Applications are now open for the 2026 UNBC 3MT® competition

We are excited to announce the upcoming Graduate Student 3MT® Competition! This event provides an excellent opportunity for 3rd-4th year graduate students to showcase their research and engage with peers across all faculties. Please review the following details carefully to ensure your eligibility and successful application.

3MT® is a university-wide competition for UNBC Masters and PhD research students in which participants present the main idea of their research in 3 minutes or less to a panel of non-specialist judges. The challenge is to present complex research material in an engaging, compelling way, using only one static slide.

Application and Selection Process

  • Deadline: Tuesday March 16th, 2026 @ 12:00pm (PST)
  • Selection: We will select ten graduate research students, ensuring all faculties are represented.
  • Notification: Successful applicants will be notified on or before March 26th, 2026.

Competition Date:  Tuesday April 7th, 2026
Time:                        3:00pm to 5:30pm
Location:                  7-212 Lecture Theatre
Reception:               Afterwards

Eligibility Requirements

  • Students registered in degree programs that are course-based are not eligible.
  • Students must:
    • Be actively working on their research project.
    • Not be enrolled in a course-based program.
  • Supervisors must:
    • Approve the student’s application.
    • Confirm that participation does not compromise research confidentiality or intellectual property.
  • To participate in 3MT®, you must currently be an active graduate research student (Masters/PhD).
  • Each participant’s supervisor must approve registration, confirming that their student has completed substantial progress in research and analysis of their research topic.
  • Graduate students at any stage of their program are eligible to participate.  Graduate students who have already defended their research but have not yet convocated are eligible to participate.
  • Each participant must consent to have their 3MT® presentation video recorded and shared with the other participants, as well as have the presentation posted online.
  • Presentations must be based on research that is directly related to the student’s graduate research.
  • Students that participated in previous 3MT® competitions are eligible to participate again, but their presentation must be new.
  • Competitors must attend in person to the final event to give their live 3MT® presentation.
  • To advance in the competition, winners must also be available to present at the 3MT® Western Regional Finals location has yet to be announced.
  • Presenters must submit their final slide and title of their presentation via email to the Graduate Experience Coordinator following these guidelines:
    • Subject Line: Title of PowerPoint
    • Full name and a brief overview of your Research Program and who your supervisor is (if you are a successful candidate, this will be used to introduce you to the committee and community)
    • A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted (no slide transitions, animations or 'movement' of any description, the slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration).
    • PowerPoint slide should be created using an aspect ratio of 16:9.
    • No additional electronic media (e.g., sound, video files) are permitted. 

Confidentiality and intellectual property guidelines

  • The 3MT® presentation must represent the research of the presenter only.
  • The presentation of the research will not affect any preexisting rights regarding its use at all times, prior to, and following the competition except as stated below:
  • Due to the nature of the competition, judges, reviewers, staff, or the audience will not be asked to sign non-disclosure statements.
  • If your research is being/has been conducted under contract with an outside sponsor, please discuss the related contractual terms of confidentiality and intellectual property with your supervisor before submitting a registration form.
  • All public sessions of the competition, including but not limited to oral presentations, are open to the public at large; all these public sessions will be broadcast to interested people through virtual media.
  • Any data or information presented or divulged in public sessions should be considered in the public domain.
  • If your research includes confidential or culturally sensitive material, you should think very carefully about how you can present this information as it will be considered public domain when you present it.  Your supervisor must approve your registration form to compete in the 3MT®.

Application Process

  • Both the student and supervisor must complete the registration form.
  • The application form will automatically be forwarded to your supervisor once you enter their name and email address.
    • Ensure the email address is correct.
  • If the supervisor approves, the notification will go directly to the Office of Graduate Administration.
  • If the supervisor denies, you will receive the notification directly.
  • Only supervisor-approved forms will be processed by our office.
Please confirm you have reviewed the above guidelines: *