FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there a free research cloud in Canada?
Yes—myresearchcloud.ca offers free CPU and fractional GPU to Canadian students & researchers for up to a year.
2. How do I get a free GPU for research in Canada?
Apply for a free fractional GPU (8 GB VRAM) with 8 vCPUs, 32 GB RAM, and S3 storage.
3. Who can apply for free resources?
The free tier is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and students at Canadian institutions. Minors may apply with sponsorship from a parent, guardian, or teacher.
4. What kinds of projects are eligible?
Free resources are for non-commercial Canadian research and citizen science projects. Examples include genomics, AI/ML experiments, simulations, and community data projects.
5. How many times can I apply?
Each individual or organization is eligible for one free lifetime allocation. Continued use beyond the allocation cycle requires moving to a paid subscription.
6. What instance types are available?
Options range from 2 to 16 vCPUs, with memory and storage scaled accordingly. GPU-enabled instances with fractional GPU access are also available. See the Services page for full details.
7. How long does my allocation last?
All allocations run for one full year from their provisioned start date. There are now renewals of free allocations, but allocations can be transferred to the Academic & Nonprofit paid tier. Unused resources may be reclaimed to support other applicants.
8. Can I use my allocation for commercial work?
No. Free access is strictly for academic, educational, or community research. Commercial and for-profit use requires a paid subscription.
9. Do I need to back up my data?
Yes. While we host all compute and storage in Canada, applicants are responsible for securing and backing up their own data. Free access is provided on a best-effort basis.
10. How should I acknowledge myresearchcloud.ca in my work?
Please cite: “This work was supported in part through compute resources provided by myresearchcloud.ca, a service of Computing for Humanity.”