BIO400Y5 - Biology Internship Course

About the Course

BIO400 offers senior Biology students the chance to apply their life science knowledge and skills in a 200-hour unpaid work placement for academic credit. This typically involves one full day or two half-days of placement work per week throughout the academic year (during the fall and winter semesters). Possible placements include private-sector organizations (e.g., pharmaceutical and biotech companies) or public-sector institutions (e.g., hospitals, government agencies) within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

The BIO400Y5 Experiential Learning Officer arranges placements after you successfully complete an initial interview, skills assessment, and resume review.

Please note: The application and interview process for the 2025/2026 academic year has been completed. If you are interested in taking BIO400Y5, applications for the 2026/2027 academic year will open in February 2026. No more applications will be accepted for the 2025/2026 year.

Placement Matching

We make every effort to match students with placement sites that fit their academic background, interests, and experience, but there is no guarantee of placement type. Once a potential match is identified, you will interview with the site supervisor. Both you and the site must agree on the placement for it to proceed.

Final acceptance into BIO400 depends on being hired as an intern by a placement site. This course is a valuable chance to experience a real-world work environment.

• Contingency Courses: If you are accepted into BIO400, you will be asked to enroll in 1.0 contingency course(s)in case your placement does not finalize.
• International Students: If you are an international student, please contact the UTM International Education Centre (IEC) to confirm your eligibility for placement work in an academic internship course.

Requirements

• Bi-weekly class meetings from September to April.
• A year-end report and a presentation are required for course completion.
• Full details on requirements and application steps are on the UTM Biology Student Quercus page. If you don’t have access, email utmbio.advising@utoronto.ca.

Application Instructions

1. Prepare Your Documents
   1. Personal statement
   2. Placement rankings form
   3. Resume (see details below)
2. Reference Contact
   • Gather contact information for one UTM Faculty or TA willing to act as a reference.
   • Do not request a letter—just obtain permission to list their contact.
3. Complete the Online Form
   • Access the MS Form here: https://forms.office.com/r/Mudkdf10zm
   • *NOTE: Applications are currently closed and will re-open for the 2026-2027 academic year in February 2026.
4. Upload Required Files
   • When prompted, upload your personal statement, placement rankings form, and resume.

Placement Ranking Details

You will classify your preferences for each listed Activity, Subject, Work Environment, and Location as High (H), Medium (M), or Low (L). If you would refuse a certain activity, label it “X.” These rankings help us match you to a suitable placement.
Access the Placement Rankings Form at the link provided in the application instructions.

Personal Statement Details

• Focus on your top 3 ranked items from the placement form. Explain why they interest you more than the others, mentioning strengths and areas where you’d like to grow or learn new skills.
• Briefly discuss the lowest 3 items (including any “X” ratings) and why they are less appealing.
• Your personal statement should be no more than 250 words.

Resume

• Upload your resume in PDF format.
• Before finalizing, review the Resume & Cover Letter Toolkit (available through the UTM Career Centre) to ensure quality.
• Include your UTOR email on your resume (avoid using other email accounts).

Application Deadline

The deadline to apply for BIO400Y5 for the 2026/2027 academic year will be announced in February 2026 when applications open.

Choosing Between BIO400 or BIO481?

Many students are unsure which course suits them best. You cannot be enrolled in both BIO400 and BIO481 at the same time. The Department of Biology hosted an information session featuring current students, alumni, faculty, and staff to discuss both courses. Watch the recording of this session to learn more and make an informed decision.

For any questions about BIO400 or BIO481, contact:
utmbio.advising@utoronto.ca