FAQ

Roughly 1,000 students are accepted each year.

Undergraduate programs

There are two ways to apply for CO-OP.

1. When you apply for admission to the University of Ottawa, submit an application to the CO-OP program of your choice (excluding translation and biomedical sciences programs). In order to be considered, you must have a minimum admission average of:

• 80% if you’re applying directly from high school and are accepted into first year or
• 75% if you’ve completed at least two years of CEGEP.

* Once your CO-OP application has been approved, a spot will be reserved for you. However, you must have the minimum average required in order to be officially accepted into the program.

2. Once you’ve started your studies at uOttawa, submit an application to the CO-OP Program via uoZone.

Master’s level

You must have begun your studies at uOttawa before you can apply to a CO-OP program. You must have an average of 75% (B+) or higher to be admitted.

Check the admission requirements and application deadlines as they vary from one discipline to another.

As soon as you start at the University of Ottawa, Check the COOP Navigator to ensure you are listed in CO-OP. If you aren’t, please contact the CO-OP Office right away.

In most programs, you have to maintain an average of 80% (8.0) or higher in your first year (or in your first and second year for programs where the first placement will be in your third year). You must subsequently remain in good academic standing (as determined by the requirements of your program).

• In master’s programs, students must apply before September 30 of their first year.
• In most undergraduate programs, students must apply before September 30 of their second year.
• In accounting, physics and biopharmaceutical science programs, students must apply before March 1 of their second year.
• In biotechnology, chemistry and translation programs, students must apply before September 30 of their third year.

We review your application to see what your marks are in the current session. Depending on whether your CGPA has increased or decreased, we may change your position on the waiting list. Be aware, however, that a limited number of CO-OP students are accepted into each program. Your position on the waiting list may also change as a result of the number of applications we receive. 

Yes. If your average drops below the minimum required to stay in the CO-OP Program (usually a CGPA of 6.0 for undergraduate programs and 7.0 for master’s programs), you’ll have two sessions to bring your average back up before you may be asked to withdraw from the program. In order to obtain a CO-OP attestation on your diploma, you must finish your degree with an average equal to or higher than the admission average.

• For programs where the first placements takes place in the Summer session:
  • If you bring your CGPA up to at least the minimum required for the program by the end of the Fall session, you’ll automatically be placed on a waiting list. If a space opens up and you still meet the admission criteria, your application will be considered for four work terms, starting in the summer and then according to the regular schedule for placements.
• For programs where the first placement takes place in the Winter session:
  • If you’re successful in bringing your CGPA up by the end of the Summer session to the minimum required for the program, or higher, you will automatically be placed on a waiting list. If a space opens up and you still meet the admission criteria, your application will then be considered.

If you’re admitted into the CO-OP Program, you must follow specific course and work term sequences and remain enrolled full time in the courses related to your program during the entire sequence. If you’re missing any prerequisite courses, you won’t be able to follow the mandatory sequence and can’t be admitted at another time.

It depends on how many credits you need to complete once you’re granted equivalences for your prior studies and on whether you’ll be able to follow the required work-study sequence for your program. In addition to having the necessary grade point average, usually you’ll have to have completed a certain number of compulsory courses before doing a work term and have enough courses still to complete so that you retain full-time status in the remaining study sessions of the work-study sequence. Should you have any question regarding your courses, please contact your faculty.

If the change involves programs in the same faculty, usually there’s no problem. However, if the change involves different faculties, your first work term may be delayed. If you do decide to change programs, make sure you check the compulsory course and admission requirements of your new program very carefully.

Admission offers from the University are usually sent out at the end of June.  So, you can go ahead and register for your winter courses while waiting for an answer from the CO-OP Office. If you are accepted into CO-OP, simply cancel your registration in the winter courses. If you do cancel your course registration for the winter term, be sure to cancel your course registration before the deadline for paying tuition fees.

Contact the Academic Advisor at your faculty.

Yes

The credits count only towards meeting the requirements needed to have the CO-OP mention on your diploma. They don’t take replace any of the academic credits you need to meet the requirements of your discipline program.

You will receive either a Pass or a Fail grade, which is determine based on the employer’s evaluation of your work and your faculty’s evaluation of your work term report. Your average won’t be affected if you receive a passing grade. However, if you receive a failing grade, your CGPA will be negatively affected. 

You must contact the CO-OP Office and your faculty before you make any changes. Admission requirements and compulsory course requirements vary from one discipline to another. 

As with regular courses, there are specific but different CO-OP deadlines that must be met. For example, if you decide to participate in the placement process (interviews, etc.), you cannot withdraw until after you’ve completed your work term. This particular rule is in place so that we can honour our commitment to employers, without whom the CO-OP Program wouldn’t exist. To withdraw from CO-OP, please come by the CO-OP Office.

