Experience pathway · Carleton University
Connect the degree to work experience and outcomes
- 1Entry modelDirect, later-entry, optional
- 2PrepareSkills, portfolio, applications
- 3ExperienceCo-op, internship, research
- 4TranslateNetwork, evidence, next role
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.
Reviewed August 14, 2026 · Information checked against official university sources · How we review guides
Co-op, Research, and Career Outcomes
Current 2026–2027 co-op policy and fees
Carleton University co-op programs, requirements, and fees
Carleton co-op is a degree option with program-specific entry points, CGPA requirements, course prerequisites, and work-study sequences. A student can request co-op with the original degree application or apply internally after starting 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
Students already in an eligible degree apply by the published internal deadline and meet program requirements.
Selecting co-op on a high-school application is not a promise that the student can begin work immediately. Carleton reviews academic eligibility two terms to one year before the first work term. Students not initially admitted 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, so a family can separate the confirmed co-op scale, sequences, and fees from cycle-specific dates that should not be reused.
Current programs
Undergraduate co-op scale and entry conditions
Carleton's eligible-program list names 40 undergraduate co-op programs across Arts, Sciences, Engineering, and Business. Every route requires full-time status, completion of the COOP 1000 preparation course, program-specific CGPA floors that must be maintained throughout the degree, and eligibility to work in Canada for off-campus positions.
Carleton Co-operative Education: Eligible undergraduate co-op programs and requirements · Verified August 14, 2026
Current programs
Three- versus four-work-term requirements
Most Carleton co-op programs require three work terms to earn the co-op designation, while the Bachelor of Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Honours routes require four.
Carleton Co-operative Education: Eligible undergraduate co-op programs and requirements · Verified August 14, 2026
Current structure
Work-term lengths and alternating sequences
A Carleton co-op work term is at least 16 weeks, placements run in 4-, 8-, 12-, or 16-month blocks, and terms start in the first full week of May, September, or January. Carleton is explicit that the co-op job search is competitive and another offer is not guaranteed, so students should keep a backup course registration.
Carleton Co-operative Education: Co-op job-search FAQs: sequences and federal pay scale · Verified August 14, 2026
Summer 2026 onward
Current co-op fee unit and totals
Carleton lists a $540.64 co-op administration fee per term from Summer 2026 onward and charges a non-refundable fee each time a student secures a work term, including 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 and 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.
Carleton Co-operative Education: Current undergraduate co-op fees · Verified August 14, 2026
Current guidance
Federal public-service work terms
Carleton's co-op job-search FAQ addresses Government of Canada work terms directly: federal placements follow the Government of Canada student pay scale, and employers initiate any required security-clearance process, so students must submit clearance forms as soon as they are requested.
Carleton Co-operative Education: Co-op job-search FAQs: sequences and federal pay scale · Verified August 14, 2026
Current guidance
Co-op work-permit change from April 1, 2026
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, so students should verify current IRCC and Carleton ISSO guidance before each work term.
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 no longer need a separate co-op work permit for a required placement. They still need a valid study permit with work authorization, 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 should speak with Awards and Financial Aid before a schedule change so that deferral, interest-free status, and eligibility are handled correctly.
Official Carleton co-op sources
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