Carleton University Careers & Work Experience
Ottawa, Ontario
Co-op, internships, research, and outcome questions. This focused guide keeps the detailed tables, official sources, and practical next steps in one manageable reading path.
The short answer
- Carleton co-op is a degree option with 40 undergraduate programs across Arts, Sciences, Engineering, and Business.
- You can pick co-op with your degree application or apply inside mySuccess after you start.
- You need 5.0 or more degree credits, full-time status, and COOP 1000 before your first work term.
- Most programs need three work terms; Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Honours need four.
- A four-work-term path totals $4,328 in co-op fees, at $540.64 per term from Summer 2026.
Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Official university sources · How we review guides
Current 2026–2027 co-op policy and fees
Carleton University co-op programs, requirements, and fees
Carleton co-op is a degree option. Each program has its own entry points, CGPA requirements, course prerequisites, and work-study sequences. You can ask for co-op with your original degree application. Or you can apply internally after you start an eligible program.
Academic entry base
5.0+ degree credits
Internal applicants also need the program's CGPA and course prerequisites.
Co-op designation
3 or 4 work terms
The required number and sequence depend on the student's academic program.
Current fee unit
$540.64
Current administration and applicable secured-work-term charges use this amount.
Two ways to enter Carleton co-op
Select co-op with the degree application
Carleton reviews university performance before the program's first co-op entry point.
Apply internally through mySuccess
If you are already in an eligible degree, apply by the published internal deadline. You must meet program requirements.
Selecting co-op on a high-school application is not a promise that the student can begin work right away. Carleton reviews academic eligibility two terms to one year before the first work term. Students not admitted at first may have another program entry point.
Current internal date, not a future-cycle promise
Do not reuse the August 31, 2026 internal deadline
Carleton currently lists August 31, 2026 for students seeking Fall 2026 co-op admission and a first work term in Summer 2027. A future cohort must use the date shown in mySuccess and on the live co-op page rather than copying this deadline.
How Carleton co-op works
- 1.Confirm that the exact degree and stream appears on Carleton's eligible undergraduate co-op list.
- 2.Compare the program's first entry point, CGPA rules, prerequisites, and three- or four-work-term sequence.
- 3.Complete COOP 1000 at least two terms before the first work term.
- 4.Use both the co-op job board and a self-directed search; a placement is not guaranteed.
- 5.Budget administration and work-term fees, an extra year in some sequences, and the effect of work terms on OSAP and scholarships.
Verified co-op facts for planning
Each card states the cycle it belongs to, its verification status, and the official page it came from. This helps a family separate the confirmed co-op scale, sequences, and fees from cycle-specific dates. Those dates should not be reused.
Undergraduate co-op scale and entry conditions
Current programs · Published for this period
Carleton's eligible-program list names 40 undergraduate co-op programs. They are across Arts, Sciences, Engineering, and Business. Every route requires full-time status. You must complete the COOP 1000 preparation course. You must keep program-specific CGPA floors throughout the degree. You must be eligible to work in Canada for off-campus positions.
Applies to: All applicants
Carleton Co-operative Education: Eligible undergraduate co-op programs and requirements · Verified August 14, 2026
Three- versus four-work-term requirements
Current programs · Published for this period
Most Carleton co-op programs require three work terms to earn the co-op designation. The Bachelor of Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Honours routes require four.
Applies to: All applicants
Carleton Co-operative Education: Eligible undergraduate co-op programs and requirements · Verified August 14, 2026
Work-term lengths and alternating sequences
Current structure · Published for this period
A Carleton co-op work term is at least 16 weeks. Placements run in 4-, 8-, 12-, or 16-month blocks. Terms start in the first full week of May, September, or January. Carleton is clear that the co-op job search is competitive. Another offer is not guaranteed. So students should keep a backup course registration.
Applies to: All applicants
Carleton Co-operative Education: Co-op job-search FAQs: sequences and federal pay scale · Verified August 14, 2026
Current co-op fee unit and totals
Summer 2026 onward · Published for this period
Carleton lists a $540.64 co-op administration fee per term from Summer 2026 onward. It charges a non-refundable fee each time a student secures a work term. This includes self-directed placements. It says a four-work-term route currently totals $4,328. Current-term administration fees are refundable only before the September 30, January 31, or May 31 withdrawal dates. They are also refundable only before committing to a work term. Fees charged in previous terms are non-refundable.
A future fee schedule has not been published. Verify the live fee page before budgeting a later cohort.
Applies to: All applicants
Carleton Co-operative Education: Current undergraduate co-op fees · Verified August 14, 2026
Federal public-service work terms
Current guidance · Published for this period
Carleton's co-op job-search FAQ addresses Government of Canada work terms directly. Federal placements follow the Government of Canada student pay scale. Employers start any required security-clearance process. So students must submit clearance forms as soon as they are requested.
Applies to: All applicants
Carleton Co-operative Education: Co-op job-search FAQs: sequences and federal pay scale · Verified August 14, 2026
Co-op work-permit change from April 1, 2026
Current guidance · Published for this period
Since April 1, 2026, eligible postsecondary students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for a required work placement. A valid study permit with the school's placement documentation authorizes the work. Immigration rules can change. Students should verify current IRCC and Carleton ISSO guidance before each work term.
Applies to: International
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: IRCC work-placement authorization from April 1, 2026 · Verified August 13, 2026
International students and work authorization
Since April 1, 2026, eligible postsecondary international students do not need a separate co-op work permit for a required placement. They still need a valid study permit with work authorization. They also need the school's placement document, full-time status where required, and usually a SIN. Students should check current IRCC and Carleton ISSO guidance before the first work term.
Scholarship funds are not normally drawn during a work-term period. Students using scholarships or OSAP (Ontario's student grants and loans) should speak with Awards and Financial Aid before a schedule change. That way deferral, interest-free status, and eligibility are handled correctly.
Official Carleton co-op sources
Career Planning
| Experiential Learning | Check if your target program has co-op or internships. Also check for clinical placements, practicums, studios, field schools, or research terms. |
|---|---|
| Career Services | Compare job boards, employer partnerships, resume support, interview preparation, and alumni mentoring. |
| Research Access | For graduate-school or professional-school pathways, look for undergraduate research assistant roles and lab access. |
| Outcome Questions | Ask where graduates work or study next, and whether outcomes differ by program, co-op stream, or campus. |
Official Sources and Next Steps
Stellar keeps this guide structured for comparison, but official university pages remain the source of truth for program requirements, tuition, residence, scholarships, deadlines, and policy changes.
Prepared by Stellar Advisers Editorial Team · Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Editorial, corrections, and source methodology