Mitacs Globalink Research Internship #2

Welcome to the second part of the series elucidating my experience as a Mitacs Globalink Research Scholar 2019. This was the first article including all the resources and tips on how to apply for the research scholarship. Quickly head there for an introduction of the program and a detailed analysis of the application process. After writing the first part, I was delighted to learn that many aspiring students in my network found the article helpful. Finally (after almost a year), I have brought myself to writing more on my journey and hopefully making the process less intimidating for scholars.

The application process starts in August every year. After about a month of your application submission, you might receive an update from Mitacs mentioning one of the three application status: Candidate under consideration, Wait-listed and No longer under consideration. This is the first screening done by the organization itself during the first wave of selections. The considered candidates in the first wave receive their final decisions by mid January. If you are waitlisted, you might move to 'under consideration' in the second wave after these selections. What carries out in between these checkpoints is a crucial process of interviews and project priority shuffling. In this article, let us walk through the details one needs to keep in mind to ace these steps and successfully become a Globalink scholar!

Being a candidate under consideration means your application file is being forwarded to the 7 project supervisors, aka professors, that you chose in the "Projects" section of your application. You might or might not receive Skype call requests from these professors over the next few weeks. These interviews are generally non-technical and very casual discussions over the project and place. But, some professors are interested in learning about your past projects or background in coursework. You may also have to highlight your expectations from the research work and what made you select it over other projects. Even though I was lined with basic problems on multi-variable calculus and code complexity in one of my interviews, I did not feel the pressure of jolting out crammed answers because of the calmed out sense of the interview. The professors are extremely understanding and your best shot is to be prepared with everything that you have mentioned in your application and more.

Through this, you are also provided with additional time to change the priority ordering of the 7 projects. Some professors might explicitly convey that they are preferring you over other applicants and you might want to do the same. Other reasons such as changes in project description, preference of place or lack of cohesivity with the supervisor might lead you to reshuffle your projects. After all these key-points are kept track of, it is time to survive through the never-ending waiting! Ugh, I barely made through, self-doubting and refreshing my mail box sixteen hundred times a day.

Cut straight to where the actual fun begins. You are selected as a Mitacs Globalink Research Intern and your dreams are not so far from being true now.

So, the process after being selected is pretty straight-forward as I note them down in following pointers:

• Enter the official Facebook group made every year for connecting all the research scholars. The group also has past scholars who are there to actively answer your doubts. Just search for your year's group and NETWORK!

• Choose suitable internship dates (12 weeks) in accordance with the convenience of your supervisor and be in constant touch with him/her thereafter.

• Verify and attest incoming documents from Mitacs such as the code of conduct and the financial award letter.

• NOTE: The funding provided to Globalink scholars is more than enough to sustain an enjoyable time there. You will save a ton of money if you cook for your own and spend wisely (not miserly). I will suggest you to participate in all the planned activities and completely relish your limited stay as finance would mostly not be a hindrance.

• You will be notified when you possess the required documents to apply for a visitor visa for your internship. Attach as many relevant testaments such as flight tickets, housing lease, award letters and marksheets to support your visa application and it should be a smooth process. I obtained a WX1- work permit to Canada (even after applying for a visitor visa), like most of the other students, within 1 week.

With that, you are done with the daunting parts, now is your time to socialize internationally, make travel arrangements and gear up for one of the most exciting phases of your life. If you are still worried about the last part, you will be assigned a very resourceful "mentor", a current graduate student from your host university, who will guide you right from landing to setting up a bank account. They will also organize meet-ups and excursions among the scholars to make you feel at home in a foreign country.

All in all, Mitacs Globalink Research Scholarship is, as I will repeat myself in saying, a once in a lifetime opportunity to make the best use of world-class research training and international experience. Those 3 months helped me grow my horizons of independent research, cultural awareness and self-contentment. I hope this small piece eased your confusion in some way. Let me know about anything I might have missed or any questions that come to you after reading this. Again, you can always comment or mail me and I'd be happy to help. Thank you for taking time out to read my articles and All the very best!