What is a GRA?

The Globalink Research Award (GRA) program supports research collaborations between Canada and select partner organizations and eligible countries and regions through intern(s) international mobility.

Under the joint supervision of a home and host professor, successful senior undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows will receive a $6,000 research award per 12-to-24-week internship unit (IU) to conduct a research project in the host country. Awards are offered in partnership with Mitacs’ Canadian academic partners and are subject to available funding. Each IU is based on a project duration of 12 weeks, however, project durations of up to 24 weeks per IU are acceptable. Applicants are encouraged to seek support from other funding sources for longer durations and use prudence when allocating funds to travel and for accommodations. Both home and host supervisor must hold a faculty position at an eligible university.

 Program Overview

1. Applicants (intern(s), home and host supervisors) connect with one another to discuss project interests.
2. Academic supervisors at Canadian institutions obtain endorsement from the Canadian institution before preparing the application.
3. Applicants (intern(s), home and host supervisors) submit their application to Mitacs 12-16 weeks prior to the anticipated project start date for processing.
4. Within 12 weeks of submission, Mitacs will contact applicants about the outcome of the application. Travel must take place within a year from the date of the outcome.
5. The intern provides the completed Mitacs Code of Conduct and Ethics and International Pre-Departure forms within six (6) months prior to their travel date. The forms will be provided to the applicants when they are notified of results.
6. Mitacs forwards the GRA funds to the Canadian institution, and they are administered as a research grant in the Canadian supervisor’s name.
7. The intern departs to the destination and begins the research project.
8. Upon project completion, all participants (student or postdoctoral fellow, home and host supervisors) submit an exit survey to Mitacs.

GRA Streams

1. Allocation Stream
   BU has an award allocation to support a predetermined number of IUs per fiscal year. This allocation is communicated in April of each year. An IU is 12-24 weeks, and one intern may apply for up to two (2) IUs. The GRA program supports research and travel between Canada and most countries and regions. Outbound mobility is possible between Canada and all countries except those classified as “Avoid all travel” or “Avoid non-essential travel” by the Government of Canada. For inbound mobility, all countries are eligible except for Russia and North Korea.
2. Quantum Technologies Initiative Stream – Projects Involving Quantum Technology
   Research proposals submitted through the Quantum Stream focus on research using quantum technology that applies the principles of quantum mechanics (Quantum Science) — primarily quantum entanglement, superposition, or tunneling – to build new technologies whose performance depends on one or multiple quantum principles. There is no allocation limit on Quantum Stream IUs.

Eligibility

Interns

• Must be registered as full-time senior undergraduate students, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows at an eligible Canadian institution or eligible international institution and remain as such throughout their Globalink Research Award.
• Postdoctoral fellows may apply if their date of graduation from a PhD program is no more than five years prior to the proposed start date of the research project and they have postdoctoral status at an eligible institution.
• Cannot undertake a research project at an institution where they have previously completed a degree.
• Cannot undertake a research project in a country where they hold citizenship.
• Permanent residents or citizens of Canada who are enrolled in an eligible country other than Canada and who wish to do a project in Canada are eligible to apply.
• Permanent residents or citizens of Canada who are enrolled in a Canadian institution and who hold citizenship in an eligible country may apply to do a project there.
• Must be the legal age of majority in Canada (18 years of age or older).
• Must meet travel requirements for their intended destination, including visa and/or immigration requirements and associated documentation.
• Cannot hold more than two Globalink Research Awards or Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Summer Program Awards per academic lifetime.

Supervisors

• Must hold a faculty position at an eligible university.
• Must be eligible to supervise graduate students.
• Supervisors at Canadian institutions must be eligible to hold Tri-Agency funding.

Funding

The GRA is a $6,000 award that is fully provided by Mitacs as of the 2025-2026 competition year.

Each intern will receive $6,000 per internship unit (IU):

• $6,000 research award to conduct one 12- to 24-week research project in the other country. This is one internship unit (IU).
• $12,000 research award to conduct one 24- to 48-week research project or two 12- to 24-week research projects in the other country. This is two internship units (IUs).

