Experience Your Education
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Office Location and Email
Undergraduate Science Office
Science B149
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1N4
Email us at science.internship@ucalgary.ca
Why participate in the Science Internship Program?
- Paid work experience in a professional environment
- Expand your network and explore potential career options
- Develop technical and professional skills to be competitive in today’s job market
- Connect academic knowledge with practical experience
- Receive the Science Internship Designation on your transcript and parchment
- Maintain your full-time student status while on Internship
Application and Admission Information
The application for the Science Internship Program is available through Elevate. There are two application cycles each year**, with deadlines February 1 and October 1. The application typically opens one month in advance
To be eligible for admission, students must have:
- 60 units of coursework completed prior to or in progress of being completed during the semester of application
- a minimum 18 degree-required units remaining prior to the semester of application*
- GPA of 2.0, calculated on the most recent 30 units of coursework completed by the application deadline
- a basic resume and cover letter – these should be basic starting points that we will help you build from and improve your current documents. See Elevate for instructional videos.
* Please email science.internship@ucalgary.ca if you have questions regarding your specific circumstances.
** We do accept off-cycle admissions, please email us if you have missed the deadlines.
Path to Becoming an Internship Student
Step 1: Attend an information session (optional)
- Get further details on how to apply and what internship involves. Information sessions will be listed on Elevate under Faculty of Science, Science Events.
Step 2: Ensure you meet the admission requirements
Step 3: Submit your application in Elevate under Faculty of Science, Science Internship Program
Step 4: Receive formal admission
- This usually occurs in November and March. Admission updates are communicated via UCalgary email.
Step 5: Attend mandatory orientation
- Orientation information will be communicated via UCalgary email upon admission. International students will receive a letter to support their application for their Co-op Work Permit after attending orientation.
Not currently. The Science Internship Program requires a student to complete 8-16 consecutive months of work experience in addition to your academic requirements. Since it does not currently fulfill any existing course requirements, completing an internship will typically add 8-16 months to a student’s degree program.
Schedule an appointment with a Program Advisor in the Undergraduate Science Centre to discuss how to fit the Science Internship Program into your degree and how it may affect your course progression. Meet with a Program Advisor.
Being enrolled in the Science Internship Program allows you to apply your knowledge and skills, gain a competitive edge through real industry experience, develop your networks, discover career options, and earn a full-time salary. The Science Internship Program will be reflected on your transcript and parchment as the Science Internship Designation. For every four-month work term, a student will be enrolled in an INTE course which allows the student to be recognized by the university as a full-time student, even though they are not taking any academic courses. Being recognized as a full-time student allows student rates to be applied to UPass, student loans, housing etc.
Students admitted to the Science Internship Program are required to pay a $50 admission fee. Course fees are assessed for each course at the time the INTE course is registered. The cost of a four-month work term is available in the fees schedule in the University of Calgary Calendar.
A resume and cover letter are the basic tools you need to apply for jobs. For the Science Internship Program application, we require you write a basic resume and cover letter, targeted to the Science Internship Program. Career Services offers a wealth of online and in person resources for creating both a resume and cover letter. Once you are admitted to the Science Internship Program, you will also have access to exclusive workshops including how to improve your resume and cover letter, interview skills and networking. A good place to start for now are the career clips created by the Centre for Career and Personal Development.
Do I have to wait for the next admission cycle?
If you have secured a position and meet the Science Internship Program admission criteria, please connect with us at science.internship@ucalgary.ca to discuss next steps.
Next Steps After Admission
You are required to attend mandatory orientation to confirm your acceptance to the Science Internship Program. Information is sent directly to your UCalgary email; please monitor your email frequently.
The Science Internship team is here to support your job search. Access resources available to you including:
- Elevate Science Internship Job Postings - An exclusive job board available to students in the program
- Science Internship Preparation D2L - Career Development resources for resumes, cover letters, interviews, networking, LinkedIn
- Science Internship Workshops and Events
- One-on-one Advising - booked appointments and drop-in hours
Many students start their search on the Science Internship job board in Elevate, but there are other options to consider when securing a job that fits your goals and meets the requirements for internship. Think about what positions, companies, and industries interest you, and your future career goals.
