​​High School Youth Researcher Summer Program​

The High School Youth Research Summer Program (HYRS) provides exceptional Grade 11 and 12 students in the province with paid experiential learning opportunities at post-secondary institutes in Alberta, enhancing their interest and success in health research and innovation.

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Program at a Glance

Program Status: Active
Priority Area(s): Provides exceptional Grade 11 and 12 students in the province with paid experiential learning opportunities in health research at post-secondary institutes in Alberta.

Eligibility

Program Status: Active
Alberta-based: Yes
Organization Type: Post-Secondary Students

Overview

Developing the next generation of health research and innovation leaders to accelerate discoveries into care is a core mission for Alberta Innovates and its partners. This program is designed to provide summer experiential learning opportunities for Alberta-based high school students that are interested in emerging technologies, research commercialization and cross-disciplinary research in health. Students will have the opportunity for skills development and networking through primary research activities, workshops, speaker series, career mentorship and other events. The program is delivered in partnership with participating universities. 

Objectives: 

  • Increase awareness and interest in research and innovation careers at the intersection of health and emerging technologies. 
  • Create opportunities for emerging talent to acquire experience and connections in Alberta’s health research and innovation ecosystem.  
  • Increase the competitiveness of Alberta as a destination for research and innovation talent.

Funding: Variable (check with participating post-secondary institutions) 

Funding Term: Up to six weeks (must occur between May 1 to August 31)   

Open Intakes

High School Youth Researcher Summer Program - Intake

Due date: Continuous

More details

Eligibility

The following sections describe the standard eligibility criteria. Additional eligibility criteria may be included by participating post-secondary institutions.  

Student Eligibility: To be eligible to hold a HYRS Studentship, studentship applicants must: 

  • Be enrolled at an eligible high school (as specified by the applicant); 
  • Have a minimum of 85 per cent standing in each of Math 20-1 or 20-2, Biology 20 and one other Grade 11 science (transcripts or interim reports are required), unless strong justification is made for cases of equity and appropriate program accessibility; and 
  • Provide a signature from a parent or guardian.

Supervisor Eligibility: The supervisor must be employed at a participating post-secondary institution. The supervisor must be able to provide appropriate supervision for the proposed project. The supervisor does not need to be a faculty member. In instances where the supervisor is not a faculty member, the post-secondary institution will confirm appropriateness with Alberta Innovates. An approved supervisor is limited to: 

  • A maximum of four Studentship Recipients per supervisor per year for HYRS; and 
  • A maximum of two Studentship Recipients per high school per year for HYRS. 

Project Eligibility: To be approved, projects must be relevant to the program and occur under an approved supervisor. Projects that are strongly relevant to the following areas may be prioritized for funding: Digital Health, Data-Enabled Health Transformation, or Health Innovation and Technology Acceleration. 

Post-Secondary Institution Eligibility: Must be a comprehensive academic and research university in Alberta or an undergraduate university in Alberta engaged in health research and innovation related activity. Must have applied for and received funding from Alberta Innovates to administer the HYRS Program. 

How To Apply

For students:

Under the guidance of Alberta Innovates, the host post-secondary institutions run studentship competitions and administer the program. Exact competition details will be found on individual post-secondary institution websites.  

Please visit the respective post-secondary institution competition pages for information specific to their institution:  

For specific questions related to timelines, application instructions, please visit the post-secondary institutions website.  

For post-secondary institutions:

We are now accepting applications from post-secondary institutions who wish to apply for block funding. Application is by invitation only. To begin your application, please reach out to the program contact below.

The deadline to apply is October 30, 2023, at 3:00 PM MT.

Questions about the application process can be directed to the program contact below.

Evaluation Process

All studentship applications must be: 

  1. Assessed for merit through a competitive process; and 
  2. Assessed for relevance to provincial Digital Health priorities. 

Follow the links in the “How to Apply” section to access information for current and future competitions at each participating post-secondary institution. 

Support Resources

The following resources are specific to post-secondary institution applicants.

Contact

Nicole Mardis

Director, Health Innovation Talent


Open and Upcoming Intakes

High School Youth Researcher Summer Program - Intake

The High School Youth Research Summer Program (HYRS) provides exceptional Grade 11 and 12 students in the province with paid experiential learning opportunities at post-secondary institutes in Alberta, enhancing their interest and success in health research and innovation.

Open

Funding History

Student names, supervisors, and projects to be published on a three-year trailing basis.