Fall term update: visit our COVID-19 Information website for more information.
Explore careers, earn money, and gain experience through North America's largest co-op program.
Co-op is an amazing way to explore careers, gain valuable experience, and make money while earning your university degree.
As a Waterloo co-op student, you’ll normally alternate between four months in school and four months as a full-time employee of the organization you're working for. You’ll learn to successfully interview for jobs, apply your skills to real-life problems, and graduate with up to two years of experience.
Apply to jobs with more co-op employers than at any other university in North America.
With multiple work terms, try out different careers to see what you like – or dislike.
Make money to help pay for school and gain experience at the same time!
You'll learn how to identify your strengths and develop skills essential for future careers.
Waterloo students have smaller student loans and are more successful at paying them back.
Learn to ace job interviews and networking opportunities so you can hit the workforce as a pro.
A Waterloo co-op program takes five academic years to complete – a year longer than a regular (non-co-op) program – but you'll graduate with nearly two years of paid work experience!
By choosing which types of co-op jobs you apply to, you can focus on the experience or connections you want.
Nicole, a student who led a national project for Microsoft Canada, says co-op was one of the best decisions of her life.
Waterloo's co-op program is a real-world job application process, preparing you for what you'll experience when you graduate. Very simply, you apply to jobs, have interviews with employers, and then go into a process that matches students and employers based on preference.
And we're here to help. Career advisors can help you with job search strategies, creating a résumé and cover letter, and practising for interviews – all key skills for your career. Co-op work terms start in first or second year, depending on your program.