The position can be degree related, but it is not necessary for Science Internship. Look for a position that interests you or a position that is a steppingstone or building block for your intended career path, and positions that will set you up for your future career aspirations.
Yes, the Science Internship job board is just one resource. A job must meet the following criteria to count towards internship:
- Full time hours
- Paid, at least minimum wage
- Minimum 12 weeks long up to 16 months, aligns with academic terms
- Supervised, high quality learning opportunity
Positions secured outside the Science Internship Job Postings on Elevate must be approved by the Science Internship team. Any questions regarding roles can be directed to science.internship@ucalgary.ca
Minimum 8 consecutive months of full-time work is required.
If you secure a 4-month position, you can explore an extension with your employer for an additional 4, 8 or 12 months, or you can secure a different position with another employer for 4, 8 or 12 months to satisfy the requirement of minimum 8 consecutive months. Work terms are consecutive. Please connect with Science Internship if you have questions regarding your specific circumstances.
Works terms align with the academic semesters and start in January (Winter), May (Summer), or September (Fall).
Internship opportunities are available locally in Calgary, within Alberta, Canada, and internationally. Please note students interested in working internationally must have work authorization in that country, and the Science Internship team does not assist with that process.
Opportunities are posted on an ongoing basis to Elevate. Employers may post at any time, right up to the start of the work term. Many employers begin posting the term prior, sometimes even 6-7 months in advance. Start your job search early and check Elevate and other job boards frequently, as there are new postings daily. In some cases, postings might only be available for a few days.
Research opportunities can count towards internship if they meet the requirements for Science Internship (see above), however if you are already using the research experience towards an academic course, the experience cannot count for internship.
It is your responsibility to search for and secure an opportunity. Students have a full year from being admitted to the Science Internship Program to secure a position, provided they remain academically eligible. To participate in an internship, students must have at least 9 required units remaining in their degree. Any students who do not secure an internship within this timeline will be removed from the Science Internship Program.
Students must return from their work terms on an academic term. To participate in a work term, students must have at least 9 required units remaining in their degree.
International students will receive a letter to support their application for their Co-op Work Permit after attending the required orientation workshop after admission. Please connect with International Student Services at the University of Calgary for any questions regarding permits or the application process, as they have certified consultants legally able to advise on study permits, work permits, visas, electronic travel authorizations, work regulations, and Government policies related to international students.
Next Steps After Receiving a Job Offer
1. Submit your offer to Science Internship
Once you secure a position, email your offer letter/contract to science.internship@ucalgary.ca. Once the details of your internship have been reviewed, your next steps prior to starting work will be to:
- Complete the Transition to the Workplace requirement (details will be provided)
- Drop your academic courses for the term
- Get registered - the Science Internship team will register you in your INTE course
- Review INTE course requirements, access the INTE course in D2L once you are registered and the course is active
2. Start work
3. Complete your work terms
Submit all INTE course requirements on time and to the best of your ability. Complete at least two consecutive (back-to-back) work terms to earn the Science Internship Designation.
No, once you have secured an internship and submitted your offer letter/contract, the Science Internship team will register you in the INTE course. You cannot self-register or self-remove from the INTE 505 courses.
INTE 505.01 – Science Internship Work Term 1
INTE 505.02 – Science Internship Work Term 2
INTE 505.03 – Science Internship Work Term 3
INTE 505.04 – Science Internship Work Term 4
Requirements and deadlines will be indicated in the course outline in the D2L shell. For INTE 505.01 and INTE 505.02, the requirements are as follows:
- Work Term Requirements: Learning Objectives, Feedback Surveys – Self and Employer
- Academic Requirements: D2L Micro-assignments, Work Term Report
The Science Internship team is here to support your success while on internship. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns throughout your internship. Any work-related questions should be first directed to science.internship@ucalgary.ca
For questions regarding INTE Academic Requirements, please connect with the Instructor of Record (see the D2L course). For questions regarding the Work Term Requirements outlined above, please connect with Science Internship.