Information for Staff

• Students who are in a full-time undergraduate degree program at time of application
• Students in medical school full-time 
• High school graduates who are enrolled in a relevant undergraduate program for the fall (proof of enrolment is required)

International students are eligible for the program if they are legally eligible to work in Canada, which is defined as a Canadian citizen, a landed immigrant or the holder of a valid work permit. Must be able to provide supporting documentation.

Unity Health and the Office of Research Administration do not assist in visa applications, accommodations or travel.

• High school students
• Graduate students enrolled in an M.Sc. or Ph.D. program
• Participants in other summer student programs, such as but not limited to; Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, CREMS/IMS, Canadian Blood Services, U of T Undergraduate Student Research Opportunity Program, Ontario Genomics Institute, etc. Please contact Dalbir Singh for instructions on how to register as a T4A Summer Student.
• Summer co-op students

If you are looking for non-paid research experience without participating in KRSS programming, please visit the Volunteers  for information about how to apply.

To engage a student in the KRSS program, please go to this link. 

Note: There are different documents and instructions for paid and volunteer students. Please be careful as to which package you are completing (designations will be in the title of the document). 

The KRSS program consists of two types of students:

• Students hired as employees of the hospital and paid hourly wage that falls on a pay scale from $17.56 – $21.95. Please note; there is an employee benefit rate. For example, if you pay the student $17.56 per hour, it will cost you approximately, with employer costs, $20.37 per hour.   This additional 16% is to cover employer costs which include vacation pay, Employer Health Tax, WSIB coverage, CPP deductions and EI deductions. 
• Students registered as Non-Paid Students who wish to gain experience in a research setting (Please note: Non-Paid students will not be paid stipends/honorariums at any time and will solely act as volunteers.)

• If you are engaging a student in another summer student program, such as but not limited to; Banting & Best Diabetes Centre, CREMS/IMS, Canadian Blood Services, UofT Undergraduate Student Research Opportunity Program, Ontario Genomics Institute, etc., you are ineligible for the KRSS Program. Please contact KRSS.Program@unityhealth.to for instructions on how to register your student as a T4A Summer Student.
• If you are engaging a summer co-op student, please see the Co-op Student Instructions for registration instructions. (link to Undergraduate section)
• If you are engaging a student for non-paid research experience without participating in KRSS programming, please see register them as a Research Volunteer (link to “Engage a Research Volunteer” section in Staff Services, Research Employment). View the new Research Visitor and Volunteer Policy.

Instructions for students can be found on the KRSS Program page for students 

• Paid students must agree to participate in the program on a full-time basis and not terminate their engagement prior to the stipulated end date. Summer students work 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday 7.5/hrs per day). 
• Volunteer students may be able to work more flexible hours.
• The summer student’s project must take place at Unity Health, unless the principal investigator’s office/lab is located off-site.
• Most summer students are engaged for the full summer term (May to August). The student should be engaged here for a minimum of 4 weeks.
• Available to work full-time onsite in downtown Toronto. Depending on the nature of the work some students may be able to participate in a hybrid model of both onsite and work-from-home. Students should be prepared however to work on site full-time if required.
• Fully vaccinated with two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Accommodations to this requirement under the Ontario Human Rights Codes may be available subject to supporting evidence.

**Please note that the hospital will conduct a reference check as well as a criminal background check for successful applicants (a criminal record does not necessarily disqualify you from employment)

Not all students are paid through the KRSS Program. The program consists of two different types of students:

1. Students hired as employees of the hospital and paid hourly wage that falls on a pay scale from $17.56 – $21.95.
2. Students registered as research volunteers who wish to gain experience in a research setting (Please note: volunteer students will not be paid stipends/honorariums at any time and will solely act as volunteers).

It is up to the PI to decide whether students will be paid.

Both the summer student and the PI (paid and volunteer), must complete the KRSS registration package in order to be registered through the Office of Research Administration.

The student will also need to create a profile (see “Getting Started” doc for either paid or volunteer at this link)

We recommend that you read the FAQs carefully as you might find the answer to your question. You can email KRSS.Program@unityhealth.to for any inquiries regarding the KRSS program. Please note this inbox is only checked periodically and response times will not be immediate.

For inquiries unrelated to the KRSS program, please contact KRSS Program.

Email: KRSS.Program@unityhealth.to