Queen's University Careers & Work Experience
Kingston, 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
- Queen's uses a long internship, not a university-wide co-op. QUIP is one paid placement of 12 to 16 months with one employer.
- Eligible students are in Smith Engineering, Arts and Science honours, Computing honours, or Health Sciences. Smith Commerce is not on the list.
- You need at least a 1.9 GPA (grade point average) and departmental approval. You also return to Queen's to finish your degree.
- The QUIP registration fee is $35 now and rises to $75 in September 2026. Check MyCareer before you pay.
- Internships start in January, May, or September. Placement is not guaranteed, so you apply and interview through the QUIP board.
Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Official university sources · How we review guides
Queen's work-integrated learning update
Does Queen's University have co-op?
Queen's uses a long internship model. It does not use a usual university-wide co-op model. The Queen's Undergraduate Internship Program, or QUIP, is optional. It is paid, supervised by professionals, and related to a career. It lasts 12 to 16 months. Eligible students normally complete it after second or third year. They return to Queen's afterward to finish their degree.
That difference matters when you compare universities. A conventional co-op program often switches between four- to eight-month work and study terms. QUIP puts one longer work period into the degree. Queen's says it chose this model so students can complete deeper projects. Students also search for one position instead of a new role every term.
Work term
12–16 months
It is one paid, full-time placement with the same employer. It normally starts in January, May, or September.
Academic timing
After Year 2 or 3
Students need at least a 1.9 GPA and must return to Queen's to complete their degree requirements.
Registration fee
$35 now · $75 Sep. 2026
Queen's fee FAQ confirms the September increase; its main registration steps already display $75. Verify the amount in MyCareer before paying.
Who is eligible for Queen's QUIP?
Queen's currently lists the four undergraduate groups below. You must also be a domestic or international Queen's student. You must complete second or third year before the placement. You must hold at least a 1.9 GPA (grade point average). You must obtain departmental approval. You must plan to return after the internship. Smith Commerce is not on the current QUIP eligibility list. So Commerce applicants should compare that program's own career and summer-employment supports. They should not assume QUIP access.
| Queen's faculty or school | Eligible study | Academic recognition |
|---|---|---|
| Smith Engineering | Undergraduate Engineering students who meet the current academic and return-to-study rules | Professional Internship designation; internship courses can count as one technical elective |
| Arts and Science | Bachelor of Arts (Honours) or Bachelor of Science (Honours); general programs are not eligible | Professional Internship designation with additional INTN courses that do not replace degree requirements |
| School of Computing | Bachelor of Computing (Honours), including eligible Computing and the Creative Arts students | Internship course credit plus a Professional Internship annotation on the transcript and diploma |
| Health Sciences | On-campus or online Bachelor of Health Sciences students | Professional Internship designation with additional HSCI internship courses |
QUIP internship model
Current program · Published for this period
The Queen's Undergraduate Internship Program is an optional paid, professionally supervised, career-related internship of 12–16 months with one employer, typically completed after third year, and students must return to Queen's to finish their degree requirements. Graduates receive a Professional Internship designation on the transcript and diploma. Queen's uses this long-form model instead of alternating four-month co-op terms.
Applies to: All applicants
Queen's University Career Services: QUIP student overview and eligibility · Verified August 14, 2026
QUIP eligibility by faculty
Current eligibility · Published for this period
Eligible groups are Smith Engineering undergraduates, Arts and Science students in the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) or Bachelor of Science (Honours) (general programs excluded), School of Computing students in the Bachelor of Computing (Honours), and Health Sciences students in the on-campus or online BHSc. A minimum 1.9 GPA and departmental approval are required. Smith Commerce is not on the eligibility list.
Applies to: All applicants
Queen's University Career Services: QUIP student overview and eligibility · Verified August 14, 2026
QUIP registration fee transition
Fee change September 2026 · Published for this period
The one-time, non-refundable QUIP registration fee is $35, and Queen's FAQ states it will increase from $35 to $75 effective September 2026. Students registering around the transition should plan for $75 and verify the live amount in MyCareer.