It is linked with the first program that will appear on your diploma. If the disciplines are in two different faculties, CO-OP is linked to the program in the faculty you registered with.

In the regular honour’s programs, students finish in the spring of their fourth year. In most programs, students in the CO-OP option finish eight months later, that is, in December of their fifth year. At the master’s level, CO-OP adds one additional session to the program.

It’s possible to do your master’s after doing CO-OP. Keep in mind, however, that the CO-OP Program delays your graduation from your undergraduate program, so you won’t be able to start your master’s until the following fall. That being said, some graduate programs require work experience as a prerequisite, something you would gain in the CO-OP Program.

It’s possible to go to medical school after doing CO-OP, but keep in mind that doing CO-OP will delay your graduation. In addition, some medical schools require uninterrupted studies; students in CO-OP, however, alternate between work and study terms. Be sure to check the admission requirements for each medical school you’re going to apply to.

Yes. However, you can take only one evening course at a time as long as it doesn’t prevent you from following the required course sequence in the academic session after your work term (because you’re now further ahead in the sequence or because you don’t have enough courses left to remain full time). Any exceptions to this must be approved by the CO-OP Office.

Yes. You must be registered in at least 12 credits per session (definition of full time). Be aware, too, that your last session in the CO-OP Program must be a full-time academic session, not a work term.

Yes. CO-OP students must pay an additional fee beginning with the session prior to their first work term and for every subsequent work term thereafter. However, when you’re doing a placement, you only pay the CO-OP fees, unless you’re registered in a course as well. The CO-OP fees are set each spring by the Registrar’s Office.

Students in a mandatory CO-OP program pay CO-OP fees (announced every year by the Registrar) during each study term.

The fees allow students to participate in the CO-OP program and benefit from the value-added services provided by the CO-OP Office.

CO-OP fees are due at the same time as tuition fees. Be sure to check the list of important dates and deadlines on the University’s website to find out when this is. Payments and late fees are handled by Financial Resources.  

CO-OP fees are like membership dues and give you access to numerous services. These fees are mandatory regardless of how you go about finding a placement.

The CO-OP fees preceding the first work term is not refundable. However, during a work term, you don’t have to pay the CO-OP fees if you are not matched.

Yes. Many CO-OP students have completed work terms outside Canada. These placements require extra planning but they’re worth it. See the Mobility section of our website for more information.

Yes. Many CO-OP students have completed work term placements elsewhere in Canada. In fact, some programs lead to positions in job markets available only outside the Ottawa area. To get the most out of your CO-OP experience, be sure to look into placements in other cities and countries.

You’re eligible for an international CO-OP placement if you’ve paid your CO-OP fees, met with a professional development specialist at the CO-OP Office and completed all necessary pre-departure activities.

Yes. However, you must get approval in advance from the CO-OP Office to be absent during a work term or the placement process. Generally speaking, if the exchange is approved by the University and counts towards meeting the requirements of your program, you’ll be given approval to do the exchange. Every case is evaluated individually and the approval depends on many different criteria. If you plan to participate in the international study exchange program, be sure to get approval from the CO-OP Office before applying for the exchange.

You need to complete all the work terms required by your program unless the CO-OP Office grants you an exception. There are four placements in most programs, except accounting, civil law, translation and master’s programs.

In most programs, the first work term takes place in the summer after your second year, but exact start dates vary from one program to the next. Programs for which you apply by September 30 of your second year usually require you to complete your first work term in the summer following your second year.

Programs for which you apply by March 1 usually require you to do your first work term in the fall or winter of your third year.

Graduate programs for which you apply by September 30 of your first year usually require you to do your first work term in the summer following your first year.

Full-time work term placements usually run for 16 weeks (four months). However, shorter work terms may be possible in special circumstances.

There are three ways to obtain a placement:

1. You can do a placement organized by the CO-OP Office.
   • The CO-OP Office posts all job offers and arranges interviews on campus. The CO-OP Program coordinators make every effort to find you placements in your field of study.
2. You can find your own placement.
   • You must have the job description approved by the CO-OP Office. The employer must provide written confirmation they would like to hire you. In order for the placement to be admissible, it must be a paid position, be related to your field of study and involve a minimum of 16 weeks of full-time employment.
3. You can do another placement with a previous employer.

Your wages depend on the salary range of the employer. Generally, they vary from $450 to $750 per week, depending on the employer and the field.

Your grade is based on the employer’s evaluation of your work and on your faculty’s evaluation of your work term report. You will receive either a Pass or a Fail grade at the end of each placement.

Yes. We schedule mid-term evaluations halfway through the session to meet with you and your employer. We also follow up to make sure the goals you and your employer set are being achieved.