The Centre’s Frequently Asked Questions

Engineering students in a non-co-op academic plan may opt in to the co-op program by completing a Co-op Opt-In Request form and emailing it to Academic Advising. Once the form is processed, your academic advisor will add you to the co-op program. To gain access to job postings on OSCARplus and be eligible to register a co-op work term, you must be opted into the co-op program and have received a grade of COM (complete) in the mandatory career planning and employment prep course.

Co-op is optional for students in BEng, IBEHS, and Computer Science programs. Students must have a minimum of 3 approved co-op work terms (12 months) to earn the co-op designation upon graduation.

Co-op is mandatory for all BTech programs. Students must have a minimum of 3 approved co-op work terms (12 months) to graduate. DCP students must earn credit for a minimum of 2 co-op work terms (8 months) to graduate

To register a co-op, students must complete the steps below within 10 days of accepting an offer, and prior to the start date:

1. Fill out the Domestic Co-op Confirmation Form for work terms in Canada. If the job is outside of Canada, please complete the International Co-op Confirmation Form as well as the RMM-801 form and participant waiver that are linked at the top of the form
2. Email our office: (1) completed co-op confirmation form, (2) employment contract (that includes the start date, end date or duration, salary, and weekly hours), and (3) a copy of the job posting or an official job description from the employer (note: a job description is not required if an OSCARplus job ID is provided on the co-op confirmation form)
3. The documents must be sent as Word or PDF files attached in one email to thecentre@mcmaster.ca. Please do not send links or SharePoint files

Each program has a dedicated Career Educator with industry knowledge specific to that stream of engineering. Your Career Educator will be your go-to person for career planning, assistance during your job search, and support while you are on co-op. You can contact your Career Educator directly via email or book a 1-on-1 appointment.

To book an appointment, log in to OSCARplus and go to your dashboard.

1- Click the Engineering tab on the left side of your dashboard, then click Appointments – Book an Appointment

2- Click Book by Appointment Provider and select your Career Educator’s name or Book by Appointment Type to meet with your Career Educator, a Career Resources Coordinator, or a Career Assistant.

3- Click the maroon Book button to view upcoming openings or View Calendar to see all available appointments.

The co-op job search process mimics the real-world job market; students are responsible for writing resumes and cover letters, submitting applications, and interviewing for co-op positions. You can apply to jobs through the university job portal (OSCARplus) or seek your own positions through networking, career fairs, and job search websites. Our team is here to assist students with writing resumes and cover letters, interview preparation, job selection, and offer negotiations.

As you take the lead in your search, we are here to assist you through every step of the co-op job search process, and we are genuinely invested in helping you secure meaningful work experiences. Please connect with your Career Educator for assistance with your job search or career planning

To register a co-op, students must complete the steps below within 10 days of accepting an offer, and prior to the start date:
1. Fill out the Domestic Co-op Confirmation Form for work terms in Canada. If the job is outside of Canada, please complete the International Co-op Confirmation Form as well as the RMM-801 form and participant waiver that are linked at the top of the form.
2. Email our office: (1) completed co-op confirmation form, (2) employment contract (that includes the start date, end date or duration, salary, and weekly hours), and (3) a copy of the job posting or an official job description from the employer (note: a job description is not required if an OSCARplus job ID is provided on the co-op confirmation form).
3. The documents must be sent as Word or PDF files attached in one email to thecentre@mcmaster.ca. Please do not send links or SharePoint files.

Co-op positions are available in a wide range of industries, including start-ups and smaller companies, provided they meet eligibility requirements. All engineering co-op positions that we post on OSCARplus meet these requirements. Positions found outside of OSCARplus will be assessed as part of the registration process.
The role must meet the following co-op eligibility requirements:
1- The role must be related to engineering and/or technology.
2- The role must be a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks in duration, for every 4-month employment term.
3- The role must be full-time hours. The minimum requirement is 35 hours per week.
4- The role must be paid, and the wage/salary must meet provincial or
territorial minimums.

