Queen's University Careers & Work Experience

Queen's work-integrated learning update

Does Queen's University have co-op?

Queen's uses a long-form internship model instead of a conventional university-wide co-op model. The Queen's Undergraduate Internship Program, or QUIP, is an optional paid, professionally supervised, career-related placement lasting 12 to 16 months. Eligible students normally complete it after second or third year and return to Queen's afterward to finish their degree.

That distinction matters in university comparisons. A conventional co-op program often alternates four- to eight-month work and study terms; QUIP places one longer work period into the degree. Queen's says it chose this model so students can complete deeper projects and search for one position rather than a new role every term.

Who is eligible for Queen's QUIP?

Queen's currently lists the four undergraduate groups below. Students must also be domestic or international Queen's students, complete second or third year before the placement, hold at least a 1.9 GPA, obtain departmental approval, and 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 rather than assuming QUIP access.

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, and tuition is charged while students remain registered. Check the live academic calendar and SOLUS balance rather than relying 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: Queen's QUIP page still contains older co-op or intern work-permit steps, alongside an April 2026 notice that recent IRCC changes may remove the separate-permit requirement for eligible required placements. International students should therefore confirm the current process directly with QUIP and the Queen's University International Centre 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.