Your co-op fee

two students looking at a piece of paper

Your student-paid co-op fee funds the delivery of the co-op program at Waterloo. Like tuition, this fee is required if you are enrolled in a co-op program. You’ll pay the fee in installments throughout your time at Waterloo. All undergraduate co-op students pay the co-op fee — as do some graduate students whose co-op programs are supported by the Co-operative Education department. Learn more about our graduate co-op programs.

Your co-op fee represents the cost of running the co-op program (including WE Accelerate) at Waterloo. We review the co-op fee amount each year to align with projected costs and determine whether an increase is needed. Factors such as service improvements, inflation and salary increases influence the co-op fee. The review process includes consultation with students and input on the services that the co-op fee funds. In recent years, the co-op fee has increased very modestly (from FY2020 to FY2024, the average annual increase was 0.7%). These factors contributed to our ability to keep these increases small:

  • The Ontario Government’s Bill 124 limited salary increases to 1% annually from 2020 to 2023. The bill has since been repealed and staff salaries have now increased significantly. Salary costs, including benefits, comprise approximately 80% of the total annual cost of running the co-op program and have a material impact on co-op fee increases.
  • For two years, during the pandemic, CEE and the University received temporary federal government funding through the Student Work Placement Program to fund co-op roles.
  • The switch to a virtual work environment during the pandemic resulted in significant cost savings including a reduction in travel costs (staff travel to visit employers and students as well as for business development and professional development purposes).

The Co-operative Education department directly incurs most of the costs of running the co-op program. These costs include salaries, technology, communication and marketing, supplies, promotion and advertising, business development, travel and other similar costs.

At the University level, additional costs are incurred centrally. The central costs include benefits (e.g., health and dental insurance), space occupancy expenses (e.g. water, heat, electricity) and the Co-operative Education department’s use of other University services such as Human Resources, Finance, etc.

Your co-op fee is intended to recover both the direct and centrally incurred expenses of running the co-op program at the University.

Throughout the Co-operative Education department, we continuously work to reduce our costs. However, like most things in our current economy, the cost of securing co-op jobs and running the Co-operative Education program has increased significantly.


Cost-saving measures

The following list outlines some of the cost-saving measures the Co-operative Education department is taking to minimize the co-op fee:

  • Stopping incremental hires and examining hiring needs to minimize costs while maintaining service levels
  • Workforce planning with a goal of fiscal restraint
  • Analyzing our business development expenses to ensure the greatest return possible
  • Reducing expenses (including promotional materials and printing costs)
  • Reducing reimbursable expenses for staff
  • Reducing the office space we use on campus to lower occupancy costs
  • Reducing travel costs (including limiting in-person employer and student visits, focusing on virtual connections and decreasing the number of in-person meetings)

The co-op fee is the primary source of funding for Co-operative Education. Other funding sources outside of the fee are used for specific projects (e.g., Co-op for Community funds student salaries to work at non-profit organizations).

We understand that students also feel the strain of the current economic situation. Our priority is to keep the co-op fee as low as possible while still offering you valuable service and responsibly managing our costs.

We are committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility and providing accurate and up-to-date information about your co-op fee on this page. If you have questions about your co-op fee, please use this form.


Your 2024/2025 co-op fee amount and breakdown

The co-op fee amount for 2024/2025 is $786. This amount represents a $30, or four per cent (4%), increase from 2023/2024. Co-operative Education determined this amount using our annual financial analysis and fee-setting process, which includes student consultations. The Board of Governors has approved this fee amount.

You’ll pay the co-op fee multiple times throughout your degree. To be clear, the co-op fee is not a "job-finding fee" per work term. It is a pro-rated fee that, over the course of a student's degree, recovers the full costs associated with running the co-op program.

In 2023/2024, the co-op fee funded a variety of initiatives including:

  • new student-support model to align with faculties and improve student services and continuity of care
  • specific industry engagement to secure relevant jobs and address the challenges of the current labour market
  • improvements to WaterlooWorks UI/UX
  • new initiatives and improvements to support student accessibility, EDI-R, and IR (including dedicated roles)
  • pilot of new Faculty of Health recruiting term model
  • WE Accelerate programming for first-work-term students
  • increase “Not Interested” rankings to five each term
  • update job postings to include compensation information and employment arrangement (in-person, remote or hybrid)

Your academic program determines when the co-op fee appears as a charge on your account in Quest. The cost of participating in co-op is spread throughout your degree to minimize the fees you’ll need to pay in any given term.


