When partnering with Carleton University, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with our award-winning researchers, gain access to our leading-edge research facilities, and explore the public sources of funding that can complement your Industry-funding contributions.
Applying for a MITACS program can be a particularly effective way to leverage your partner contributions.
Mitacs powers research & development creation by connecting private sector with the best post-secondary institutions to solve organizational challenges — in Canada and internationally. For 20 years, Mitacs has funded cutting-edge research, created job opportunities for graduate students and helped companies reach their goals, achieving results that have bolstered the Canadian economy and impact.
Mitacs Accelerate links students and postdocs with industry partners through mutually beneficial, paid internships
Timeline: 4–6 months per internship
Standard Mitacs eligibility rules apply; a minimum of 50% of interns need to be named on the proposal
Minimum funds available: starting at $10,000 per internship unit or $15,000 per unit for student interns (with $10,000 for the intern’s stipend + $5,000 for research expenses). Postdocs may receive $20k per IU ($60k per year) via the postdoctoral funding model in the accelerate program.
Minimum leverage required: 1:1
Approximate review time: 6-8 weeks
Benefits
Apply your skills in a non-academic environment
Broaden your professional network
Get a stipend/salary starting at $10,000 per four-month period
Mitacs Elevate is a postdoctoral fellowship with industry partners. As of March 31, 2025, Elevate will be closed.
Going forward, the current Elevate program will be replaced with a $20k per IU ($60k per year) postdoctoral funding model within the current Mitacs Accelerate program (see Accelerate information above).
For questions about changes to the Elevate Program or to submit an Accelerate application instead, please contact Taruneet Kaur (Mitacs, Business Development Officer). All proposals must be sent to Taruneet Kaur for proposal development and coordination of signatures.
Applicants seeking support from both an Alliance grant and Mitacs Accelerate can apply through a streamlined joint submission and review process. This joint funding opportunity allows applicants to leverage cash contributions from partners for funding from both NSERC and Mitacs.
Minimum leverage required: 2:1 NSERC leveraging + 1:1 Mitacs leveraging (e.g., An individual proposal might request $60,000 through NSERC Alliance Advantage + $30,000 from MITACS Accelerate, with a corresponding $30,000 cash contribution from the partner)
Approximate review time: the review time varies based on the size of the application
Eligibility:
Canadian university researchers eligible to receive NSERC funds can apply independently or as a team with co-applicants who are also eligible academic researchers. Applicants must meet both NSERC’s and Mitacs’ eligibility criteria when the application is submitted and when funding is released.
As in all Mitacs internships, a cash contribution from an eligible partner is required. Applicants must have at least one partner organization (in the private, public or not-for-profit sector) whose cash contributions will be recognized for cost-sharing (see Alliance grants: Role of partner organizations), but other partner organizations who play an important role in the research project may be included in the application, whether or not their cash contributions are recognized for cost-sharing.
To take advantage of this opportunity, applicants must complete an Alliance application and request additional support through Mitacs Accelerate internships as a component of the training of highly qualified personnel (HQP). Mitacs internships cannot be the only mechanism for HQP training in the application; HQP should also be supported by NSERC funds.
How to apply:
To apply to the NSERC Alliance Advantage-Mitacs Accelerate program, you must make a joint submission through NSERC’s online system. Before starting your application, you must first contact your local Mitacs business development representative to obtain the Mitacs supplemental application form. Additionally, you must complete the Alliance Advantage application forms, including the Alliance Advantage proposal template following the instructions for completing an Alliance grants application. Submit the completed proposal template and supporting documents, including the personal data form with CCV attachment for the applicant and all co-applicants, and the Mitacs supplemental application form, through NSERC’s online system. For this program, you are required to complete a partner contributions form that indicates Mitacs as a joint call funding partner. Note that Mitacs should be invited to confirm its support of the application using the contributions form. Please contact a Mitacs business development representative for further guidance on how to complete this form. Please see the NSERC page for more information.
These programs offer funding for short-term research visits and/or the initiation of collaborative research projects with many different countries. Some programs are ongoing, while others only accept applications at certain times of the year. Review the list here.
Mitacs provides funding for senior undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral fellows, to conduct short-term (12-24 weeks) research visits at or from institutions in eligible countries or through Mitacs partners.
The Mitacs – Horizon Europe IMA is designed to support Canadian faculty and eligible small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the early stages of consortium-building and proposal development under Horizon Europe Pillar II. This offering will provide short-term funding to facilitate travel and in-person engagement with European collaborators – addressing a well-recognized barrier to meaningful participation in one of the globe’s largest research funding frameworks.
Sylvie Jasen
International Projects Coordinator
Carleton International
Email: mobility.programs@carleton.ca
