Unpaid or underpaid co-op work terms

students sitting across table from manager

The priority is for you to secure a paid co-op opportunity. However, we recognize that in some circumstances, certain unpaid or underpaid roles may offer valuable learning experiences and may be considered for co-op credit. 

Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) reviews these jobs on a case-by-case basis as they must meet specific criteria. 

Unpaid or underpaid jobs

  • Underpaid jobs pay less than the regional minimum wage.
    • Some roles may offer other forms of support, such as stipends, honorariums or company equity, but these do not count as wages unless minimum pay requirements are met.
  • Unpaid jobs provide no wages.

All unpaid or underpaid roles must be:

  • Legal in the work location under applicable labour laws.
    • In Canada, minimum wage varies by province.
    • Internationally, you will need to research minimum wage in the work location.
  • Covered by appropriate workplace safety and all clinical and clinical adjacent roles must include minimum liability insurance.
  • Submitted through an Arrange Own Job form and approved before you begin work.

You should not start work until all required approvals and insurance coverage are in place. 

Jobs that are not approved

Unpaid or underpaid jobs are not eligible if they involve: 

  • Fees paid by the student to apply to or participate in the job (unless offset by an approved award) 
  • For profit employers 
  • Working alongside paid students 
  • Commission based pay structures (either full or partial)  
  • Locations where unpaid work is not legally permitted 

Jobs that may be approved

Jobs within Canada or USA

Unpaid or underpaid roles may be considered in settings such as:

  • Charitable organizations, NGOs, not-for-profits or humanitarian organizations
  • Sports organizations where it is not the industry practice to pay students (Health students only)
    • Exception for fall 2025 – spring 2027: Students from any co-op program may consider these roles
  • Startups and new entrepreneurial ventures
  • Academic research settings
    • Outside of the University of Waterloo, research positions require a minimum stipend of $3,000 CAD
    • Any other forms of alternative remuneration must be in addition to a cash stipend

University of Waterloo jobs

Unpaid or underpaid roles at Waterloo may be considered in settings such as: 

  • Research jobs within a faculty 
    • Note: Members of the Faculty of Science cannot employ unpaid or underpaid co-op students from any faculty. 
    • Waterloo students who do unpaid research jobs at the University are not considered unpaid learners under the insurance policy. 
  • Entrepreneurial ventures through an approved Waterloo program including: 
  • Formalized student design team member sponsored or endorsed by a Waterloo faculty member 
    • These jobs are only accepted once your scheduled work term has begun 
      • Exception for fall 2025 – spring 2027: These jobs can be accepted at any time during the recruiting term. 
    • You can only have one of these work terms during your co-op sequence 
      • Exception for fall 2025 – spring 2027: You can complete one additional unpaid work term with an approved design team. 

Clinical positions

Clinical and clinical adjacent roles may be considered when unpaid work is industry standard. CEE requires hospitals, clinics and other clinical and clinical-adjacent settings (including but not limited to not-for-profit retirement facilities, some social service organizations) offering unpaid positions to sign an unpaid placement agreement, and provide proof of liability coverage, at minimum: 

  • $5M in professional/malpractice liability insurance per occurrence OR 
  • $5M in commercial liability insurance per occurrence 

Some employers may not have the required liability insurance or may not want to sign the unpaid placement agreement. In these cases, the opportunity would not be eligible for co-op credit. If the industry standard for a particular profession requires below $5M per occurrence in liability insurance (and the employer meets the professional standard), these situations may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  If you are considering an unpaid position in these types of settings, please contact your co-op advisor before you commit to the position to discuss your situation. Your Co-op Advisor can also provide you with a copy of the unpaid placement agreement for reference. 

Some hospitals require affiliation agreements tied to academic courses or programs. These agreements usually do not cover co‑op employment, and those roles are not eligible for co‑op credit. 

Jobs outside of Canada or USA

International opportunities are sometimes a little different than jobs in Canada or the United States, depending on local labour guidelines, remuneration standards and employment culture. We understand that sometimes this means international jobs are compensated differently, and will consider unpaid/underpaid positions if they meet the following guidelines: 

  • Paid work meets local market compensation. 
  • Unpaid roles may be considered only where unpaid work is standard practice and must include some form of remuneration (e.g., meals, transit, housing, flights). 
    • Paid and unpaid students may work within the same organization if this reflects local employment norms. 
  • Canadian and U.S. multinational companies at a minimum must compensate students according to destination‑country standards. 
  • Students can opt to pay the employer for room and board if the room and board are required for the job (but should also be able to arrange alternative accommodations if preferred). 

We strongly encourage you to negotiate compensation or supports (e.g., salary, permit fees, subsidized flights, accommodation, meals, local travel, etc.) before accepting an international role. For tips on how to negotiate salary and other compensation, visit CareerHub or reach out to your Co-op Advisor.