 Co-op fee allocation

Here is a breakdown of the $786 co-op fee amount. We’ve sorted every role and expense funded by your co-op fee into seven distinct categories of work/costs.

Co-op fee pie chart breaking down costs. Costs can be read on the page with descriptions.

Co-op employment process - $67

With thousands of students and employers, the core employment process must function effectively. Some key areas that funds in this category support include:

  • setting up WaterlooWorks before the start of term and ensuring it's ready for the incoming users
  • approving jobs and validating which clusters/levels they belong in
  • scheduling interviews through WaterlooWorks
  • facilitating interview day services including all the support for both students and employers
  • running the rank/match process and communicating the results to students and employers
  • confirming and approving Arranged Own Jobs (AOJs)
  • upgrading and improving WaterlooWorks
  • paying salaries and benefits for staff focused on this work

Co-op advising, program and resource development - $217

Student success is critical to co-operative education and advising students to support their success is an important part of that process. Among other things, co-op advising includes:

  • support for all students while on any work term, from their first through to their last
  • resource design and development targeting the changing and emerging needs and challenges of students in diverse situations
  • additional support for first-work-term students through the Centre for Career Development (e.g., résumé critiques, mock interviews, career advising, in-house and custom workshops)
  • consults for any students at a new employer, on their first or second to last work term, or in need of a consult based on their eCheckin responses
  • a focus on student success while on their recruiting term, from the beginning of term until employment
  • salaries and benefits for staff focused on this work

Twenty-eight per cent of our operating budget is allocated to advising co-op students, programming and resource development expenses. We’ve broken this down even further:

  • 6% of our operating budget goes toward specialized student support including pre-first work term programming and international advising
  • 16% of our operating budget goes toward work term support and advising scheduled and requested student consults support and help for students and their supervisors when facing issues
  • 6% of our operating budget goes toward general recruiting term support including students who are off campus for any reason (such as on an exchange)

Employer relationship management - $118

We work with more than 8,000 active employers. Many of the top employers in the world hire from Waterloo. Nurturing employer relationships is crucial to the success of our co-op program. To maintain this level of employer partnership, the co-op fee helps to support:

  • working with employers to understand their hiring needs
  • facilitating info sessions for employers to attract students
  • monitoring jobs throughout the process to ensure they are moving toward a hire
  • paying salaries and benefits for staff focused on this work

Faculty and institutional relations - $26

Academic programming is very much aligned with the co-op program. Communication between faculties and co-op is integral. Co-operative Education maintains strong relationships within the faculties to support more than 120 co-op programs. The co-op fee helps to support:

  • feasibility studies for new co-op programs
  • program reviews for existing co-op programs
  • liaising and strengthening relationships across each of the six faculties and other campus institutions
  • paying salaries and benefits for staff focused on this work.

New job development - $95

The University's employer network stretches across 60+ countries. Our business development team engages with hundreds of prospective employers through virtual events, networking, tradeshows, industry association partnerships, targeted promotions and advertising. New business is a priority to ensure the growth of Co-operative Education at Waterloo. The co-op fee helps to support:

  • increasing the number of students hired and the diversity of programs employers hire from
  • onboarding of new employers - including coaching on funding opportunities, program options, hiring procedures and effective student coaching/evaluation using a research-based approach to understand key job market trends and emerging industries, roles and opportunities to engage new employers
  • seeking external funding opportunities (e.g., CEWIL iHUB, Mitacs)
  • paying salaries and benefits for staff focused on this work.

Infrastructure and administration - $149

In 2022, we processed more than 25,100 co-op work terms in WaterlooWorks. Our infrastructure and administration support all five areas of work listed above. The co-op fee supports infrastructure and administration including:

  • technical support for posting, interviewing and hiring co-op students
  • WaterlooWorks licensing and maintenance
  • management and administration
  • process improvement, pilots and new program development
  • external relations (e.g., association work, delegation representations)
  • paying salaries and benefits for staff focused on this work.