How to Apply

Brandon University invites proposals that align with the University’s Strategic Research Plan themes. This award facilitates the collaboration between BU and international partners by enabling students and postdoctoral fellows to travel between institutions. Projects that show promise in establishing long-term and multifaceted research collaborations, and that demonstrate alignment with one or more of the BU Strategic Research Plan themes will receive priority consideration. The Strategic Research Plan themes include:

• Rural, Indigenous, and Community Connected Engagement
• Social Justice, Cultures, and Identities
• Health and Wellness
• Biotechnology, Genomics, and Life Sciences
• Climate, Environment, and Natural Resources
• Fundamental and Theoretical Research
• Creativity, Ideas, and Imagination

Application Process

Step 1: BU supervisor to submit a letter of intent (LOI) to apply to the Office of Research Services for pre-approval (email to herrj@brandonu.ca). Please use the Brandon University Mitacs GRA LOI form.

The Allocation Stream LOI submission deadline for all applications within the April 1, 2025 – March 31 2026 competition year is June 13, 2025.

Quantum Stream Deadline: Ongoing submissions are accepted at least 20 weeks prior to the anticipated project start date.

All Streams:

• Multiple proposals can be submitted by the same supervisor
• One proposal is required for each project
• Each project can include one or multiple interns
• Proposal should specify number of inbound and/or outbound interns and international collaborators
• Up to two IUs per intern may be awarded, subject to annual allocation and availability.

Step 2: Internal review for pre-approval – Allocation stream only

BU is provided with an annual allocation of IUs (Quantum Stream excluded). If LOIs for more than the annual allocation of IUs are submitted, they will be reviewed by the Senate Research Committee, and the top-ranked projects will be pre-approved for submission to Mitacs. The Committee will assess proposed projects based on the following criteria:

• Quality of the proposed research
• Level of supervision and mentorship committed by the host supervisor
• Benefits to the intern, industry/society, and Canada
• Alignment with BU’s Strategic Research Plan themes

If the number of LOIs received is less than the IU annual allocation, the LOIs will be reviewed and assessed for pre-approval within the Office of Research Services. Should IUs remain unallocated following the internal deadline, submissions will be re-opened and allocated in the order in which they are received until all allocations are filled, i.e., on a first come, first served basis.

Once an LOI is approved, BU will communicate the results to the applicants (intern(s) and supervisor) and will notify the local Mitacs Advisor that pre-approval has been granted. The Mitacs Advisor will provide further instructions to the applicants regarding the online submission process for the full application.

Step 3: Mitacs submission

The Mitacs Advisor will assist the applicants in creating a new online application. The international academic supervisor and the intern(s) must be added to the application as participants.

Submission through the Mitacs online application portal must take place at least 16 weeks prior to the anticipated project start date.

Final applications require institutional approval prior to submission to Mitacs. Before all applicants have signed off on the application, the BU supervisor will use the “Create ORS Approval Document” function to prepare a PDF, and send a copy to the Research Officer, Julia Herr, at herrj@brandonu.ca, along with a BU External Research Application Cover Sheet, signed by the BU supervisor and their Dean. The application will be reviewed, and if no changes are required, it will be returned to the supervisor for participant sign-off.

Once participant sign-off is complete, the fully signed version of the application, as well as the Mitacs institutional signature page should be sent to Julia Herr for final authorization. The signed document will be returned to BU Supervisor once approved and must be uploaded to the portal in order to submit.

Step 4: Mitacs results 

Mitacs will notify interns(s), supervisors, and BU about the outcome of the application. Application review may take up to 12 weeks.

 Step 5: Start of project

Interns cannot travel until Mitacs has issued both an outcome and award letter.

Please note that exact dates of the project may be affected by visa processing timelines. Travel must take place within a year from the date of the outcome.

For more information, please contact Julia Herr, Research Officer, in the Office of Research Services via email: herrj@brandonu.ca.

Revised: May 2025