Yes. If the research position meets the eligibility criteria, it can count as co-op. Students can view a list of available research positions here.
Below are some resources for learning about research and how to get involved.
1. Connect with the McMaster Engineering Society. They can refer you to discipline or activity-specific clubs, teams and societies that could lead to interesting opportunities.
2. Contact the McMaster Society for Engineering Research (MacSER). They are a club with executive members that have worked in research roles in both faculty and co-ops. They run events and can provide guidance on how to get involved with research.
3. Reach out to individual departments or faculty members if you know the area you are interested in. Some professors hire work study students or have volunteer positions in their labs. You can connect with professors directly via their contact information on the engineering website. You can also watch for departmental events that offer an opportunity to engage with professors or graduate students about research.
4. Apply to a summer undergraduate research opportunity. Watch your inbox for information about these opportunities in the early Winter term.

No. Students with fewer than 9 units remaining are no longer eligible for co-op.

Students in their final year and recent grads can access jobs posted by the Student Success Centre. To find jobs for students who are graduating soon, log in to OSCARplus and navigate to the Student Success Centre tab on the left side of your OSCARplus dashboard -> Employment -> Job Postings.

Final year students in the co-op program may still attend all events and services offered by the Centre, including one-on-one career planning with their Career Educator. Students can book appointments and view the events calendar on OSCARplus until the end of their final study term.

All students can access employment connections for final year students and new grads and Alumni Career Services up to five years after graduation.

Students are not removed from the co-op program if they do not secure a co-op position during every designated work term in their sequence.

Our program has built-in flexibility to allow students to register co-ops work terms at different times throughout their academic program. If a student does not secure a co-op position, they may enrol in academic courses or take a break from studies. To be eligible to register a co-op work term in the future, the student must be enrolled in at least 9 units in the academic term immediately preceding and following the co-op work term. DCP students and graduate level students must be enrolled in at least 1 academic course in the terms before and after the co-op.

Students in optional co-op programs who do not have a minimum of 12 months of approved co-op will be automatically removed from the co-op program in their final term and will not receive the co-op designation upon graduation.

Students in mandatory co-op programs will be blocked from enrolling in their final study term until the co-op requirement is satisfied.

*Optional undergraduate co-op programs also have a $100 yearly co-op fee that is charged in the Fall term.

Our department is fully funded by student fees, and we have some of the lowest engineering co-op fees in Ontario. Your fees pay for a range of services, including:

• Developing and managing employer partnerships and job postings
• Creating and delivering employment preparation courses
• Offering 1:1 career guidance and job search assistance
• Facilitating/hosting events, workshops, and networking opportunities
• Providing support to students during work term experiences, including crisis situations
• Administering the program in alignment with academic degree requirements, national accreditation standards, university policies, external funding requirements and government tax credit regulations

Collecting co-op fees enables our office to offer a wide range of resources, guidance, and support, enhancing your overall co-op experience.

The co-op fee will appear on your Mosaic student account when you are enrolled in the co-op course on Mosaic. The co-op fee is due on the 25^th of the first month of the work term (January, May, and September). If your co-op course is added to Mosaic after this date, the fee is due on the 25^th of the month of enrolment.

BEng and BTech students are eligible to enrol in one 3 or 4-unit course while on co-op. DCP students are eligible to enrol in two 3 or 4-unit courses while on co-op.

With permission from their co-op employer, students may petition to take one additional academic course while on co-op. Requests to enrol in more than two courses (or more than three for DCP students) will be denied. Due to the condensed nature of Spring and Summer courses, we will not approve requests to exceed one course per session, unless both are full-term courses.

The expectation is that any academic courses done alongside co-op should not interfere with your work commitments or jeopardize your academic performance.

Students are not permitted to take Capstone while on co-op.

Students can request permission to do so through our office, but the review and approval process is extensive and is ultimately decided by the Program Chair. Approvals are rare, and for some programs not allowed.

Please contact your Career Educator if you have questions about this policy.

