Mitacs Accelerate
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Connects companies with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for research and development projects, with matching funding for the internships.
Eligibility Requirements
- Incorporated Canadian company or organization (sole proprietorships ineligible for the Accelerate Entrepreneur stream)
- Has a genuine R&D challenge that would benefit from collaboration with a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow
- Can provide new cash funding as the company contribution (in-kind contributions alone are insufficient)
- Must partner with a Canadian university or college and an eligible academic supervisor
- Project must involve an eligible academic institution on NSERC's approved institutions list
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- $15,000 per internship unit (standard); $22,500 per unit (postdoctoral fellow)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
See how this program compares on approval odds, difficulty, and competition — so you know if it’s worth your time. Unlock with Premium →
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipThe 99% approval rate means the real work happens BEFORE submission. Invest time in the relationship with your Mitacs advisor — they will tell you if your project qualifies and help shape the proposal to pass peer review. For businesses, the $7,500 partner contribution buys you a funded researcher for 4-6 months, which is extraordinary value. Cluster projects ($6,000/IU) are even better per-unit economics. Start with one IU to prove the collaboration works, then scale to clusters. The program is especially powerful when stacked with NSERC Alliance grants, which can fund the broader research program while Mitacs funds the intern positions.
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Rejection Pitfalls 8
- Project lacks genuine research content — routine consulting, IT implementation, or operational work does not qualify
- Intern was previously employed full-time at the partner organization
- Partner organization cannot provide new funds (cannot use existing contracts or in-kind contributions alone)
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Success Profile
Canadian for-profit or not-for-profit organization with a genuine R&D challenge that would benefit from academic expertise. Has identified or is willing to work with a faculty supervisor at a Mitacs partner institution. Willing to commit $7,500+ per intern and provide meaningful mentorship/supervision. Project has clear research objectives appropriate to grad-student or postdoc level work. Strongest in technology, life sciences, engineering, and social sciences — but any discipline with a research question qualifies.
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Evaluation Criteria
Proposals undergo external peer review assessing: (1) whether the project qualifies as genuine research within its discipline, (2) appropriateness for the intern's academic degree level, (3) clearly defined research objectives, (4) suitable methodology, and (5) realistic and achievable timeline. The Mitacs advisor pre-screens proposals before formal submission, which is why the approval rate is near 99%.
See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus. Unlock with Premium →
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 9
Eligible Expenses 6
- Intern stipend or salary (minimum $10,000 per internship unit)
- Research equipment and materials (up to $5,000 per IU)
- Travel expenses for research purposes including fieldwork and conferences
- Fees for external consultants providing specialized expertise
- Software licenses required for the research project
- Laboratory supplies and consumables
Ineligible Expenses 5
- Capital construction, building renovations, or major infrastructure
- Administrative overhead not directly tied to the research project
- General marketing, sales, or business development activities
- Routine operational or consulting work without a research component
- Entertainment or hospitality expenses
Intake Periods
Continuous — applications accepted year-round with no fixed deadlines. Submit at least 8 weeks before planned internship start date (16 weeks for projects involving international travel). Provincial budget allocations may create effective waitlists in high-demand regions.
Deadline Notes
Mitacs Accelerate has no fixed deadlines or intake windows. Applications are accepted and reviewed year-round. Submit at least 8 weeks before the planned internship start date (16 weeks for projects involving international travel). Budget availability varies by province — in FY 2024-25, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario had limited funding. As of May 2025, allocation restrictions in Alberta and Ontario have been lifted.
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Organizations outside Canada (except as additional partners with a Canadian co-applicant)
- Sole proprietorships or limited liability partnerships (for the Accelerate Entrepreneur stream)
- Organizations that cannot provide new cash funds (in-kind contributions alone are not sufficient)
- Organizations where the proposed intern is currently a full-time employee
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskSee which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get. Unlock with Premium →
How Mitacs Accelerate Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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