Last update: March 4, 2024

Summer 2024 Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards Call For Research Proposals will be open from November 20, 2023 – January 30, 2024. Deadline extended to February 6, 2024. 

START HERE: 

  1. Faculty Supervisor Infosheet and Faculty Supervisor (Faculty of Arts) infosheet: the process for the application
  2. Submission Guide: step by step on how to submit your research proposal
  3. Student Eligibility Criteria
  4. USRA supervisor guide
  5. Frequently Asked Questions (updated November 15, 2023)

If you have questions, please email worklearn.iura@ubc.ca or phone 604-827-2937, from 9AM – 4PM Monday through Friday.

Designed for international undergraduate students who are interested in research, the Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards subsidizes professors to hire students to work on their research projects in the Summer Term (May - August).  Through the program, professors gain valuable help in furthering their research and supporting students in their learning.

Program Comparison

Program

NSERC USRA

WL IURA

WORK LEARN

TYPE OF STUDENT

     

Undergraduate

Y Y Y

Graduate/Professional

    Y

International Students

  Y Y

Domestic Students

Y   Y

Visiting Students

Y    

TYPE OF WORK

     

Research Related

Y Y Y

Non-Research Related

    Y

Full-time

Y Y  

Part-time

    Y

Year Round

Y Summer Only Y

*There is also funding available through Canada Summer Jobs

Goals

Piloted in 2013, the Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Award Program is designed to support international students with workplace experience through undergraduate research opportunities, particularly for students interested in research as a career.  Through their research placements, students will achieve the following workplace learning goals: mentorship opportunities, professional skill development, application of knowledge, developing a network, ownership and responsibility of work, self-awareness and reflection, contributing to personal learning goals and the university as a whole.

 

"Thank you again for supporting the student’s position in my lab in 2020 and 2021. The research that he did in those two summers was written up and recently accepted for publication in a great journal in our field. It would have been difficult for me to support the student without your funding.Thank you again for supporting the student’s position in my lab in 2020 and 2021. The research that he did in those two summers was written up and recently accepted for publication in a great journal in our field."

-Dr. Michelle Tseng, Supervisor of Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Award 2020 and 2021 

Scope

Each year, the program allocates research awards to the Faculties and Schools based on the current enrollment numbers of undergraduate international students. The program is administered and coordinated through the UBC Career Centre with support from the Faculty/School/Department Coordinators

Students must be engaged in research activities on a full-time basis (35 paid hours/week plus a 1-hour unpaid lunch break) for a minimum of 16 consecutive weeks during the summer term (May – August). The value of the awards (the supervisors’ reimbursement) is $6,000 per student ($8,700 for Faculty of Arts). Please refer to the Award Period, Value, and Payment page for more details.

For more information on student’s salary calculations, please refer to

Please note that $9,902.98 for the work term from May 1 – Aug 20, 2024 is the minimum pay and supervisors may choose to provide a larger top-up using their own funds from research grants or other sources.

Timelines

  • Announcement of award allocations: November 2023
  • Call for research proposal period / student recruitment: November 20, 2023 - January 30, 2024. Deadline extended to February 6, 2024. (Note: Faculty members will need to submit a research proposal on UBC CareersOnline.)
  • Deadline for Faculty/School Coordinators to submit their list of funded research proposals: February 29, 2024
  • Funding announcements: Week of March 6, 2024
  • Student positions posted on UBC CareersOnline: March 11 - 24, 2024
  • Deadline to submit student appointments: May 10, 2024
  • Undergraduate Research placements: May 1 to August 31, 2024 (Summer Term only)
  • Site Visits: June/July
  • Transfer of award funds: September/October

Your involvement

Call for Research Proposals

Faculty members will need to submit their research proposal on UBC CareersOnline. 

The Summer 2024 Call for Research Proposals will open from November 20, 2023 to January 30, 2024. Deadline extended to February 6, 2024, If you have any specific questions, please contact worklearn.iura@ubc.ca.

