As a co-op student, you'll either be in school full time or in a full-time job relating to your program.
In the school term before your first co-op term, you'll take a professional development course about Waterloo's co-op process. You'll gain valuable tips for success and start applying to jobs and going to interviews with employers while finishing your school term.
After that, you'll typically alternate every 4 months between school and work terms. However, there are many variations of co-op work/study sequences.
Example 1: Co-op starts in first year
Engineering and some Math students will have co-op work terms in January or May of first year.
| |
September to December (fall) |
January to April (winter) |
May to August (spring) |
| First year |
School |
School |
Work term |
| Second year |
School |
Work term |
School |
| Third year |
Work term |
School |
Work term |
| Fourth year |
School |
Work term |
School |
| Final year |
Work term |
School |
|
|
School = 4-month school term, Work term = 4-month co-op work term
|
Example 2: Co-op starts in second year
Your first work term is halfway through or at the end of second year.
| |
September to December (fall) |
January to April (winter) |
May to August (spring) |
| First year |
School |
School |
Off |
| Second year |
School |
Work term |
School |
| Third year |
Work term |
School |
Work term |
| Fourth year |
School |
Work term |
School |
| Final year |
Work term |
School |
|
|
School = 4-month school term, Work term = 4-month co-op work term
Off = Make your own plans (work, travel, vacation, etc.)
|
When will your first work term be?
Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Faculty of Arts
-
Arts programs other than Political Science, Psychology, Sociology
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2021)
- Political Science, Psychology, Sociology
- After second year (May to August 2021)
Faculty of Engineering
- Architecture
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2021)
- Architectural, Environmental, Geological, Systems Design
- Halfway through first year (January to April 2020)
- Biomedical, Civil, Management, Nanotechnology, Software
- At the end of first year (May to August 2020)
- Chemical, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics
- Halfway through first year (January to April 2020) or after first year (May to August 2020)
Faculty of Environment
-
Environment programs other than Planning
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2021)
- Planning
- Your first work term is after second year (May to August 2021)
Faculty of Mathematics
- Computer Science and Math Double Degree, Computing and Financial Management, Mathematical Physics
- After first year (May to August 2020)
- Computer Science, Mathematics, Mathematics/Business Administration, Mathematics/Financial Analysis and Risk Management
- After first year (May to August 2020) or halfway through second year (January to April 2021) or after second year (May to August 2021)
- Mathematics/Teaching, Pure Mathematics/Teaching
- After first year (May to August 2020) or halfway through second year (January to April 2021)
Faculty of Science
-
Science programs other than Psychology
- Halfway through second year (January to April 2021)
- Psychology
- Your first work term is after second year (May to August 2021)
updated September 2018
More about co-op
