Application form & deadlines


Joining INRS and the Optical Zeitgeist Laboratory is simple and straightforward. Please bear in mind, however, that the administrative process may take months, and should therefore be planned sufficiently early.

Step 1: Contact Prof. Martin Maier

Write an email to Prof. Maier (maier@ieee.org) describing briefly:
  1. Your research and professional interests; including a CV is a plus.
  2. Why you chose INRS and the Optical Zeitgeist Laboratory.
  3. Your target degree and starting date.
In deciding your target starting date, keep in mind the following application deadlines:

Target Starting Term

Canadian Students

Overseas Students

Fall (Sep. to Dec.)

30 March

30 March

Winter (Jan. to Apr.)

1 November

30 September

Summer (May to Aug.)

1 March

30 January


Step 2: Complete the INRS application

Once your application is approved by Prof. Maier, you need to complete the INRS application form. That means:
  1. Fill in the online application form (in French only) (https://portail.adm.inrs.ca/ide/portail/index.html)
  2. Provide the following required documents:
    • An original birth certificate
    • Official transcript plus official document attesting that you have earned the diploma which you are presenting as the basis for your application
    • Three references. The candidate evaluation reports have to be submitted online here (in French only): (https://portail.adm.inrs.ca/ide/repondant/nouveau.html#section=formulaire)
    • A CDN$45 cheque or money order payable to INRS


      • Send the assembled application file to the following address:
      Bureau du registraire
      Institut national de la recherche scientifique
      490, de la Couronne
      Québec (Québec) CANADA
      G1K 9A9
More information on the INRS application may be found here (in French only): http://www.inrs.ca/etudier/admission-et-bourses.

Step 3 (Overseas Students): Apply for a student visa
A few weeks after completing the INRS admission application, a successful applicant will receive a letter of admission by mail. That letter is required for the subsequent steps of a student permit application:
  1. Apply for a Certificat d’Acceptation du Québec (CAQ) from the Province of Québec:
    Obtaining a CAQ, a requirement of the province of Québec, implies a separate application process described here: http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/electronic-services/caq-electronic/index.html.
    The processing fee is CDN$100. A checklist of the required items can be found here: http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/electronic-services/caq-electronic/new-application.html
  2. Next, apply for a student visa from your nearest Canadian embassy: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/missions.asp
    The following items are typically required for a Canadian student visa application:
    •    Valid passport
    •    Proof of receipt of CAQ application
    •    Letter of admission from INRS
    •    Proof of sufficient funds such as a scholarship letter or a recent bankbook
    •    A processing fee of CDN$125
More information for overseas students can be found here: