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Black Student Summer Internship

BioCanRx Summer Studentships provide funding for students to gain hands-on experience in Canadian cancer research labs.

Internship Details

The BioCanRx–CBSN Black Student Summer Internship Program provides Black undergraduate and college students with meaningful, hands-on research experience in cancer immunotherapy and related disciplines. Students will gain access to mentorship, professional development opportunities, and national networks that support long-term success in academic and scientific careers. In partnership with the Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN), this new program stream aims to strengthen pathways for Black students in cancer research and related biomedical sciences. CBSN is a national organization dedicated to celebrating, supporting, and increasing the visibility of Black Canadians in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Through its programs, CBSN fosters mentorship, leadership, and professional development for Black researchers and trainees across Canada. This program seeks to:

Build equitable access to training and research experiences for Black students across Canada.
Foster mentorship and representation by connecting students with experienced supervisors in cancer research.
Strengthen workforce diversity by supporting the next generation of Black scientists and health researchers.

2026 Application Deadline

Deadline to Apply to February 13, 2026

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must self-identify as Black (e.g., African, African Caribbean, African Canadian, Afro-Latin, or of African descent).
Applicants must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or college program at a Canadian institution and have completed at least two semesters.
Awardees cannot be enrolled in a graduate program while holding this award.
Students cannot hold this award concurrently with funding from Tri-Council agencies (NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC).
The proposed academic supervisor must be:
- Be affiliated with a BioCanRx Network Member Institution
- Actively engaged in cancer research or a related field that aligns with BioCanRx’s mandate.
- Supervisors do not need to be current or founding BioCanRx Network Investigators (PIs) to participate in this stream.
- Supervisors may host students from institutions other than their own.
- A supervisor may submit one application for the Black Student Internship Program and one for the general stream.
Past BioCanRx students are eligible to reapply, though priority will be given to first-time participants.

Important for Students

At the time of application, students must have identified a supervisor and made arrangements to co-apply for the award. If you are interested in a specific researcher, contact them as early as possible. While placements cannot be guaranteed, BioCanRx and CBSN can help connect students to potential supervisors. A list of BioCanRx-funded investigators is available on the BioCanRx website as a starting point, but students may apply with any eligible Canadian supervisor working in cancer research or policy.

Need help connecting with a BioCanRx investigator?

Contact Julie Jonkhans at jjonkhans@biocanrx.com

We cannot guarantee any placement with a network investigator