If you’ve found a co-op job outside of the Full-Cycle Service or Employer-Student Direct job boards on WaterlooWorks, you’ll need to submit an Arrange Your Own Job (AOJ) form so we can review it for co-op credit and create a work term record. We review each submission individually to make sure it meets our standard or flexible work term requirements.
If you are returning to a previous employer, follow the steps outlined on our Returning to Previous Employer page.
How to submit your AOJ form
After accepting your job offer, you need to submit an AOJ form within seven days. Before you begin, have a copy of your job description and employment offer available, as you’ll need information from those documents to complete the form. You should also let your employer, hiring manager or supervisor know that someone from Co-operative and Experiential Education will contact them to verify job details.
To submit your AOJ:
- Go to WaterlooWorks > Submit a Form > Work Term Employment Offer
- Select the form that matches where you will physically be working from (not where the company is based)
- Fill out the form with as much detail as possible, including job title, start and end dates, job responsibilities, pay and supervisor contact information
- Upload proof that you accepted the job offer (offer letter or confirmation email)
Once we receive your form, our next step is to contact your employer and verify it’s a quality experience and will provide opportunities for skill development. This typically takes about seven business days to review unless we need additional information or are waiting to hear from your employer. The submission of an AOJ form does not guarantee credit for employment. Submitting this form will also lead to the removal of any active applications you still have within the Full-Cycle Service job board.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your Co-op Advisor.
Special circumstances
- Employer has you sign “Student Employment Acknowledgment Form”: This is a document that confirms your employment details. If requested, you can complete it and your employer will submit the job details on your behalf.
- Unpaid or underpaid jobs in Canada or the U.S.: You’ll need to explain any additional compensation (like stipends, housing or other benefits) so we can assess if it meets co-op requirements.
- Working for multiple employers during your work term: If you're working for multiple employers as part of a flexible co-op credit, you'll need to submit a separate AOJ form for each job. We will only review your submission once all forms are received.
Understanding your AOJ form status
You can track the status of your AOJ form on WaterlooWorks while you wait for a response.
| AOJ form status | Description |
|---|---|
| Under review | We’ve received your form and are reviewing it. |
| Job content accepted, pending employer confirmation | Your job meets co-op requirements, and we will confirm details with your employer. Your WaterlooWorks status will be changed to "Unemployed-Awaiting Decision." |
| Employer confirmation in progress | We are in the process of confirming your work term details with your employer. |
| On hold — pending more information | More information is required. You'll receive a message if further action is required of you. |
| On hold — pending employer confirmation | We contacted the employer listed on the form for verification and are awaiting their response. |
| Job approved |
Your Arranged Own Job has been approved for co-op credit. Your job will now be registered on WaterlooWorks and your status will be changed to “EJ" (Employed: Jointly Arranged) or "ES" (Employed: Student Arranged). |
| Job declined — not accepted | Your job does not meet the requirements for co-op credit and cannot be approved. You will be notified that the job content was not accepted for credit. You can resubmit your form if the details of the job change. |
| Job declined — no response from employer/student | We didn’t receive the required information from you or your employer. If we receive the required information, the process may begin again. You can resubmit your form if circumstances change. |
| Cancelled/withdraw | The AOJ form was withdrawn by the student or cancelled by a staff member if the circumstances did not require a form to be submitted. |