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Faculty of Graduate Studies

Application guidelines

Program information

  • duration: May 1 to August 15, 2024
  • project Hours: 250 hours, part-time work
  • compensation: UVic Research Assistant rate

Program eligibility

To participate, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • current UVic graduate student
  • in good academic standing
  • graduating after August 15, 2024
  • confirm work hours align with graduate funding guidelines
  • have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN)
  • valid student visa/work permit for international students
  • physically located in BC throughout the program
  • available during standard business hours

Student commitment

 Successful candidates commit to:

  • attending an April program orientation
  • completing specified project hours
  • developing a Project Plan with the mentor
  • fulfilling deliverables by the project end date
  • participating in mandatory workshops and the end-of-program event(s)
  • completing an exit survey

An orientation package with further details is provided upon hiring.

Application process

 Once you click on the ‘Apply here’ the application form will ask you for the following details:

  1. Contact details, preferred pronoun, program of study and eligibility.
  2. Upload one PDF file per project with a cover letter, resume, and references.
    • file format: Project number-First name-Last name.pdf
    • cover letter: clearly state your interest and alignment with the project
    • resume: keep it under three pages
    • references: include one academic and one professional contact
  3. Apply for up to three projects.
  4. Optionally, if you wish to be considered for other projects in case you are not shortlisted for your top three choices, identify up to three additional projects that you feel you are qualified for (no documents needed for these). 

Frequently asked question

Yes, international students are encouraged to apply. However, international students are responsible for ensuring all work permits and authorizations are in place prior to accepting any positions. Contact the International Centre for Students (International Centre for Students) to consult an International Student Adviser as soon as possible.

Yes, part-time students are eligible to apply. Ensure that you meet all other eligibility criteria specified in the program guidelines.

You can apply for up to three projects; you can rank up to six. You must submit your cover letter, references and resume with each project you apply for. You may be considered for the additional ranked projects, no documents required for those.

No, the program is open to students from all academic disciplines. Eligibility is based on skills and qualifications relevant to the project requirements.

Shortlisting will take place after the application deadline. The timeline for when the partner organization will get in touch will vary, but candidates should hear from them by the end of February.

Please follow the guidelines provided on the application portal for formatting your PDF (the naming convention is listed in the online application; please create one PDF that includes: cover letter, resume, and references).

One intern per project.

The mentors are from the partner organizations, not UVic. Each partner organization designates one or more mentors committed to overseeing the project and providing supervision and guidance to the Scholar.

Yes! Tailor your cover letters for each project application. The cover letter serves as your unique voice in this application process, providing an opportunity to showcase how your individual skills and experiences align with the specific requirements outlined in each project's job description. This tailored approach not only demonstrates your genuine interest but also highlights your potential contributions to the particular sustainability challenges each project aims to address.

This should not be a problem. If you have a thesis defense scheduled during the summer, please consider the following:
  1. To be eligible for this program, graduate students must be currently enrolled and cannot have graduated before August 15.
  2. If you have a defense planned, please raise this matter during your interview or early in the scheduling discussions with your mentor or the partner organization.

Scholars are employed by the partner organizations. While they are formally appointed as Research Assistants (RAs) by UVic for payroll purposes, their day-to-day supervision and reporting occur under the mentorship of individuals ('mentors') within the partner organization. Separate from that, Scholars will have specific obligations to the Sustainability Scholars Program Manager including orientation, meetings, check-ins, and evaluations.

Involving your supervisor is not a requirement for the Sustainability Scholars Program. Applicants may want to inform their supervisor about their summer plans, but the supervisor will not be directly involved in the project.