Applies to: All applicants
Queen's University Career Services: QUIP FAQs: fees, work-term parameters, and hiring rules · Verified August 14, 2026
QUIP work-term parameters and hiring
Current program · Published for this period
Internships run 12–16 months with the same employer, at least 35 hours per week, paid at least local minimum wage, starting in January, May, or September. Placement is not guaranteed: students apply and interview through the QUIP board, and a self-found role must qualify as a professional, credit-eligible experience and be approved by QUIP with a copy of the original posting.
Applies to: All applicants
Queen's University Career Services: QUIP FAQs: fees, work-term parameters, and hiring rules · Verified August 14, 2026
How QUIP registration and hiring work
You can register year-round through MyCareer. Queen's recommends starting early. Students request departmental approval and submit the registration. Queen's dedicated fee FAQ says the one-time, non-refundable registration fee increases from $35 to $75 effective September 2026. The main registration steps already instruct students to pay $75. If you register around the transition, plan for $75. Verify the live amount in MyCareer. Then complete four modules. They cover internship search strategy, cover letters, resumes, and interviews. After that, you receive QUIP job-board access and advising.
Access is not a guarantee of employment. Students apply and interview. Employers make hiring decisions. A self-found role needs QUIP approval. Current program parameters require one employer. They require 12 to 16 months. They require full-time work of at least 35 hours per week. They require pay of at least the local minimum wage. They require a January, May, or September start.
Does QUIP add a year to a Queen's degree?
Usually, it adds 12 to 16 months between academic years. So the calendar time to graduate is longer. The academic result varies by faculty. Engineering, Arts and Science, Computing, and Health Sciences use different internship courses and credential language. Several of those courses are additional to the normal degree requirements. Tuition is charged while students remain registered. Check the live academic calendar and SOLUS balance. Do not rely on one university-wide fee estimate.
Students participating in QUIP can be considered for full-time OSAP or keep previous OSAP loans in interest-free, non-repayment status. Queen's instructs students to select “QUIP INTERNSHIP” on the relevant OSAP application and to submit the required continuation forms for each applicable academic period.
Can international students participate in QUIP?
Yes, if the student is in an eligible undergraduate program and meets the academic rules. Immigration instructions are changing. The Queen's QUIP page still has older co-op or intern work-permit steps. It also has an April 2026 notice that recent IRCC changes may remove the separate-permit requirement for eligible required placements. International students should confirm the current process directly with QUIP and the Queen's University International Centre. Do this before relying on either set of instructions.
Queen's career support beyond QUIP
QUIP is one route inside a larger Queen's Career Services operation. Students in every faculty — including Smith Commerce students who are not QUIP-eligible — can book career-coach appointments, use the MyCareer job board, and attend the Fall Career Fairs on September 23 and 24, 2026 plus the Engineering & Technology fairs. Major Maps and Grad Maps connect each degree to career options, and the Queen's Connects program supports networking, with dedicated resources for international, first-year, graduating, BIPoC, 2SLGBTQ+, and disabled students.
Career Services beyond QUIP
2026–27 services · Published for this period
Queen's Career Services offers career-coach appointments, the MyCareer job board, Fall Career Fairs on September 23 and 24, Engineering & Technology fairs, workshops, resume and interview coaching, Major Maps and Grad Maps, the Queen's Connects networking program, and dedicated supports for international, first-year, graduating, BIPoC, 2SLGBTQ+, and disabled students.
Applies to: All applicants
Queen's University Career Services: Career Services programs and 2026 fall career fairs · Verified August 14, 2026
Compare the work model, not just the label
A 12- to 16-month internship can provide project depth and continuity, while alternating co-op terms can provide experience with several employers. Neither structure is automatically better for every student. Compare eligible majors, hiring support, fees, work-term timing, geographic flexibility, and the effect on graduation using the Ontario universities with co-op guide.
Official Queen's sources
- QUIP student overview and eligibility
- QUIP registration, hiring, and role rules
- Queen's internship versus co-op explanation
- Arts and Science internship guidance
- OSAP during a QUIP internship
- Queen's international work guidance
Reviewed August 1, 2026. Facts on QUIP structure, eligibility, fees and work terms were checked again on August 14, 2026. Before acting, verify eligibility, fees and hiring rules. Also verify OSAP and immigration requirements.
Career Planning
| Experiential Learning | Check whether your target program offers co-op, internships, 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