I-CUREUS

The Internship-Carleton University Research Experience for Undergraduate Students (I-CUREUS) provides a meaningful way to engage undergraduate students in discipline-specific research projects. I-CUREUS gives students the chance to gain hands-on experience and contribute to ongoing work in their field, building research skills and enhancing their resume along the way.

New for Summer 2026

For the summer 2026 call, we will be able to fund approximately 50 I-CUREUS projects.

To encourage and support undergraduate research opportunities in FASS, FPGA and Sprott, TLS will fully fund I-CUREUS projects for faculty members who do not have research funding. Normally funding for an I-CUREUS project is split between TLS and the faculty supervisor. This requirement has meant that FASS, FPGA and Sprott undergraduate research opportunities have been fewer compared to colleagues in FED and the Faculty of Science.

Funding for successful applications from FED and the Faculty of Science this summer will remain split between TLS and the faculty supervisor.

1. Eligibility

2. Protocol and Procedures

3. Funding

4. Application and Selection Criteria

5. Completing an I-CUREUS Project and Sharing Your Work

6. Ready to Apply?

Eligibility

Please read through the eligibility criteria closely. I-CUREUS is not available to contract instructors.

Faculty supervisors:

Must belong to an academic unit at Carleton
May supervise no more than two I-CUREUS projects in an academic year

Student interns must:

Be undergraduate students enrolled in a Carleton degree program (part-time or full time)
Be in good academic standing upon application, and throughout the project
Not be graduating during the term of their I-CUREUS project
Not be participating in SaPP concurrently with their I-CUREUS project (students may only be awarded one of either SaPP or I-CUREUS in a single term)
Not be registered for a co-op work term during the term of their internship

Protocol and Procedures

If you are a student interested in participating in I-CUREUS, speak with your professors to discuss your interest, or ask your departmental administrator, chair or dean for further information. You can also browse departmental or faculty websites to find out what research faculty members are working on and contact one you’d be interested in working with.
- The Future Learning Lab cannot match students to faculty supervisors.
If you are a faculty member interested in participating in I-CUREUS, identify an undergraduate student who you think you could collaborate with. This could be a student who has successfully completed a course you’ve taught, a student you’ve worked with before or a student who has expressed interest in collaborating with you.
- The Future Learning Lab does not vet or select students – this is the sole responsibility of the faculty supervisors.
Once a student and faculty supervisor have agreed to work together, the supervisor should discuss expectations and project scope with the student. Responsibilities, goals and communication methods should be established by both the student and supervisor.
When both have a clear understanding of the project, they should collaboratively complete the online application form.
Approved projects will not be extended into subsequent terms – work must be completed within the time frame specified on the application.
Student interns whose projects are approved must complete a FUSION skill module of their choosing, and must submit a capstone poster through Brightspace that summarizes their I-CUREUS experience and project outcomes.
- After their applications are approved, student interns will be added to a SaPP and I-CUREUS Brightspace course, where they will access FUSION. Details about payment, project timing and capstones are shared with students through the Brightspace course.
- Students are responsible for submitting their capstone through the Brightspace Dropbox.

Funding

For the summer 2026 call, Teaching and Learning Services will fully fund successful applications from FASS, FPGA and Sprott if the faculty member does not have research funding. Funding for successful applications from FED and the Faculty of Science will be split between Teaching and Learning Services and the faculty supervisor for up to 150 hours of work at minimum wage. Faculty supervisors must ensure availability of appropriate funds to cover their portion of student wages. Administration of payment to the intern will be completed by the Future Learning Lab and Research Accounting.

At the time of application, supervisors will need to identify start date, end date, total hours and approximate hours per week, and the research fund from which their portion of the wages should be drawn. The work must be completed within the term defined on the application.

Supervisors must notify the Future Learning Lab of any changes to hours.

I-CUREUS students will be paid biweekly by the Future Learning Lab and Research Accounting. Students’ initial payments may be delayed and subject to payroll deadlines.

Students are responsible for ensuring their information is up to date in Human Resources and Payroll.

Application and Selection Criteria

Applications will be made available before the beginning of each term for which funding is available. Faculty supervisors should complete the online application form with their student intern when possible. Only one application form per project is required. Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

The strength of the working relationship between the supervisor and intern:
- How will the student be supported in their research?
- Has a work plan/strategy been discussed? What will indicate success in the proposed project?
The scope and appropriateness of the proposed research project:
- Is the subject of this research relevant to the student’s goals?
- Can the proposed project be completed in the proposed timeline?
- What is the intern’s role in the research?
The opportunities for learning:
- Is this a meaningful learning opportunity?
- What methodologies and activities will the student employ?
- What new skills or competencies will be developed?
- Will the student intern have additional opportunities from this research?
Potential output:
- Is the proposed project detailed enough to be translated into a capstone?
- Will the student intern feel some ownership of their contributions to this work?

Space in the program is limited – applications are not guaranteed to be accepted. Do not begin work on a project that has not yet been approved.

When the number of applications submitted exceeds the number of available spaces in the program, the proposal will be evaluated based on whether the project is in the scope of I-CUREUS, whether the student has participated in I-CUREUS previously, the merits of the four above criteria, whether there is balance across faculties and whether the supervisor has participated in I-CUREUS in the past.

To complete an I-CUREUS internship, students are required to produce a capstone poster that showcases the work completed through their participation in the program. This must be submitted by the end of the term in which the project took place.

I-CUREUS participants will be invited to present their capstone posters at the annual I-CUREUS and Students as Partners Program Showcase, which generally takes place at the beginning of April. Participation in the showcase is entirely optional.

Ready to Apply?

Fill out the online application form here. Please reach out to icureus@carleton.ca with any questions.