Find key information about our program as well as some tips and comments from students who completed an internship
***If your employer requests that McGill University provide or sign a document, this will only be possible if the internship is officially approved as part of the Science Internship Program.***
***Faculty offices cannot complete, sign, or review any Convention de stage documents or other external internship agreement documents. We can only provide McGill University's Déclaration relative à la participation d’un étudiant à une activité étudiante.***
Science Internship Program
Turn your classroom knowledge into valuable professional experience!
Would you like to "test drive" a job before you launch directly into a career? Would you like some help figuring out what it is you want to do after university? How about earning money to fund further education? You can do all of these with an internship!
Eligible students in the following programs can apply to register their internship with our Science Internship & Field Studies Office (IFSO):
- BSc students
- BA & Sc students
- BA students majoring in Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Psychology, Environment, or Software Engineering only
Science Internship Program Options
There are two types of programs within the broader Science Internship Program: The Industrial Practicum (IP) and the Internship Year in Science (IYS). Students can only register for the Industrial Practicum (IP) and Internship Year in Science (IYS) through our Science Internship & Field Studies Office (IFSO).
BSc students may also be eligible for the Internship Program designation to appear on their transcript if they meet the specific requirements outlined in the Internship Program designation – BSc students only section below.
Industrial Practicum (IP)
The Industrial Practicum (IP) is a zero credit, Pass/Fail course that is at least 12 weeks long (4 months/one semester). The FSCI 200 (Industrial Practicum I) and FSCI 300 (Industrial Practicum II) will be added to your transcript and will become part of your academic program.
BSc students, BA & Sc students, and BA students majoring in Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Psychology, Environment, or Software Engineering can participate in IPs.
Internship Year in Science (IYS) - BSc students only
The Internship Year in Science (IYS) is a program for BSc students only. It will be reflected on transcript as Internship Term-Science. IYS internships begin in September, January or May and last for 8, 12 or 16 months.
Internship Program designation - BSc students only
BSc students only are eligible to have the Internship Program designation on their transcript if they successfully complete either:
(1) Both the Industrial Practicum I (FSCI 200) and the Industrial Practicum II (FSCI 300), OR
(2) the Internship Year in Science (IYS) Program
Summary of Science Internship Program options
|
Student |
Industrial practicum (Ip) 4 months (1 term)
|
Internship year in science (IYS) 8/12/16 months (2/3/4 consecutive terms) |
Internship Program designation At least 2 Industrial Practicums or 1 Internship Year in Science |
|---|---|---|---|
|
BSC - CDN |
Fall / Winter / Summer |
Fall / Winter / Summer |
Yes |
|
BSc - INTL |
Summer only Co-op Work Permit required |
Fall / Winter / Summer Co-op Work Permit required |
Yes |
|
BA & Sc - CDN |
Fall / Winter / Summer |
NA |
NA |
|
BA & Sc - INTL |
Summer only Co-op Work Permit required |
NA |
NA |
|
BA* CDN |
Fall / Winter / Summer |
NA |
NA |
|
BA* INTL |
Summer only Co-op Work Permit required |
NA |
NA |
*BA students majoring in Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Psychology, Environment, or Software Engineering only*
Eligibility
Eligible students can register up to 4 eligible internships (16 months/4 semesters). IPs must be 4 months (12 weeks) long. IYS must be 8, 12 or 16 months long (16-month internships can only commence in May). For both programs, students may miss a maximum of 2 academic terms.
Am I eligible to register to the Science Internship Program?
If you wish to register to the Science Internship Program, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
-
Student status: Registered as a full-time undergraduate student (minimum 12 credits) at McGill in the academic term (Fall/Winter) before and after the IP or the IYS is complete. Returning to McGill full-time after the internship is a strict requirement.
-
CGPA: 2.70 or higher.
-
Minimum credits: Completed at least 27 credits at McGill and have at least 12 credits remaining in the degree program.
-
Student degree program:
- BSc students can participate in the Industrial Practicum (IP) or Internship Year in Science (IYS) and receive the Internship Program designation on-transcript if they complete at least two IPs OR one IYS.
- BA & Sc students can only register for IPs and cannot receive the Internship Program designation.
- BA students majoring in Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Psychology, Environment, or Software Engineering can only register for IPs and cannot receive the Internship Program designation.
Is my internship eligible?
Your internship must meet the following requirements:
-
Domain: In the industry only. 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.
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Relevance to studies: Related to your current studies (major and/or minor).
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Salary: Paid (full-time salary that meets the minimum wage of the country/province in which it takes place). No volunteering will be validated.
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Full-time: Minimum of 35 hours per week.
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Duration of internship: Minimum of 12 full weeks for the Industrial Practicum (IP), or a minimum of 8 months for the Internship Year in Science (IYS).
-
Internships abroad cannot be held in a country coded level 3 or 4 by the Government of Canada Travel Advice and Advisories.
