For Host Supervisors

NEW: As of the 2026-2027 cycle, due to program delivery model updates and reduced institutional project funding packages, U of A Host Professors may only support one (1) international student applicant for the ELAP & Study in Canada Scholarships. 

Please be aware that an agreement or MoU between the student's home institution and the University of Alberta is NOT required.

How to host a Global Affairs Canada International Scholarships Program-funded visiting research intern:

  1. Student reaches out to you and says they're interested in performing research under your supervision, funded by ELAP/SEED/SICS.
  2. You review their education and qualifications, and if suitable, you do a quick video meeting with them to assess their communication abilities and fit for your research area.
  3. You and the student come to an agreement about one of your research project(s) they could contribute to. They may only apply for one research project with one U of A host professor through our institution. 
  4. You write a one-page Letter of Invitation [Click here for template - must use UAlberta email address to access], supporting their application, and you then give the signed letter to the student between now and March 2, 2026.
  5. The student is then responsible for uploading your letter as part of their Horizons application, as outlined in our How to Apply instructions, by the internal deadline of March 3, 2026.
  6. After reviewing the student's application information and materials for eligibility and completeness, for ELAP & SICS, only Stage 1 selections move forward for consideration by Global Affairs Canada as part of our institutional project funding proposal.
  7. We all wait about 2 months for the results.
  8. U of A receives results from EduCanada and shares them with you and the student.
  9. If selected in Stage 2 to receive the scholarship, IEE invites the international student to come to Canada as an academic visitor for their research stay.
  10. IEE helps take care of immigration arrangements and campus registration supports, which are outlined in further detail on our Frequently Asked Questions page.
  11. Student arrives between October 1, 2026-February 1, 2027 and Global Affairs Canada International Scholarship is paid to researcher by IEE while they work on your research project.

Details regarding Letter of invitation from the Canadian supervisor:

  • This letter must be on University of Alberta letterhead, be in English or in French, be signed, and demonstrate your willingness to support and mentor the candidate during the research exchange period.
  • Please explain how the Canadian institution, supervisor, and peers will benefit (strict maximum one page).
  • If you are planning to supervise the student and conduct research primarily in French, please kindly specify this.
  • Faculty members should then share this one-page Letter of Invitation directly with the research candidate they are supportive of hosting by no later than March 2, 2026.
  • No further action is required from U of A faculty members, until such time that results are released and selected participants may begin forming more detailed plans for their arrival and start dates.
  • IEE requires that applications for both undergraduate and graduate students must include a one-page letter from the Canadian supervisor (a.k.a. U of A faculty member). U of A requires that all student applicants have a well-formed and researched plan of whom they wish to perform research with, should they be successful, in order to apply for this scholarship program.

University of Alberta faculty members and staff with additional questions are welcome to review answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or email intern@ualberta.ca for more information.

Page last updated on 2026-02-10