University services and occupancy costs - $114

University Services represent the cost of the Co-operative Education department’s use of the University’s services (e.g., Finance, Legal and Immigration Services, Central Stores, Information Systems & Technology, Procurement, Safety Office etc.) and space to do our work. The administrative fee charged to Co-operative Education is based on total costs incurred.

Space occupancy costs represent the costs of utilities and maintenance for campus space Co-operative Education uses and are calculated based on net-assignable square metres at specified rates.

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Co-op fee by program

The number of times you pay the co-op fee varies by program. The co-op fee is associated with your enrollment in the co-op program (like tuition). It is not a "job-finding fee" per work term. Instead, it represents the cost of running the co-op program and is spread out over a number of academic terms.

This chart outlines how many terms and which terms you’ll need to pay the fee (per program) throughout your undergraduate career. You can get an estimated total cost by multiplying the current fee by the number of times you pay. For example:

  • $786* x 8 = $6,288
  • $786* x 6 = $4,716
  • $786* x 5 = $3,930
  • $786* x 4 = $3,144

Note: The $786 co-op fee amount is for the 2024/25 fiscal year only - it is reviewed annually and is subject to change. Visit the Tuition Fee Schedule to find out your fees based on your program and the current term.

See when and how often you pay based on your faculty and program:

Arts

Programs following 2018 undergraduate calendar earlier

Program When you pay Total times paid
Accounting and Financial Management 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Arts and Business 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Computing and Financial Management 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Economics, Mathematical Economics 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
English (all majors) 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
History 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Political Science; Psychology; Sociology 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 5

Programs following 2019 undergraduate calendar forward

Program

When you pay

Total times paid

Accounting and Financial Management 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Arts and Business 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Computing and Financial Management 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Global Business and Digital Arts 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 4
Honours Arts Co-op 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Sustainability and Financial Management 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6

Engineering

Program When you pay Total times paid
Architectural Engineering 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Architecture (following 2022 undergraduate calendar and earlier) 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Architecture (following 2023 undergraduate calendar and forward) 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Biomedical 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Chemical 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Civil 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Computer 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Electrical 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Environmental 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Geological 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Management 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Mechanical 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Mechatronics 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Nanotechnology 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Software 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Systems Design 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8

Environment

Program When you pay Total times paid
Climate and Environmental Change 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Environment and Business 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Environment and Resource Studies 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Geography and Environmental Management 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Geomatics 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Planning 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Sustainability and Financial Management 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6

Health

Program When you pay Total times paid
Public Health 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Health Sciences 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Kinesiology 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Recreation and Leisure Studies 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6

Math

Program When you pay Total times paid
Actuarial Science; Actuarial Science/Finance Option; Applied Mathematics; Mathematics/Teaching Option; Pure Math/Teaching Option 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Business Administration and Computer Science (Double Degree); Business Administration and Mathematics (Double Degree) 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B 6
Computer Science 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Computing and Financial Management 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Data Science 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Mathematics/Business Administration 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Mathematics/Chartered Professional Accountancy (CPA) 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Mathematics/Financial Analysis and Risk Management 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Mathematical Physics 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8
Software Engineering 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 8

Science

Program When you pay Total times paid
Biochemistry; Biology; Biotechnology/Economics; Chemistry; Earth Sciences; Environmental Science; Medicinal Chemistry; Science and Business 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Biotechnology/Chartered Professional Accountancy 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Physics; Biological and Medical Physics; Mathematical Physics; Physics and Astronomy 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Materials and Nanosciences 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Psychology (following 2020 undergraduate calendar and earlier) 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 5
Psychology (following 2021 undergraduate calendar and forward) 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B 6
Pharmacy (Doctor of Pharmacy) 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B 4

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How the co-op fee is determined and set each year

Below, we’ve outlined the process and dates used to set the 2024/2025 co-op fee amount of $786.

Co-op fee process

Time Item
Spring/fall term Perform financial analysis; including
  • Assessing current year financial position based on estimated budget, expenses incurred to-date and estimated expenses for the balance of the fiscal year
  • Forecasting future years’ financial position based on estimated budget and expenses
Fall term Review and consult stakeholders about the proposed fee
  • Stakeholder Review Group (Co-operative and Experiential Education, IAP, Finance, WUSA)
  • Provost
Fall term Share proposed fee with students through councils and committees
January Send fee proposal to Board of Governors for review.
February Vote on fee proposal at Board of Governors meeting.