Riipen developed Level UP to bridge the gap between learning and work for Canadian students and employers. Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative, Level UP empowers students through experiential learning projects.

Students gain resume-building and industry experience while developing critical soft skills like communications and project management. The internships are paid and students earn $1,400 for each project completed, paid directly through Riipen. Employers obtain much needed assistance from eager and talented interns at no cost. Read more about what sets Level UP apart.

The terms and conditions can be found on our dedicated pages for students and employers.

Here are some helpful guides to get started with Level UP for students and for employers.

Check your eligibility status on our landing pages for students and employers.

Level UP is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Innovative Work-Integrated Learning (I-WIL) Initiatives program. Since it is a government funded program, we need to adhere to strict guidelines to ensure the eligibility for payment as per our funding agreement. Learn more about it here.

Each team is usually limited to 1 student. A student can collaborate with other students who have matched with the same project (if the project demands it) with the approval of the employer.

Think of a cycle like a cohort, or group. Each cycle corresponds to our round of funding. Opportunities are limited, and the Level UP funding cycle will close once capacity is reached. More on this and other key Level UP terms in our help article.

Yes, Level UP is available in French, including communications, marketing materials, and support. Any project posted in French is available and Riipen offers French-speaking support through the avocado icon in the bottom corner of the platform.

Level UP projects offer flexibility for students needing extra time due to emergencies, cognitive needs or unforeseen life changes. Use clear communication to talk to the employer about your needs. Riipen encourages employers to provide the necessary support for student success. If you require special accommodations due to a special circumstance, please make sure that your employer is made aware of it at the beginning of the project and that you connect with the LU team immediately via chat feature in the bottom right corner of the Level UP main page.

Side agreements between employers and students cannot be tracked and therefore are not honoured by Riipen. Students and employers have to ensure that the internship rules are being followed so that there are no misunderstandings that could render the student ineligible for receiving their stipend.

Unfortunately, Side agreements between employers and students cannot be tracked and therefore are not honoured by Riipen.

Students can complete up to 3 projects per cycle. Projects may be worked on simultaneously, but you cannot do more than 30 hours per week on Level UP projects.

Read our guide on making yourself stand out during the application process.

Students apply directly to projects, and employers accept applications. Employers do not search for students to join the project. Read more here.

Yes, AI can be a useful tool, unless instructed otherwise by the employer. All projects must encompass 60 hours of work, and you must upload deliverables and working documents to demonstrate completion, even when AI is employed. While students are allowed to use AI for assistance, they must demonstrate their effort and work, showing that AI was used only as a tool to aid them, not to complete the entire project.

See our blog on how you can leverage Level UP projects as part of your job search.

Unfortunately, no. Students are only paid for 60 hours that are completed by ensuring they follow the rules that keep them eligible for the payout. Riipen does not compensate anyone over and above outside of the internship agreement.

To ensure fairness and equity, all students join Level UP by verifying their eligibility and joining the waitlist. If you have a specific student in mind or wish to work with a student you have previously worked with, you can share a link to our eligibility form, securing them a spot on the list upon approval. Riipen does not bypass the waitlist to make exceptions for special requests. All students on the waitlist must wait their turn.

Yes, we check out this helpful resource for best practices & tips to succeed.

Each employer can post a maximum of 2 projects in the cycle/experience. Each of those projects can have up to 5 students working on them.

Employers can read this guide on Creating a Successful Level UP Project shares what you need to include in your project to have it approved by the Level UP team faster.

Yes, employers are responsible for providing necessary software licenses or access to students for work-related tasks, such as those in manufacturing or engineering roles.

Each employer can have only 1 account on Riipen and each account is allowed to have a maximum of 2 companies connected to it.

Projects span 60 hours, and students must fulfill the full 60 hours to be eligible for payment. These 60 hours must be completed between 2 - 8 weeks. Students may work for a maximum of 30 hours per week on Level UP projects. Partial payments are not available.

Yes, any necessary training or mentorship required to complete the project is included in the 60-hour work requirement. This includes the 5-hours of mentorship that employers must provide.

Students and employers can decide on the project start date together. However, projects must start within 3 weeks of matching or they will be cancelled. Please read more information here. It is important to note that opportunities are limited, and the Level UP funding cycle will close once capacity is reached.

Read this helpful article on how students and employers can change the project start and end date.

Continuous communication between students and employers throughout the project is essential for clarifying expectations, problem-solving, maintaining quality, fostering positive relationships, collaboration, and accountability. It's also a program requirement for payment eligibility.

The first step is to always try to work through challenges together. Learn more in these helpful articles for students and employers.

If a project reaches 60 hours, it is considered complete, and students are not required to exceed this limit. If an employer wishes to continue working with the student, they can have the student apply to another project to complete an additional 60 hours.

Please view our help article: Complete your Level UP project to view our evaluation process.

After completing a project $1,400 will be deposited directly into your bank account. Read more about this here.

Typically up to 21 business days after project completion.

To receive payment within our standard billing cycle, please ensure that your project fulfills all of our payment requirements. We are unable to expedite payment for individuals to maintain fairness and equality in our practices.

No, the payment is only reserved for active projects meeting specific criteria. More information can be found in the Team States article.

You'll receive a T4A tax form and can request a verification letter if needed. Read more here. Know that you will receive your T4A for the year that you received payment, which could be different from the year that you completed the project.

Riipen prohibits any work from being conducted off the platform until a student is matched to a project and initiates it officially by clicking the "start project" button.

While employer feedback is crucial for payment, it is not mandatory. If the employer hasn't given feedback, the Level UP team will review your submission five weeks after receiving it. During this period, we'll send reminders to your employer to complete feedback and help expedite the payment process.