Join MIC
Become part of the community
Applications are reviewed every semester. We welcome students from all programs and years who are serious about quantum and classical machine learning.
Why Join
What you gain as a MIC member
MIC membership is a serious commitment and a serious opportunity. Here is what you can expect.
Structured learning
Access to our QML curriculum, curated reading lists, and a proven progression from foundational material to frontier research.
Real research experience
Contribute to active projects, co-author technical reports, and build a research portfolio that distinguishes your graduate applications.
Expert mentorship
Paired mentorship from senior members and research leads. Direct access to Prof. Vasquez for project guidance and recommendation letters.
Hands-on skills
Workshops on PennyLane, Qiskit, PyTorch, and research engineering practices — skills you need to run real experiments.
Research network
Connections with researchers at Perimeter Institute, Vector Institute, IBM Quantum, and leading quantum computing groups worldwide.
Competitive opportunities
Priority access to hackathons, conference travel funding opportunities, and referrals for research internships and co-op positions.
Who Should Apply
We look for curiosity, not credentials
MIC does not have a prerequisite GPA or a required course list. We evaluate applicants on demonstrated interest and intellectual engagement, not academic ranking. A student who has read and wrestled with one quantum computing paper is a stronger candidate than one with top grades and no relevant curiosity.
That said, you should have — or be actively building — comfort with linear algebra, probability theory, and at least one programming language (Python preferred). These are the tools we use daily. We will help you build on them; we cannot replace them from scratch.
Strong applicants typically have:
Application Process
How to apply
Submit the application form
Complete our short application form (linked above). We ask about your background, interests, and what you hope to contribute. Takes about 15 minutes.
Brief interview
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a 20-minute chat with a research lead. No whiteboard problems — just a conversation about your interests and goals.
Decision within 2 weeks
We notify all applicants within two weeks of the application deadline. Accepted members are invited to orientation and onboarded to a research stream.
Onboarding & stream matching
New members complete a two-week onboarding process, meet their mentor, and are matched to a research stream based on interests and capacity.
For Collaborators
Collaborate with MIC
Beyond student membership, we welcome partnerships with faculty, industry, and peer institutions.
Faculty & Researchers
- Propose a supervised project for club members
- Co-run a reading group on your research area
- Offer office hours or mentorship sessions
- Give a guest lecture for credit
- Co-author technical reports with student contributors
Industry Sponsors
- Sponsor a semester-long research project
- Donate cloud compute credits (AWS, IBM Quantum, etc.)
- Co-design a real-world challenge problem
- Attend demos and provide expert feedback
- Recruit from our member network
Student Organizations
- Co-host workshops or hackathons
- Collaborate on joint reading groups
- Share resources and speaker networks
- Exchange knowledge with peer clubs at other universities
Applications are open now
Spots are limited each intake. Submit your application before the deadline to be considered for the current cohort.