2026 Summer Studentships

2026 Summer Studentships

2026 Summer Studentships

The application process is closed

 

For further information on applying for a SCN summer studentship award, please contact trainingSCN@stemcellnetwork.ca

Application Deadline: February 26, 2026

Start Date: May-June 2026

Location: Various Canadian Academic Institutions

The SCN Summer Studentship program will support excellent senior undergraduate students to undertake stem cells and regenerative medicine research between May and August 2026 at a Canadian academic institution. Undergraduate students who have completed their third year of undergraduate studies will be prioritized for this award. This support is intended to help recruit and retain highly promising undergraduate students into the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine.

The cohort of undergraduate summer students supported in the 2026 competition will present their project progress at a virtual SCN summer studentship symposium hosted in late August 2026, and the top undergraduate student will be supported by SCN to attend and present a poster of their research work at the 2026 Till & McCulloch Meetings happening in Vancouver from November 9-11, 2026.

Award Details

SCN will provide $5,000 to supplement the cost of a summer studentship.  Approximately 10 awards are available for Summer 2026. Students applying for the SCN Summer Studentship program must have a letter of support from their prospective summer supervisor and provide a copy of their transcript. SCN and a chosen committee will review and rank the applications for the program. Additionally, SCN will consider regional representation and apply equity, diversity and inclusion principles when selecting successful applicants.   

Dates & Key Details

Application Deadline: February 26, 2026

Studentship start date: Between May 1, 2026 and June 8, 2026 – for a term of 12-16 weeks.

How to Apply

Note: References can only upload their letters after you have submitted your application

The application form must include a short description of your proposed summer research project,  which should focus on stem cells and/or regenerative medicine. Applicants are encouraged to see input from their proposed supervisors with this section.

Reference Letters

Two letters of support are required:

  1. Primary Reference: A letter from a professor who knows you from your undergraduate studies (e.g., a previous research supervisor or course instructor).
  2. Prospective Summer Supervisor: A letter confirming support for your proposed summer project.

After you submit your application, your references will automatically receive an email with instructions to upload their confidential letters.

Please follow up with them to ensure they receive this email and submit their letters by February 26, 2026.

We strongly recommend contacting your references well in advance of the deadline.

Review Process

The SCN Committee will review all applications.

Applicants will be notified of the results by early April 2026. Successful applicants will receive additional details about the terms and conditions of the award with their acceptance notification.

Eligibility

  • At the time of application, applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate program in the life sciences (e.g. Biology, Biomedical Engineering, or related fields) at a Canadian institution.
  • Applicants must have support from a prospective supervisor for the summer studentship.
  • Proposed projects must be in the research area of stem cells and regenerative medicine.
  • The prospective summer studentship supervisor must meet the eligibility criteria for Tri-Agency funding.
  • Applicants are required to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 or an equivalent score. To assist in the evaluation process, applicants from institutions not using a 4.0 scale should convert their GPA to the 4.0 scale using the OMSAS conversion table. This applies to transcripts that originally used numeric, percentage, or alpha grading scales.

Conditions

  • Principal investigators may only be involved in one application per year. 
  • SCN will provide $5,000 to supplement the cost of a summer studentship. Up to 10 awards are available for Summer 2026.
  • Summer studentships must be at least 12 weeks in length between May 1, 2026 and September 1, 2026. 
  • Students must be working full time (37.5 hours/week) in the lab for the duration of the summer studentship.
  • Summer students must have the opportunity to present their work in at least one lab meeting during the term of the studentship.
  • In the event the named summer student is unable to complete the award term (at least 12 weeks), a Terminating Award Form must be completed and any remaining SCN funds must be returned.
  • By accepting a SCN summer studentship, the recipient agrees to complete a survey describing the value of the training and networking opportunities made available through the award. This information will be used at SCN’s discretion on its website, newsletters and for the purpose of reporting to their funding agencies.
  • BOTH the summer student and supervisor must attend the summer studentship symposium to be held at the end of August (exact date to be announced). Summer students will give a short presentation on the outcomes of their summer research project. Supervisors will assist in the evaluation of all presentations (with the exception of their own student) during the symposium.  The top undergraduate student will be invited to attend TMM2026 in Vancouver, for a poster presentation.