Immunology Summer Student Research Program (ISSRP)

How can I participate in the ISSRP?

• Undergraduate students are responsible for contacting department faculty members and arranging a placement for the spring/summer.  You can contact any of the members listed, and should not necessarily rely on the tag of whether a particular faculty member is seeking to bring aboard summer students.  Those tags might not be the most up-to-date when it comes to an individual faculty member's recruitment status.
• After a placement is secured, students are enrolled in the ISSRP, pending eligibility requirements below.
• Once you have secured a supervisor, please complete the enrolment form.

Is there a deadline to enrol in the ISSRP?

• Yes.  You should secure your summer position and submit the enrolment form no later than March 31, 2023.  If you cannot secure a position until after the deadline, please email issrp@utoronto.ca

Will I get an email confirmation?  When will information about the summer program be communicated to participants?

• ISSRP participants who have enrolled will receive a communication around early-mid April with additional details.

How long is the ISSRP and are there any deliverables?

• The summer research program runs from May - July 2023 (12-weeks).
• At the end of July, a seminar day will be held where ISSRP participants share their work with their peers and departmental colleagues.

What are the eligibility requirements?

• Students must have successfully completed the Winter 2023 term in a full-time undergraduate program, at a Canadian University.
• Students must be 3rd year undergraduate student or earlier (if you are a 4th year student - you must be attending a professional undergraduate or a graduate program in the fall)

Is there a stipend?

• Yes, the stipend for the 12-week period is $5000.

UPDATED: Are there any awards available?

• Yes, a limited number of awards are available for 2023:
  • A few University of Toronto Undergraduate Research Opportunity (UROP) scholarships, valued at $2500, are available.
  • One (1) NSERC USRA award is available.  Please carefully read the eligibility requirements and FAQ.
  • The Stem Cell Network (SCN) has 10 awards available nationwide.  Applications are made directly with the SCN, with details found on their website.

UPDATED: If I win an award, do I get a higher stipend?

• Potentially.
  • The stipend is not higher for UROP recipients.  The UROP award helps supplement the summer stipend.  The total summer funding remains at $5000, of which 50% is provided by the award.
  • NSERC USRA award winners receive $7,500 total (composed of a $6,000 award + $1,500 match from your supervisor)
  • SCN award winners could receive a higher stipend.  Please contact the department if you are successful in your SCN Summer Award Application.

What is the procedure to apply for an NSERC USRA? (checklist)

• Complete the latest version of the application form (Form 202, Part I) online. Follow the instructions and adhere to NSERC’s General Presentation Guideline. NSERC refuses handwritten applications.
• Attach a PDF copy of your transcripts (or the university e-transcripts) to the application form (Part I).  A PDF from your University's Academic portal is sufficient for this phase of the application.  You may be required to provide an official copy later.
• Once Form 202–Part I has been completed, provide your prospective supervisor with the reference number generated by the system so that they may complete Part II of the form.
• Once both parts of the form have been completed and verified the supervisor can submit the USRA application.
• Please note that Part I and II of the form can only be obtained by your supervisor after they've submitted the application.
• If you self-identity as Indigenous or Black, make sure you select the appropriate field in form 202-Part I, and please let the ISSRP coordinator know at issrp@utoronto.ca. 
• If any additional changes are made by either party–you or your prospective supervisor–will require the other party’s verification and confirmation in the online system in order to re-submit the edited application.
• Upload a single PDF copy of your application (consisting of Parts I and II as well as your transcript) no later than 9am March 31, 2023.

What is the procedure to apply for the UROP awards?

• Those who wish to be considered for an award must first secure a supervisor, and then upload a single PDF by 9am March 31, 2023 containing:
  • a copy of your transcript (an unofficial printout/screenshot is fine) 
  • a 375-word (max) paragraph of intent on why you are participating in the ISSRP and what you hope to gain from your time in the lab
  • a very brief statement on the aims of your summer project

For any additional questions on awards or other matters related to the ISSRP, please email issrp@utoronto.ca.