Undergrads as RAs at Other Universities: A Common Practice?

[JeffN]

How common is it for Canadian undergrads to hold RA positions at universities that they don't attend?

 

[InbredDummy]

How common is it for Canadian undergrads to hold RA positions at universities that they don't attend?

In order to be an RA you need to be a resident of the school to begin with. I have never heard of someone who does not attend the school being an RA.

 

[JeffN]

ah, that's what I figured

thanks

 

[Laura1013]

It depends on what you mean by an RA. Usually the term Research Assistant applies to students of that university. However, I was called a Research Associate at another universities' summer program. I was not a student of that university; I was like a temporary employee with the title RA.

I'm not in Canada, so I can't help you with there.

 

[oedipa maas]

The vast majority of my classmates worked at other universities sometime during undergrad. If you get an NSERC a travel grant is actually included on top of your stipend.

 

[InbredDummy]

ah, that's what I figured

thanks

i did want to add: it is certainly not impossible just because it isn't the norm. it can't hurt to send out emails to universities you might be interested in taking an RA position in.

 

[vincebs]

In order to be an RA you need to be a resident of the school to begin with. I have never heard of someone who does not attend the school being an RA.

Not true. This summer I was an RA at USC (home of the Trojans), but I'm an undergraduate at the University of Toronto.

To JeffN: it's generally hard to get a visa for RA-ship at an American university, you'll have to be persistent and contact people early (like 6 months before). And not being American, we aren't eligible for REUs, though you can check out NSERC (the Canadian NSF)'s undergraduate student research awards, which are also competitive to get. Good luck

 

[JeffN]

Looking back, my original post was a bit too vague probably :)

I'm a second year math student at uwaterloo, and I was actually hoping to go "back home" for a term, maybe work for the university there, which isn't as well known as uw, and whose math department is also much smaller. (Looking at their website though, it does say that all of their math profs are also active in their research so...)

I mean, seeing as how I'm only a second year math student, I doubt I"ll have anything to go on here, but who would be the appropriate person to contact at the university? HR, perhaps, or maybe the math department head?

 

[oedipa maas]

Why don't you try e-mailing somebody at the university in your hometown whose research looks interesting? That's the best way to snag a job.