Our office defines full-time status as being enrolled in at least 9 units. Students on an approved co-op work term are recognized as full-time by the National Student Loan Service Centre, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Go Transit, and most private health insurance companies. Because the McMaster Student Union (MSU) and departments like Recreation only consider academic units when defining full-time status, some services provided to full-time students are not available to co-op students. For more information on which services are provided by the MSU and questions regarding their policies, please contact the MSU directly.

Please note that our office is actively advocating for co-op students to be given access to the same amenities as full-time academic students.

Yes. To legally work in Canada, an international student requires a valid co-op work permit. This allows the student to work full-time during regular academic terms. To apply for a co-op work permit or extension:
1. Complete, or be enrolled in, Engineering’s Career Planning & Employment course (ENGINEER/IBEHS 1EE0 or ENGTECH 1ET0
2. Complete the Work Permit Letter Request Form and email it to
thecentre@mcmaster.ca (our office will send you a letter to include in your
work permit application)
3. Complete the online application form for a co-op work permit via the IRCC.  

When you receive your work permit, or if you already have a valid co-op work permit, send a copy to thecentre@mcmaster.ca. When we receive a copy of a work permit, our office adds the expiry date to OSCARplus so that, prior to registering a co-op work term, the Centre’s administration team can confirm a student is legally able to work in Canada. This information is not shared with employers, faculty, or staff outside of the Centre for Career Growth & Experience

McMaster’s Immigration Advising team provides guidance and answer questions related to study permits, visas, working in Canada and more. They can be reached:
1. By email: immigration@mcmaster.ca
2. By appointment: from your OSCARplus dashboard go to the Student Success Centre tab-> Appointments-> International Student Services-> Book by Appointment Type-> Immigration – different topics selection.
3. During drop-in hours, @MUSC B118, no appointment necessary: Mondays and Thursdays from 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm or Tuesdays and Fridays, 9:00am –12:00 pm.

Students may apply for full-time OSAP funding while they are on co-op, provided they are enrolled in the co-op program or a degree program with a mandatory co-op component.

Students can submit a full-time application specifically for the length of their co-op in that particular academic year; i.e., 4 months, 8 months, or 12 months. If a student applies for full-time OSAP funding while they are on co-op, their previous loans will automatically be placed back into interest-free status once enrolment is confirmed by the Registrar’s Office.

If a student doesn’t apply for funding, they must apply for interest-free status. This can be done on the OSAP website. 

For more information regarding OSAP while on co-op, please contact the Student Services Office. They have an online chat on their website, can be reached by email at student.services@mcmaster.ca, or in-person in Gilmour Hall, room 108.

Full-time undergraduate students are automatically opted in to the university’s health and dental insurance plan every September for one year of coverage. If you did not opt out of the insurance plan, you will be covered until the end of the following August (for example, if your coverage begins in Fall 2024, it will last until August 31, 2025).

If you are on a long-term co-op and want to extend your coverage for an additional year, you must opt in by September 30. To be eligible, you must be enrolled in at least one academic course in both the Fall and Winter terms. If you miss this deadline or are not enrolled in a course for the Fall term, you can still opt-in for 8 months of coverage starting in January. The deadline to opt-in is January 31, and you must be enrolled in at least one academic course during the Winter term to qualify. For more information on how to opt-in, please visit McMaster Association of Part-Time Students.

If you are a graduate student, please visit GSA Health & Dental Insurance Plan for more information regarding health insurance options.

No. While on co-op, students do not meet the MSU’s definition of full-time status. For further information please review the McMaster Association of Part-Time Students’ FAQ.

GO Transit student discounts are available to full-time students, offering savings of up to 40% on PRESTO when traveling with GO Transit. Students retain full-time eligibility during a registered co-op. For further details, please visit GO Transit Student Savings.

Some companies offer benefits like health insurance, paid sick days, and professional development, while others may not. To understand what benefits the employer offers, review the benefits section of the employment contract or seek clarity from your employer.