Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI) offers a Summer Student Research Program that provides undergraduate and medical students with a unique hospital-based research experience and showcases the postgraduate environment as a prospective career. The program, which runs from May to late August, starts with an orientation to SRI, and is followed by regular seminars whereby leading faculty talk about their research. In August, students present their work at the Summer Student Poster Competition.
Applications are now being accepted for summer 2026 via the Sunnybrook Careers Page. Current opportunities will be listed as “Student (SRI)”
Eligibility
For all our student programs, with the exception of the Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program, students must be enrolled in a university program (it does not need to be the University of Toronto) and hold at least a B+ average in their most recent year of study. Students who have recently completed a program before the summer but who show strong evidence of an intended career trajectory in medical research may be considered. Students holding a visa are eligible only if the visa permits.
How to apply
Students interested in summer placements are encouraged to review the profiles of scientists and their respective platforms to identify areas of interest. Principal Investigators (PIs) seeking to hire a summer student will post available positions on the careers page. Applicants must complete the mandatory screening process and submit a cover letter and résumé through the job posting. Once mutual agreement with the supervisor is reached regarding program guidelines, both parties will sign the offer letter and submit the required HR new hire documentation. HR recommends that all documentation be submitted at least three weeks prior to the start date; therefore, students are advised to have their legal identification (such as SIN, valid ID), and banking information (deposit form or void cheque) prepared in advance. Successful candidates will be connected with a platform manager for on-boarding instructions.
For the summer student programs in Brain Sciences and Focused Ultrasound, follow the links for separate application instructions.
When you get to SRI
Students who are successful in obtaining summer employment will receive an orientation at the beginning of the term. Students are encouraged to attend the weekly seminar series to gain exposure to a variety of research areas and topics, and to interact with scientists and other students.
Summer Student Poster Competition
Every year, students who have been funded through the SRI Summer Student Research Program and any other research summer student who has been hired through Sunnybrook’s research administration are invited to showcase their research projects by participating in the Summer Student Poster Competition held on August 12th, 2026 in the McLaughlin Auditorium.
Read about previous years’ summer research project competitions.
Funding options
Summer students are on-boarded as SRI employees and compensated at an hourly rate. Supervisors are responsible for covering these salaries and may apply for awards to help offset this expense. Programs like the SRI Summer Studentship Award are intended to attract exceptional university students wishing to pursue postgraduate careers. This award is granted to the top 25 applicants based on ranking. Supervisors may need to submit additional documentation to apply for internal awards. PIs will be notified directly of any successful applications. All applicants are encouraged to contact their home institution’s resources department for additional funding opportunities. University of Toronto students can also apply via stipend programs such as SURP or CREMS.
Pay rates
$18.30* for post year 1 students
$19.40* for post year 2 students
$20.99* for post year 3 and beyond students
The hourly rate includes compensation for vacation, with a 4% increment.
Who can I contact for more information?
Questions can be directed towards our Summer Student Program coordinator at summer.student@sri.utoronto.ca.