Internship & Co-op Guide

UConn Career Center Co-op Process, Policies, & Procedures 

Co-op Registration and Policies  

UConn Career Center Co-op Process, Policies, & Procedures 

What is Co-op? 

Cooperative Education (Co-op) is an opportunity for undergraduates to immerse themselves in a full-time, paid, professional experience during the fall or spring semester instead of taking classes, to develop essential skills and become highly competitive in the ever-changing job market. 

Co-op Benefits 

  • Explore potential career fields  
  • Earn money 
  • Develop transferable skills outside of the classroom 
  • Gain networking opportunities 
  • Prepare for your career  
  • Strengthen your resume and stand out in the job market 

Student Eligibility 

  • Attend any UConn campus  
  • Good academic standing, minimum overall GPA of 2.0 
  • Completed at least one full semester at UConn 

Co-op criteria 

  • Full-time: Minimum 35 hours per week   
  • Timeframe: 4-12 months per co-op rotation, lasts entire fall or spring semester 
  • Paid, stipends may apply 
  • Career-related: Designed for someone earning a degree, in industry that aligns with career goals or interest area 
  • Students remain enrolled at UConn while on co-op, enrolled as Full-Time Equivalent  
  • Credit eligibility: 
  • Co-op experiences don’t count for credit  
  • Students may be able to take up to six credits (Tuition and additional fees would apply) 
  • Registration fee: $45 (no tuition, still enrolled at university) 
  • Located in the US 

UConn PACE (Post Academic Cooperative Experience) 

UConn PACE allows students who are close to completing their degree to remain enrolled while gaining full-time professional experience. 

  • The student has completed most or all of coursework (6 credits or less), but not yet graduated  
  • Excellent option for students looking to extend college career and gain practical experience  
  • Students may be able to delay student loan repayment start date 
  • Seamless transition to full-time once co-op ends 

Finding a Co-op Position 

  • Locate and secure an opportunity (on own or with assistance from the Career Center)  
  • Use 12twenty or other job boards 
  • Discuss opportunities with the Career Center staff, faculty, advisors and others in your personal network 

Co-op Impact on Financial Aid 

Students enrolled in a co-op may only be considered for some forms of financial aid if enrolled in six billable credits. 

Though co-op students are in the system as FTE: Full-Time Equivalent, for financial aid purposes, students enrolled in six credits are considered half-time and are not eligible for University Grant funds. 

Students should contact One Stop for questions regarding financial aid eligibility. 

Co-op Registration and Policies  

Accepting your Co-op Offer 

  • Once an offer is received, verify its eligibility with the Career Center by sending an email to careercoop@uconn.edu  
  • Include the offer letter and description in the email 
  • After co-op is initially approved by the Co-op Coordinator, documentation stating the following must be submitted to the Career Center via email, to facilitate the registrationprocess  
  • Signed offer letter on letterhead or direct email from offering party  
  • Start date and end date 
  • Salary 
  • Hours per week 
  • Supervisor name and contact information (email, phone number) 
  • Hours if role changes due to extenuating circumstances 
  • Position description 
  • Explanation of how the co-op will match the student’s major and/or career aspirations 
  • Current transcript (confirms student is in good academic standing) 
  • Résumé used to acquire the co-op 

Registering your UConn Co-op 

  • Co-op registration ideally occurs prior to the end of an academic semester/before tuition is due  
  • Students have until add/drop to finalize co-op 
  • Students MUST enroll and STAY ENROLLED in courses for the term they are going on co-op to avoid being withdrawn by the University for non-student status 
  • The Co-op Coordinator manages the registration process for the student’s co-op enrollment along with the One Stop Office  
  • This includes reviewing the co-op registration form, information sheet, expectation agreement forms, and the Professional Development Plan with the student 
  • Students work with Health Center (medical insurance), Housing, and Financial Aid directly to address individual needs  
  • UConn housing may be an option while a student is on a UConn Co-op 
  • Once the Career Center paperwork is complete, and the One Stop Office receives the Co-op Registration form, the One Stop Office removes the student from their classes 
  • Students must pay the co-op registration fees prior to deadlines to avoid late fees 
  • It is recommended that the student check student admin/PeopleSoft regularly upon hearing from the Co-op Coordinator that their paperwork was submitted to the One StopOffice, as the student may not receive any notification of the new financial statement 

While on UConn Co-op 

  • Requirements and Paperwork – submitted through HuskyCT on a determined schedule  
  • Learning Expectation Checklists 
  • Professional Development Plan and Co-op Information Documents 
  • Work Environment Checklist and a Work Culture Questionnaire 
  • Attend mid-semester check-in with a member of the co-op team 
  • Complete and submit final evaluations (provided by the Career Center) 
  • Submit an updated résumé at end of co-op 
  • Submit a final reflection paper about the experience following provided prompts 
  • Professional Development  
  • Take advantage of professional development opportunities offered by the employer/site 
  • Seek out mentors for advice and support 

What UConn Rules and Regulations While on Co-op 

  • As the UConn Co-op student is considered a registered student, all UConn polices and rules are in effect 
  • If a UConn Co-op student does not follow the University rules while on co-op, that student may be addressed by the UConn Conduct Office and/or withdrawn from the Co-op Program and ultimately the University as well 
  • Failure to abide by the rules outlined in the Cooperative Education Expectation Agreement may result in dismissal from the program. Dismissal will be determined at the discretion of the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills. 
  • In the event that a student is removed from the Cooperative Education program by the employer/site or that a student makes a unilateral decision to drop out of the program, the student may lose full-time student status at the University. In order to be readmitted to the University, the student must reapply through the Dean of Student’s Office. 

Questions at any time 
Send a message to the career center co-op team: careercoop@uconn.edu