Proposals submitted for the Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards serve two purposes:

1. To apply for a subsidy from the program,

2. To provide a clear and detailed position to communicate the work opportunity to students.

Download a step-by-step submission guide on how to submit a research proposal on UBC CareersOnline.

You will need a UBC CareersOnline EMPLOYER account to submit the proposal. In the research proposal, please address the following:

  • Outline of Research Project - Please provide a high-level overview of the research project. How will the student advance and contribute to the goals of the project?
  • Student Responsibilities - Please provide a description of the different tasks that the student will be performing. Who will be the student's supervisor? Please describe the level of interaction and ongoing support the student will receive. 
  • Skills Gained from the Position - Select all skills from the picklist that apply to the research position. 
  • Qualifications - What skills/knowledge should the student possess to be successful in this position? 

Please contact worklearn.iura@ubc.ca if you have any questions regarding the research proposal and/or the program.

Flowchart Information for Faculty Supervisors 24-25

Flowchart Information for Faculty Supervisors 24-25 (Faculty of Arts)

Funding Announcement/Positions Posted on UBC CareersOnline

Approved research proposals will be posted on UBC CareersOnline for two weeks during the posting dates (March 11 - 24, 2024). If you have indicated that a candidate has already been identified for the position, it will not be posted on UBC CareersOnline, and you will not receive any student applications. 

If you would like to learn how to manage your applications and student communications or generate an applicant view book, please contact our office at worklearn.iura@ubc.ca

Interviewing and Hiring Students: 

Visit UBC HR for information on general student hiring practices, and our office is also available to support you if you have questions about interviewing, selecting, or supervising students. We provide templates for interviews below in the Resources for Supervisors section.     

Deadline to Submit Student Appointments

As supervisors, you are responsible for your student(s) wages.  Once you have selected your candidate, faculty supervisors must appoint their student by submitting a Hire Business Process (BP) through Workday by the deadline date provided. Hire BPs will be automatically routed to our approval queue once submitted in Workday. It's important to have students appointed in their positions prior to starting work.

If you have any questions about the Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards student appointment process, please contact Workplace Learning staff, UBC Career Centre at worklearn.iura@ubc.ca.

If you have specific questions about Workday, please contact the UBC IRP team for further support. 

2024 Information Sheet for Appointing Students 

2024 Information Sheet for Appointing Students (Faculty of Arts) 

Research Placements

The normal duration of the award is a minimum of 16 consecutive weeks.  Award winners are required to work full time (35 paid hours/week plus 1-hour unpaid lunch break) during the summer term (May 1 – August 31).  Under exceptional circumstances students can work less than 16 consecutive weeks (prior approval from the UBC Career Centre is needed).

Visit UBC HR for information on general student hiring and practices and Resources for Supervisors section below for onboarding resources and evaluation templates for student staff, and UBC Safety and Risk Services for information on mandatory training for all UBC workers. 

Site Visits + Surveys

Site Visits

Staff from the UBC Career Centre will conduct site visits midway through the summer term (June/July). Site visits offer a chance for students and supervisors to reflect on and share how their experience has been going, particularly in the areas of learning, challenge, and growth. Site visits are consistently cited by students as a powerful tool for them to articulate their learning experiences and transferable skills. We will contact you directly if you have been selected for a site visit. 

Surveys

Students and faculty supervisors will be asked to complete a survey of their experience in August, which will be initiated by the UBC Career Centre. All responses are carefully reviewed to help us make program improvements.

Transfer of Award Funds

The UBC Career Centre will arrange to transfer $6,000 (per student) to Faculty/School accounts at the end of the work placement (September/October). These funds will be transferred to the Worktag that is used to pay the student’s salary in Workday. 

 

Resources for Supervisors

The Hiring Process

During Interviews

After Interview

Onboarding and Orientation

Performance Management

Goal Setting + Professional Development

Offboarding + Transition

Contact Information

Workplace Learning

Phone: (604) 827 - 2937

Email: worklearn.iura@ubc.ca