYS, the program name on your transcript will change to include the Internship Program designation (e.g. Bachelor of Science - Biology - Internship Program).

I need a Convention de Stage for my internship abroad-can your office sign it?

The Déclaration relative à la participation d’un étudiant à une activité étudiante (Déclaration) has replaced the Convention de Stage and was created to assist students who want to do an internship abroad. Our Office only recognizes the Déclaration. No other form will be accepted and no modifications will be made to the Déclaration. Please refer to the Interning Abroad page for more details.

My internship does not meet the requirements/I am not eligible but I have secured an internship-what can I do?

If it is a summer internship and your employer does not require you to register the internship with us, you should be able to take on the internship like any other summer job. It is important to note however, that your employer will not be eligible to the tax credit document.

• If you are an international student, it is always best to check with ISS if you have any questions about your immigration status.
• If you are a BA or BA & Sc student, you may want to consider inquiring about the Arts Internship Program.

I am an employer. How do I recruit students?

Thank you for your interest in hiring McGill students. Please visit the Employer Resource page for more information.

Is there a law that protects interns?

Yes, as of summer 2022, interns will be protected by their own law. You can find more information in the documents below: 
Law protecting interns Law protecting interns (English)
bill_14_-_protection_of_trainees_in_the_workplace.pdf

Proof of Participation (Confirmation Letter)

Should you need confirmation of your current participation or successful completion of the IP or IYS for your immigration document renewal or for your graduate school application, our Office can provide you an electronic copy of this letter. Please send us an ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (email) and allow us a few days to process your request.

I need to have some application forms signed by the University. Can IFSO do it?

The only official document we can sign for students interning abroad is the Déclaration relative à la participation d'un étudiant à une activité étudiante. The Déclaration cannot be modified. Application for the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) can be signed only if your internship is registered with us.

My employer is applying for the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) subsidy. Can IFSO be the academic contact and sign the form?

Application for the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) will only be signed and verified if the internship is registered with us (please see above the requirements to apply). For this request to be completed, you must also provide confirmation from your academic advisor of your expected graduation date.  Please make sure you provide all the requirements before sending your request, allow at least two weeks for processing.