Academic Status during Internships
The IP and IYS are zero credit. Once registered, you do not have a status indicated on your transcript (e.g., Full-Time, Part-Time).
On transcript, you will see the internship registration of Industrial Practicum I – FSCI 200, Industrial Practicum II – FSCI 300 or Internship Term-Science for the IYS.
Can I take courses part-time during my internship?
Students with a CGPA of 3.00 or higher can register for one course (maximum 4 credits) with approval from their employer. You should also speak with your Academic Advisor to ensure that you will remain full-time (minimum 12 credits) in the semester following your internship term.
Eligible students and their employer must complete the Course Approval Form. The completed form must be submitted to our Office before the start of the internship.
Will the IP or IYS interfere with my studies?
Doing an internship in the Summer term usually will not interfere with your academic program.
However, if you wish to participate in internships during the regular academic year (i.e., Fall and/or Winter), consult your academic advisor/program coordinator before accepting an internship to discuss the potential impact on your academic progress (e.g., delayed graduation, course availability).
Will the IP/IYS interfere with student services I can access or my funding?
Check with Student Accounts about the possibility of paying fees to receive services (e.g., SSMU, Athletics, etc.) and ensure that you have appropriate health insurance coverage.
If you are on government aid, it is possible that your internship will impact past or future amount of aid you could receive from the government. You may want to discuss the impacts your internship will have on your aid with the professional responsible for your aid at the Scholarship and Student Aid Office.
Registration Process
How do I register?
1. Check your eligibility, as outlined in the Eligibility section above.
2. Secure an internship. Make sure the internship meets our requirements before you sign the offer letter/contract, as outlined in the Eligibility section above. When applying to internships, students must:
- Provide accurate and appropriate information on their qualifications and interests when applying for positions.
- Honour the acceptance of the offer - after accepting an offer (verbally, by email, or contract), students will stop applying for internships and will not do any further interviews.
3. Complete the Science Internship Program Registration Form by clicking the button below. Log in with your McGill email address.
4. Provide proof of employment: Upload your signed, official letter of offer/contract in the registration form. The contract/offer letter must indicate the following information:
- Position title
- Tasks/responsibilities
- Start and end date
- Working hours
- Salary
5. Once your registration has been approved, our Office will send you a confirmation email.
If your internship takes place place OUTSIDE of the Greater Montreal Area...
You must create an entry in the McGill Student Travel Registry. Download the app on your personal Android or iOS device to register. Confirm once you have done so with our Office.
If your internship takes place ABROAD...
You must complete the McGill Student Travel Registry AND the Pre-Departure Orientation (the latter is required only if you are not a resident/citizen of the country in question). Send the certificate of completion to our Office email address.
You are responsible for ensuring you have the proper visa/immigration documentation to work in the country in question. Our Office cannot sign visa application documents.
International students
You must apply for a Coop Work Permit (CWP) to participate in internships in Canada. Contact our office as soon as you know that you want to complete an internship during your degree. Our Office will provide the letter you need for your CWP application.
For more information on how to apply for a CWP and a Social Insurance Number (SIN), please consult with International Student Services (ISS). ISS also provides a cheat sheet for students to determine their eligibility to work in Canada.
Registration Deadlines
You must meet the Science Internship Program registration deadlines. Complete applications to register must be submitted two weeks before the internship starts. Internships cannot be added or recognized retroactively.
|
Fall 2025 |
01 September 2025 |
|---|---|
|
Winter 2026 |
12 January 2026 |
|
Summer 2026 |
27 April 2026 |
Program Requirements
Once you are registered in the IP/IYS, you are not allowed to withdraw. You are responsible for completing all the program requirements and maintaining your eligibility once the internship has finished.
Students who do not meet the eligibility and program requirements will receive a failing mark and will not be allowed to register in the IP/IYS in the future. If applicable, the Internship Program designation will be removed as well.
Responsibilities on the job
It is expected that while on the job, students will:
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Be responsible and accountable.
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Respect safety, the environment, and the employer/employee relationship.
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Demonstrate ethical and professional judgment.
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Be punctual, resourceful, adaptable and productive.
We ask that students communicate areas of concern with their employer and with our Office.
Mandatory student report(s) and employer evaluation to submit
For both the IP and IYS, students must submit one Student Final Report Form, and the employer must submit one Employer Evaluation Form 2 weeks before the end of the internship at earliest and by the deadline listed per term in the table below at latest.
The Employer Evaluation must be satisfactory. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that both documents are submitted by the deadline, otherwise, they will receive a failing mark.
-
An 8-month IYS requires 1 mid-term report
-
A 12-month IYS requires 2 mid-term reports
-
A 16-month IYS requires 3 mid-term reports
|
Academic term |
Latest due date for student final report & employer evaluations (IP & IYS) and for mid-term reports (IYS only)
|
|---|---|
|
Summer |
15 August |
|
Fall |
13 December |
|
Winter |
20 April |
FAQs - Students
What is an internship and why should I do one?
