Recruitment dates for employers

Female employer looking at recruitment dates page on monitor

Hire a co-op student anytime!

Our co-op program runs year-round. So, our students are always available to hire for work terms that last four or eight months. We’ll help you find the right student for your organization on your recruiting timeline. This table outlines the typical hiring dates for each work term:

Co-op work terms: When to hire:
Fall 2025 (September 2 - December 19, 2025) May - August 2025
Winter 2026 (January 5 - April 24, 2026) September - December 2025
Spring 2026 (May 11 - August 21, 2026) January - April 2026

About our co-op hiring cycles

The most popular way to hire a co-op student is to post a job through our recruitment system, WaterlooWorks. Post your job on the Full-Cycle Service job board to follow our hiring cycles. A hiring cycle refers to the time allocated for posting your job, reviewing applications, interviewing students, ranking candidates and matching with a student.

Starting fall 2025

Cycles 1-3:

  • Each cycle is 3–4 weeks with defined dates to post jobs, conduct interviews and rank students.
  • On the final days of each cycle, employers are matched with students based on how they ranked each other.
  • In cycles 2 and 3, jobs are posted daily. 
  • Cycles are designed to give employers and students time for decision-making, as they can consider multiple options when ranking.

Direct offer phase:

  • After cycles 1-3, you can continue to hire by making direct offers to students.
  • In this direct offer phase, you can post jobs on WaterlooWorks and arrange interviews on your own, directly with students.
  • The rank/match process is not used. Contact your service team for support.

Full-Cycle Service co-op hiring dates

January - April 2026 | Winter work term

Suggested work term dates: January 5–April 24, 2026

Recruiting schedule for our Full-Cycle Service job board

Please note, Architecture students now follow the regular hiring cycles and no longer begin in cycle 2.

Cycle number To get match results by end of day (ET) on:  Submit your job posting: Applications are available for you to review by 9 a.m. (ET): Interviews: Submit your rankings by 12 p.m. (noon, ET):
Cycle 1 Oct. 10 By Sept. 10 Sept. 16 Sept. 19 - Oct. 7 Oct. 8
Cycle 2 Nov. 14 Sept. 11 - Nov. 4 Beginning Oct. 22, or two business days after your job is posted
Note: UW students are on reading week break from Oct 11-19.		 Oct. 27 - Nov. 11 Nov. 12
Cycle 3 Nov. 28 Nov. 6 -  Nov. 18 Two business days after your job is posted Nov. 18 - 25 Nov. 26

Direct offers:

Begin after the match on November 28. Applications are available at 9 a.m. (ET), 2 business days after your job is posted. Employers schedule interviews and make offers directly to students.

Important notes

  • Rankings that are submitted late will automatically be included in the next cycle's match.
  • September 1: No interviews/University closed (Labour day).
  • October 11–19: No interviews (Reading week).
  • October 13: No interviews/University closed (Thanksgiving holiday).
  • December 24–January 5: University closed (Holiday closure).
  • Your service team is here to help at any point, including direct offers.

If our hiring cycle timelines do not suit your recruitment needs, please post on our Employer-Student Direct job board.

May - August 2026 | Spring/Summer work term

Suggested work term dates: May 11 - August 21, 2026 (work terms can range from 12 - 16 weeks)

Recruiting schedule for our Full-Cycle Service job board

Please note, Architecture students now follow the regular hiring cycles and no longer begin in cycle 2.

Cycle number To get match results by end of day (ET) on:  Submit your job posting: Applications are available for you to review by 9 a.m. (ET): Interviews: Submit your rankings by 12 p.m. (noon, ET):
Cycle 1 Feb. 13 By Jan. 14 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 - Feb. 10 Feb. 11
Cycle 2 Mar. 20 Jan. 15 - Mar. 10 Beginning Feb. 25, or two business days after your job is posted.

Note: UW students are on reading week break from Feb. 14 - 22.		 Mar. 2 - 17 Mar. 18
Cycle 3 Apr. 2 Mar. 12 - 24 Mar. 24 - 30 Mar. 31

Direct offers:

Begin after the match on April 2. Applications are available at 9 a.m. (ET), 2 business days after your job is posted. Employers schedule interviews and make offers directly to students.

