What is Scholars-in-Residence?
The Scholars-in-Residence (SiR) program is an intensive, 4-week paid research fellowship in humanities and humanistic social-science research for upper-year undergraduates across all three University of Toronto campuses. SiR provides students with an opportunity to acquire advanced research skills and experience while collaborating with an interdisciplinary and intellectually vibrant community of peers, professors, and research professionals.
Students selected for SiR will work as Research Assistants in small teams on projects led by professors. They also share group activities including multidisciplinary workshops on research methodologies, standards, protocol, and professional communication; cultural events; and talks featuring professionals such as lawyers, policy-makers, and documentary filmmakers that highlight research-intensive career trajectories. Complimentary residence accommodation and a partial dining plan will be provided for Scholars participating in the in-person sessions of the program at the St. George, Mississauga, and Scarborough campuses.
Program Modality and Schedule
Location and Modality
SiR offers in-person projects hosted at all three UofT campuses, as well as online-only projects as part of an "Online/International" module.
Students selected for in-person projects will live in residence on the campus where their project takes place for the length of the program. Free accommodation and a free partial dining plan will be provided for all students who are accepted for in-person projects. Residence will be assigned according to the campus location of your project (e.g.,students accepted to a UT-Scarborough-based project will stay in residence on that campus). Students will participate in 20 hours/week of scheduled research work and attend 5 hours/week of in-person program activities.
There is no residence component for Online/International projects. Students will participate in 20 hours/week of online-synchronous research work and 5 hours/week of virtual program activities.
You are encouraged to apply for projects on any of the three campus locations, as well as for Online/International projects, regardless of your current affiliation.
Schedule
Scholars-in-Residence is an intensive, full-time program. SiR participants are required to attend all working sessions as scheduled by projects supervisors as well as the group activities scheduled for their cohort (i.e., St George, UTM, UTSC, or Online/International). All Scholars will participate in 20 hours/week of scheduled research work (typically in the morning) and attend 5 hours/week of other program activities (typically in the afternoon). Participants are expected to attend all scheduled sessions & activities.
Below is an example schedule from our 2023 program on the St George campus. Each cohort will receive a schedule of their programmed activities for the month prior to their start date.
Jackman Scholar Award
All SiR participants receive $1000 Jackman Scholar Award upon completion of the program. Together with the complimentary residence accommodation and partial dining plan for students working on in-person projects, this award supports students in contributing to original faculty research projects, developing skills, and building supportive relationships with peers and professors.
Student Testimonials
"Collaborating on different aspects of the project on rotation, while also heading whatever aspect I specialise in, gave me a holistic experience of the research process. Additionally, getting to know about other research groups' work through the weeks, and talks on self improvement in the research field, were enlightening."
"I had a wonderful time and it was honestly the first times where I did not feel anxious being in an academic setting. It was extremely welcoming!"
"I think the most rewarding aspect of the program is that it introduced me to research and the academia in a very systematic way. It's the difference between a structured program and, say, volunteering with a professor or a work-study position. I was able to learn a lot of things outside of the content within our own research project."
“I'm amazed that it's already leading to future research opportunities and not just confined to the month!”
“An amazing experience. Learned something new every day, was made aware of so many novel fields/opportunities. Leaves me very excited about the future.”
“The opportunity to engage in research with an expert in the field, meeting new friends and colleagues, and experiencing life in residence, even for just a month, gave me a fuller experience of what university and academic life can be like.”
“I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to return to campus. I was paired with a group of likeminded scholars, many who have become long-term friends. The work was energizing and confirmed to me that it is possible to be paid for work that is a genuine, ‘blue flame’ passion.”
“This program has really made the research process more experiential than what we are taught in lecture or in our readings. This hands-on learning experience really solidified the components of the research process in a clear way that a traditional course could not capture.”
The SiR research community is generously supported by:
- Jackman Humanities Institute
- Office of the Vice-Provost, Strategic Enrolment Management
- Office of the Vice-President International
- Faculty of Arts and Science
- University of Toronto Mississauga
- University of Toronto Scarborough
- The St. George Colleges
- Bader Philanthropies Inc. through Victoria University