An internship is a paid, full-time work term done during your McGill undergraduate degree in a field related to your studies. An internship allows you to take your classroom knowledge and apply it to hands-on, real-life situations. Integrating theory with practice will help sharpen your professional skills and prepare you for your career.
Making decisions about your career can be a difficult and often bewildering experience. By completing an internship, you will better understand what you like to do, solidify your career goals, and gain valuable experience in the process. It also gives you the opportunity to earn a healthy income!
Having an internship recognized on transcript can be useful for your future job search but also gives Canadian employers the option to get a tax credit for hiring you.
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. In addition, you can search for opportunities on placementspot.ca.
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.
What are the advantages of registering my internship?
Participation in an Industrial Practicum (IP) or in an Internship Year in Science (IYS) will be academically recognized on your transcript.
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).
For international students, it is essential to be enrolled in an internship program when participating in the IYS during regularly scheduled academic terms (Fall/Winter) to maintain their documented status as students.
Though Canadian students do not face the same issue, participating in an internship during a regularly scheduled academic term without being part of the Science Internship Program would mean having to withdraw from the university apply for readmission upon return.
Moreover, many employers in Canada specifically hire students whose internships 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.
My internship does not meet the requirements/I am not eligible but I have secured an internship - what can I do?
The Science internship programs were built to follow university and governmental regulations, and the program was accepted as such at different university levels. It is therefore not possible for us to make exceptions to the requirements for students eligibility.
If it is a summer internship and your employer does not require you to register the internship with us, you can participate in the internship like any other summer job. It is important to note, however, that your employer will not be eligible to receive the tax credit document.
International students are not allowed to work full-time during the academic year and are not allowed to do so outside of a recognized internship. If you are an international student, it is always best to check with ISS if you have any questions about your immigration status in Canada.
Canadian students might have to apply for readmission if they left the university to work and choose to come back to pursue their degree.
If you are a BA or BA & Sc student, you may want to inquire about the Arts Internship Program.
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 found out about the Science Internship Program after completing my internship. Can I still register?
Internships cannot be registered or recognized retroactively.
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.
Is there a law that protects interns?
As of the 24th of August 2022, interns are protected under Bill 14 in Quebec. You can find more information in the documents below:
Proof of Participation/Completion of Internship Program
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 with an electronic letter. Please send us an ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (email) and allow us a few days to process your request.
My employer is applying for the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) subsidy. Can your Office be the academic contact and sign the form?
Applications for the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) will only be signed and verified if the internship is registered with our office.
For this request to be completed, you must also provide confirmation of your expected graduation date from your academic advisor. Please make sure you provide all the requirements before sending your request and allow at least two weeks for processing.
FAQs - Employers
How do I recruit students?
If you are an employer who would like to:
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Post a job
-
Promote your organization on campus
-
Participate in career fairs
-
Organize a company presentation
The McGill Career Planning Service (CaPS) can help you. CaPS introduced its new online integrated career services system. Create your company profile or post a job/internship by visiting the MyFuture webpage.
The CaPS (McGill Career Planning Service) office
3600 McTavish, Suite 2200
William and Mary Brown Student Service Building
Montreal QC H3A 0G3
T.: 1-514-398-3304
F.: 1-514-398-1831
Email: careers.caps [at] mcgill.ca (CaPS)
For resources offered by other departments/faculties, please visit CaPS.
We are seeking a tax credit form for interns we hired. Does your Office provide this?
If the intern was registered in our Science Internship Program, we can sign the filled tax credit form that you will send us. Please retrieve the form, complete your sections, and ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (email) it to us so we can complete sections 4, 5, and columns 11 and 12 of the Renseignement sur les stagiares page.
We cannot sign any tax credit forms for students who did not register their internship with our Office.
Can your Office provide confirmation of a student's eligibility to the Science Internship Program?
In accordance with the Quebec Privacy Legislation, our Office is legally obliged to protect students' confidential information. As such, we may only provide assistance to parents or third parties in a limited context.
We are unable to share information pertaining to enrolment status, grades, class schedule, personal information (including address/phone number), or other confidential student information without explicit permission from the student to do so.
No personal information shall be disclosed by the University to a third party in a manner which permits the identification of the student or former student unless such disclosure is required by law, or unless the student or former student has waived expressly or by implication this protection afforded to them.
If a potential employer requires confirmation that a student is eligible for IP/IYS prior to being hired, the student should contact the Internship and Field Studies Office (IFSO) directly and request a formal letter of confirmation of eligibility to our program for a specific term.
Contact Information
ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca (Internship & Field Studies Office)
646B- 2001 McGill College
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1
By appointment only: ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca