Prospective co-op students

Aboriginal students

Many Aboriginal students, including First Nations, Métis, Inuit and non-status Aboriginal peoples of Canada, participate in the UVic Co-op Program. Co-op offers many culturally-relevant work opportunities, and co-op employers include Indigenous communities sand organizations. Co-op often links students with work experience that relates to their academic degrees as well as their Indigenous heritage.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

1. Can co-op work with band funding? 
   Each band has different funding policies--ask your band about its policies to see how funding can work a co-op degree. Co-op does increase the length of a degree, as most non-co-op degrees take four years, while co-op degrees usually take five. But remember, that extra year will give you relevant work experience in your degree area and you'll be paid during your co-op work terms. Co-op salaries are competitive, plus the degree-relevant work experience will give you a head start after graduation.
2. Does co-op offer Indigenous work experience?
   There are many culturally-relevant work opportunities with both large-scale employers and community-based groups, including community organizations, tribal councils and  government ministries. You can work with co-op staff to develop an opportunity in your own community or with a particular employer, or apply for jobs that are posted online.
3. Can part-time students take part in co-op?
   Absolutely. UVic Co-op offers a part-time parallel program for those taking part-time studies. This option lets you gain relevant work experience in your field, without disrupting your school/life balance. Contact the co-op program in your faculty for more information.
4. Does co-op work for students who have families and dependents?
   Many students balance their academic degree with family responsibilities. Co-op supports you in many ways:             

• A part-time parallel option if you're pursuing part-time studies
• Guidance from co-op coordinators to help you find the best pathway to your ideal career
• Competitive co-op salaries to help you support your family while expanding your career horizons
• Your co-op experience will give you the skills and contacts that can make a difference after graduation

Student stories

Student stories

These are just a few of the stories that students have shared about their co-op work terms. 

• Master of Education student Jason L'Heureux (Métis) arranged a co-op work term near his hometown in Saskatchewan. He worked as a coach for a Bantam boys hockey team, a position directly related to his goal of a career as a hockey coach.
• Electrical engineering student Jessica Bekker (Blackfoot) spent a work term with Victoria's Schneider Electric, where she gained hands-on knowledge about power systems and energy efficiency. This will go a long way towards her goal of helping First Nations communities achieve energy independence.
• Business student Nathasha Marshal (Nuu-Cha-Nulth) spent two co-op work terms as a mental health supervisor assistant and youth support worker for the Nuu-Chan-Nulth Nation Tribal Council. During her work terms she did everything from co-facilitate suicide prevention workshops to lead an outdoor leadership summer camp for teenagers.

  ---

International students

If you are an international student, participating in co-op will enable you to work for Canadian companies while you complete your degree at UVic. You may participate in co-op as long as you have a valid study permit.

Employer list

Employer list
Hundreds of Canadian employers hire international students each year to work in a variety of fields. Some common employers include:

• Rogers Chocolates
• National Money Mart
• National Research Council
• BC Statistics
• Research in Motion

Work permits

Work permits
Once you have applied to a co-op program, our co-op coordinator will help you apply for a work permit, which you will need before you can accept a co-op position.

You will also need to apply for a Social Insurance Number before you can start working. Contact your co-op coordinator for details.

Part-time work

Part-time work
Through the off-campus work permit program, you can work up to 20 hours per week during the school year and full-time during school breaks.

After graduation

After graduation
Your co-op work terms will help you develop skills to market yourself more effectively to employers. Career Services staff will assist you in your job search as you get closer to graduation

The following government programs offer several programs that help employers hire international students while they go to university and after graduation:

• Post-graduation employment program
  University graduates can work for up to three years after graduation, depending on the length of their academic program

• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program
  BC employers can support an employee's bid for permanent residency through this program.

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
  This program enables students who meet the selection criteria to become permanent residents of Canada.

International student resources

International student resources

• UVic's International and Exchange Student Services offers a variety of programming to international students on campus. These include, among others, orientation sessions, buddy programs, conversation cafes.
• UVic's Office of International Affairs offers several funding options for international students.
• UVic's Student Awards and Financial Aid office lists additional resources.
• International Scholarships database is another great resource.

Graduate co-op

Graduate co-op is available for students in all program areas who are pursuing thesis and non-thesis (or professional) degrees.

Mandatory co-op

Mandatory co-op
The following academic programs require mandatory co-op participation:

• Public administration (on-campus MPA)
• Education (MEd in Coaching Studies)
• Business (MBA-in some cases co-op is not mandatory)

Optional co-op

Optional co-op
If you are a graduate student and are interested in co-op, contact the co-op program in your degree area and speak with a co-op coordinator to help you decide if co-op is right for you. Participation in co-op will be determined after consultation with your graduate adviser and department.

Popular optional graduate co-op programs include:

• Computer science
• Earth and ocean sciences
• Engineering
• Fine arts
• Health information science
• Humanities
• Professional writing
• Exercise science, physical and health education

Co-op and student research

Co-op and student research
As a graduate co-op student, you can apply for jobs posted by employers or work with your co-op coordinator to develop and arrange funding for a job that is specific to your area of research. Students often arrange co-op work terms that involve research related to their graduate projects.

Funding for graduate students

Funding for graduate students
Speak with your co-op coordinator about funding opportunities and ideas, such as the ACCELERATE BC Program, a partnership between UVic Co-op and Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems, which funds graduate internships that promote industry-university collaboration.

Working abroad

Working abroad
About six per cent of UVic co-op placements are international in nature. Students secure work through:

UVic Co-op job postings

UVic Co-op job postings

Uvic students have access to internatinoal opportunities generated by co-op coordinators through the Mamook posting system.

Co-op exchanges

Co-op exchanges

UVic has co-op exchange agreements with 16 institutions in 10 countries. Through the exchange program, UVic works with these partner institutions to send a UVic co-op student on a co-op placement through another university, while a student from that institution is placed in a co-op position here in Canada. In some cases*, students can embark on an academic exchange, followed by a co-op exchange, with the same institution abroad.

Current exchange partners

• Baden-Wurttemberg Cooperative State University, Germany
• City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
• Brunel University, UK
• University of Surrey, UK
• University of Waikato, New Zealand                                                             
• Swinburne University, Australia
• Victoria University, Australia
• Johannes Kepler University, Austria*
• University of Economics, Prague, Czechoslovakia*
• Ecole Rouen, France*
• EDHEC Lille, France*
• Leipzig School of Management, Germany*
• University of Mannheim, Germany*
• Nanyang Technology University, Singapore*
• National Sun-Yat Sen University, Taiwan*
• National Taiwan University, Taiwan*

Incoming exchange students
If you are a student at one of UVic Co-op's partner institutions and are interested in pursuing a co-op work term in Canada, contact the co-op coordinator or international office at your home institution.

If you have established that you are eligible for a co-op exchange through an existing agreement, your coordinator will direct you to complete the International Co-op Exchange Application Form and submit it to him or her. Once approved, your coordinator will send the form to UVic Co-op for further approval. If you are accepted into the program, you will receive a letter from UVic Co-op confirming your acceptance into the program. You will also be connected with a UVic co-op coordinator, who will work with you to help you secure a co-op work term in Canada.

Self-directed job search

Self-directed job search

If you would like to pursue a self-directed job search with an international employer, you have several options and our offices can help you with your search, by suggesting key contacts and resources. You can find your ideal international job and see if it will count as a co-op work term.

Canada-Japan Co-op Program

Canada-Japan Co-op Program
The Canada-Japan Co-op Program is a Canadian university/college-based, international co-op/internship program linking some of the best engineering, science, business and arts discipline undergraduate students from across the country with highly committed Japanese businesses. 

The Canada-Japan Co-op Program integrates Canadian students’ academic studies with valuable work experience in a Japanese company. The program is currently administered from The University of British Columbia.

UVic students can contact Karima Ramji, international coordinator, at ramjik@uvic.ca for details.