Important notes

  • Rankings that are submitted late will automatically be included in the next cycle's match.
  • February 16: University closed (Family Day).
  • February 14 – 22: No interviews (Reading week).
  • April 3: No interviews/University closed (Good Friday).
  • Your service team is here to help at any point, including direct offers.

If our hiring cycle timelines do not suit your recruitment needs, please post on our Employer-Student Direct job board.

Pharmacy Full-Cycle Service co-op hiring dates

January - April 2026 | winter work term

Suggested work term dates: January 5 - April 24, 2026 (work terms can range from 12 - 16 weeks)

Recruiting schedule for our Full-Cycle Service job board

Cycle To get match results by end of day (ET) on:  Submit job posting by: Applications available for review (ET): Interviews: Submit rankings by (ET):
Cycle 1 Sept. 24 Sept. 2 Sept. 9 at 9 a.m. Sept. 17 (8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.)

*see alternative dates below
 		 Sept. 22 at 12 p.m.
Cycle 2 Oct. 10 Sept. 25 Sept. 30 at 9 a.m. Oct. 6 - 7 Oct. 8 at 12 p.m.

Direct offers:

Begin after the match on October 14. Applications are available at 9 a.m. (ET), 2 business days after your job is posted. Employers schedule interviews and make offers directly to students.

Important notes

  • Rankings that are submitted late will automatically be included in the next cycle's match.
  • Cycle 1 alternative interview dates:

    • Monday, Sept.15, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

    • Thursday, Sept.18, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

    • Friday, Sept. 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

  • October 11–19: No interviews (Reading week).
  • October 13: No interviews/University closed (Thanksgiving holiday).
  • December 24–January 5: University closed (Holiday closure).
  • Your service team is here to help at any point, including direct offers.

If our hiring cycle timelines are not suited for your recruitment needs, post on our Employer-Student Direct job board.

May - August 2026 | Spring/Summer work term

Suggested work term dates: May 5 - August 22, 2025 (work terms can range from 12 - 16 weeks)

Recruiting schedule for our Full-Cycle Service job board

Cycle To get match results by end of day (ET) on:  Submit job posting by: Applications available for review (ET): Interviews: Submit rankings by (ET):
Cycle 1 Jan. 28 Jan. 6 Jan. 13 at 9 a.m.

Jan. 22 from 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.

*see alternative dates below

 Jan. 26 at 12 p.m. (noon)
Cycle 2 Feb. 13 Jan. 7 - 28 Feb. 3 at 9 a.m. Feb. 9 - 10 Feb. 11 at 12 p.m. (noon)

Direct offers:

Begin after the match on February 17. Applications are available at 9 a.m. (ET), 2 business days after your job is posted. Employers schedule interviews and make offers directly to students.

Important notes

  • Rankings that are submitted late will automatically be included in the next match's cycle.
  • Cycle 1 alternative interview dates:
    • Monday, Jan. 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
    • Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
    • Friday, Jan. 23, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Your service team is here to help at any point, including direct offers.

If our hiring cycle timelines are not suited for your recruitment needs, post on our Employer-Student Direct job board.

Employer-Student Direct co-op hiring dates

Use the Employer-Student Direct job board to hire co-op students flexibly outside of Waterloo’s hiring cycles. 

  • Post jobs for any term, even in advance (not limited to the upcoming term).
  • Jobs are posted for two weeks (unless otherwise specified) and applications are not collected in WaterlooWorks.
  • Contact students directly to schedule and host interviews (not in WaterlooWorks).
  • Manage offers directly with students. Consider asking students to sign the "Student Employment Acknowledgement Form" when you make an offer.
  • Contact your service team if a student accepts your offer. Alternatively, if your student hire signed a "Student Employment Acknowledgement Form", CEE will contact the student for any additional details. 
  • Some students may not be available based on their academic schedules.

Graduating students and alumni hiring dates

  • Employers can recruit Waterloo alumni year-round.
  • Use the Graduating and Full-Time job board on WaterlooWorks.
  • WaterlooWorks will keep jobs posted for two weeks. Candidates will apply and interview directly with the employer.

Contract, part-time and volunteer hiring dates

  • Employers can recruit Waterloo students year-round for contract, part-time, volunteer and summer positions.
  • Use the Contract, Part-Time and Volunteer job board on WaterlooWorks.
  • WaterlooWorks will keep jobs posted for two weeks. Candidates will apply and interview directly with the employer.