Skip to main content
Next-Gen. Now.
The Campaign for Concordia
Concordia University Concordia celebrates 50 years!
fr
Concordia University Concordia celebrates 50 years!

Institute for Co-operative Education

Institute for Co-operative Education

Graduate Co-op

Graduate Co-op is designed to provide graduate students the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience relevant to their field of study. With this program, graduate students in eligible programs will complete a full-time paid internship during one term.

Program benefits

The many benefits of participating in Graduate Co-op include the opportunity to:

  • Gain real-world experience as you complete academic studies/research without adding time to your degree length
  • Build your professional network prior to the completion of your academic journey through employer and specialized workshops, site visits and networking events
  • Earn academic recognition on your transcript for completing work experience in your field of study
  • Acquire valuable experience in the Canadian labour market. International students accepted into the program will receive a special work permit in order to complete their internship 

Internship criteria

All internships must:

  • Be paid, full-time positions (minimum 35 hrs./week) that are relevant to your program of study
  • Start in September, January or May and last between 12 to 17 weeks
  • Not be supervised by a family member

"Joining the Co-op program is the best decision I made during my MBA program. It filled the gap between the school and the workplace. As an international student, not only did I gain local work experience but also got to know my strengths and weaknesses so I could better prepare for my career in North America."

 

– Yingying Zhang

"My internship at Air Canada Vacations has given me the opportunity to see so much more about Revenue Management in the Travel and Tourism industry than I was able to learn in the classroom. I have developed both leadership and people skills in the process of the internship and have a much greater concept of what to expect after the MBA program."

 

– Souptik Pal

"As an international student, Concordia University's Institute for Co-operative Education has given me the best platform to start my career in Canada by providing me the opportunity to get high-quality work experience."

 

– Chirag Khullar

Eligibility

Admission to the Institute is a competitive process. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee entrance into the Institute's offerings.

  • You are encouraged to apply to join during your first term at Concordia, with applications typically closing the first week of that term. 
  • You must have and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3.
  • If you are in the John Molson School of Business or the Faculty of Arts and Science, you cannot have completed more than 15 credits by the admission deadline.
  • If you are in the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, you cannot have completed more than 16 credits by the admission deadline.
  • You must be registered in a Concordia University graduate program which has a Graduate Co-op option:

Required steps to complete the Graduate Co-op program

To successfully complete the Graduate Co-op program students must:

Get formal acceptance into the Institute
↓

Attend Institute Welcome Orientation and Program Orientation sessions
↓

Complete training modules on internship and career success
↓

Participate in ongoing employer events and industry visits for the duration of each student's membership in the Institute

• Complete at least two study terms as a member of the Institute.

• During your second study term (at the earliest), secure your first internship for your third term (or later).

• Successfully complete internship and required learning activities

NOTE: Prior to the work term students must apply to, interview for, and be hired for an internship.

Student policies

  • Students must maintain a minimum CGPA of 3.3

  • Students must maintain full-time status while they are a member of the Institute

  • Students must be physically located in Montreal the entire term prior to their internship in order to attend interviews with employers

  • With training, support and access to opportunities through the Institute, students are responsible for securing their internship 

  • Students are responsible for paying the fee associated with the offering they join

  • Students must complete a minimum of 2 study terms after admission to Graduate Co-op prior to their internship term 

  • Students may complete one internship only

  • Students may take a maximum of one course during their internship term (including one course over the entire summer term). They must obtain written permission from their employer and the course must not interfere with their internship, nor conflict with normal business hours 

  • Students cannot renege on an accepted internship offer. A student that refuses to undertake the internship will be withdrawn from the Institute and will receive a Fail grade on the work term course for that internship which appears on their transcript for the associated term.

  • Students must return to an academic term during which they are taking only academic credits after the internship term, the last semester at the university cannot be on an internship.

  • The Institute must approve all internships and all employers prior to a student accepting an offer 

  • Students who are not proficient in French must be willing to do their internship outside of Quebec 

  • Students must complete all training, academic, reflective learning and Institute requirements as directed


Note: Students are responsible for knowing the rules, regulations, policies and deadlines in the Graduate Calendar. The Institute is not responsible should students encounter any difficulties registering for academic courses, paying tuition and fees and/or applying for graduation.

 

All international students:

  • Are required to be registered in a full-time course load during academic terms, regardless of the above policies. International students must always refer to the International Students Office for all questions regarding course registration requirements, immigration, work visa, student status, etc.
  • International students will receive a letter of support from the Institute upon admission to the program in order to apply for their Co-op work permit. Students are responsible for completing the application process and obtaining the work permit as soon as possible

How to apply

Applications to join Graduate Co-op are reviewed twice a year in September (fall admission) and in January (winter admission).

Applications to Grad Co-op for John Molson School of Business and Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science for winter 2025 will open on Monday December 2, 2024 and will close end of day on Sunday January 19, 2025.

Students can apply for admission consideration to to join Graduate Co-op provided they meet the requirements for their specific faculty/department. See eligibility section above. Economics MA students must consult the Economics Co-op page and contact the Institute Academic Director, Dr. Carol Lau directly.

To submit your application when applications are open, you must be logged-in to your Concordia student email account, log in to MS 365 and click the link below.

Click to apply

All members of the Institute must use our approved CV template when applying to internships through the Institute. As the final step in your application form, you will be required to complete the following exercise: Please use the Institute template to create your CV and upload it. Assessment will be based on your ability to follow the template. The content of your CV will not impede or improve your eligibility.

To maintain the integrity of the template, please open and complete the template in the Word desktop application (not in Word online in a browser window).

Please note:

  • Late submissions will not be possible.  

  • Incomplete submissions will not be considered.  

  • The Institute is unable to reply to individual emails regarding the status of an application. Decisions will be sent via email within 3 weeks of the application deadline.

  • Admission is highly competitive, and admission is not guaranteed regardless of academic performance. Decisions will not be changed.  

Institute Fees Grad CV Template
Back to top

© Concordia University