In order to be eligible to apply, you must:

• Be enrolled in a thesis-based graduate program in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources in one of the following disciplines: Agricultural Economics, Applied Economics^[1], Animal and Poultry Science, Food Science, Applied Microbiology, Plant Sciences, Soil Science.
  
  
• Be in good academic standing^[2], making satisfactory progress^[3] toward the completion of your degree, and have a minimum GPA of 70%.
  
  
• Have been in your program for at least 8 months prior to the employment start date.
  
  

Additional eligibility requirements:

• Master's students may participate within months 9-36 of their program and PhD students within months 9-56 of their program. 
  
  
• The ideal minimum duration of employment is one term (4 months). Master’s students may be employed for up to two terms (8 months). PhD students may be employed for up to three terms (12 months). 
  
  
• Employment must take place in a continuous period; no breaks in employment will be granted.
  
  
• Students are eligible to hold a single employment during each graduate program.
  
  
• Full approval to participate in the program must be granted by the graduate supervisor(s), the department graduate chair, and the student advisory committee to be eligible.
  
  
• Graduate students enrolled in the Plant Sciences Dual PhD program with United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences (Japan) whose home institution is the University of Saskatchewan may apply.
  
  
• Applicants must intend to return to full-time studies following the employment period and acknowledge that they may be required to forgo the portion of the minimum stipend that would have been received for the duration of the Internship.
  
  
• International graduate students must be granted the required approvals and work permits from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to legally participate in the Internship.
  
  

^[1] For students in the Applied Economics PhD program, the supervisor must be a faculty member in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources in order to be eligible.

^[2] Good standing is defined as current with tuition and fee payment, not currently on probation, and all documentation required for the graduate program are complete, including the student-supervisor agreement and all necessary progress reports.  Applicants must be current on their advisory committee meetings, i.e., have had at least one in the past 12 months.

^[3] Satisfactory progress will be determined by the student’s advisory committee and progress reports; GPA must be ≥70 

• Students cannot be on an approved leave while participating in the Internship.
  
  
• Students will not be eligible to receive scholarships or stipends provided by the College of Agriculture and Bioresources while participating in the Internship program.

1. Request approval from your supervisor and advisory committee to participate in the Internship program and complete the Application Form.
   
   
2. After your supervisor and advisory committee grant approval, the departmental graduate chair will submit the completed application to the dean’s office. Applications must be submitted a minimum of sixteen weeks prior to the anticipated employment.
   
   
3. The request will be reviewed by the Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies), in consultation with the USask International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC), if applicable. The decision by the ADRGS will be communicated to the student, their academic supervisor and the departmental graduate chair.
   
   

A complete application package to the dean’s office includes:

• Completed application form with signatures by the supervisor and graduate chair;
  
  
• Written offer letter from prospective employer, including indication of start and end date, as well as anticipated duties and responsibilities;
  
  
• Minutes from advisory committee meeting, indicating a carried motion to support the student's request to participate in the internship concentration.

Complete application packages can be submitted to the Dean’s Office through Danielle Baron, Manager of Research and Graduate Studies: danielle.baron@usask.ca. 

Questions about this concentration can be directed to danielle.baron@usask.ca. 

• Language Proficiency: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English. Visit https://grad.usask.ca/admissions/admission-requirements.php#Englishlanguageproficiencyrequirements for details.
  
  
• A four-year Honours Bachelor degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of study.
  
  
• A cumulative weighted average of at least a 65% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two full years of study (i.e., 60 credit units) is required. However, please note that admission to this program is extremely competitive and meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee your acceptance. If your previous degree is from somewhere other than USask, you must include a copy of the grading scale from the institution.
  
  
• If your previous degree was from an independent college or institute affiliated with a University, we transcripts from the University, not the college or institute, are required.

Is my three-year Bachelor degree considered equivalent to a four-year degree?

Is the Higher National Diploma (Nigeria) considered equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree?

No, USask does not consider the Higher National Diploma for degree equivalency.

Do I need a supervisor to apply?

 No, you do not require a supervisor at the time of application.

When do you accept students into the P.G.D. program?

We accept students into the P.G.D. program annually in the September Term only. Each year in late September, the application portal opens for the following year, allowing prospective students to apply. The deadline to have all of the documents required uploaded to your application is February 1. This includes reference letters.

Will you accept applications after the deadline?

No, applications are accepted until the deadline only. No exceptions.

How are decisions made on who gets accepted?

The application process for the PDG program is extremely competitive. The review committee meets to adjudicate the applications in March. An applicant’s suitability will be evaluated by the admissions committee based on background, marks, and space available.. Decision letters are typically sent out in April for the following September term start.

How many credit units do I need to complete?

24 credit units are required.

What courses do I need to take?

There is not a set list of courses you must take. Each term a list of preferred courses for the following term is compiled. This is based both on student interest and background, as well as course availability. The majority of courses are Food Science courses and are a mix of graduate and undergraduate courses.

How much is tuition and student fees?

Tuition and fees vary by year, as well as how many courses you are taking, and whether you are a domestic or international student. The current USask fee schedule can be viewed here: https://grad.usask.ca/funding/tuition.php

How many spaces are there in the P.G.D. program each year?

The number of students accepted to the P.G.D. program varies by year. However, on average, approximately 10-25 students are accepted annually.

How long does the program take to complete?

Time to completion depends on the number of courses you take at a time. You must complete 30 credit units to complete the P.G.D. program. A full course load is considered 15 CUs (i.e., 5 3-credit courses) per academic term. Therefore, if you take 15 CUs at a time, you can complete the program in 2 terms. If you choose to complete the program part-time (for example, 3 courses per term), it would take longer terms to complete the program.

I am an international student who has been accepted to a program, but in order to receive my Visa I am required to demonstrate that I am able to pay my tuition. How can I do this?

You can find information on paying tuition and fees in advance here: https://students.usask.ca/money/tuition-fees/international-student-deposit.php .