Co-op Eligibility Policy
Undergraduate students policy
- Students must have completed one semester (full time) at Clarkson before undertaking a co-op position.
- A student must be in good academic standing, and a 2.0 GPA or higher is required to participate (students on probation are not eligible for co-ops).
- Students must have at least one semester left to take at Clarkson upon completion of the co-op.
- No more than two consecutive co-op terms will be permitted for any student.
- Duration of the co-op (start and end dates) must coincide with registrar’s enrollment period each semester.
- No tuition is charged, unless a student is enrolled in additional credits while on co-op.
- Co-op paperwork submission deadline coincides with the add/drop date that semester.
- Co-op is graded on a P/F basis. All students will receive a P/F mark on their transcript.
Graduate students policy
- Students must have completed one semester at Clarkson to establish a graduate GPA before undertaking the co-op.
- A 3.0 GPA or higher is required to participate.
- Students must have at least one semester left at Clarkson upon completion of the co-op.
- No more than two consecutive co-op terms will be permitted for any student.
- Duration of co-op (regarding start and end dates) must coincide with registrar’s enrollment period each semester.
- Graduate co-ops sometimes carry a one-credit hour thesis charge: see your graduation coordinator for more information. *Students will be billed for any additional credit hours taken while on the co-op.
- Co-op paperwork submission deadline coincides with the add/drop date that semester.
- Co-op is graded on a P/F basis. All students will receive a P/F mark on their transcript.
If you plan to use your co-op to fulfill the professional experience graduation requirement, check with your academic department before leaving campus to make sure that it meets all qualifications. Students may have additional paperwork to fill out for the Professional Experience requirement fulfillment. Students on co-op must remain in the program throughout the duration of the semester to be considered enrolled.
Since co-ops are full-time paid positions, students typically do not take classes during the co-op semester. However, students who wish to take a course while on co-op should first meet with their advisor. We require that you work closely with your academic advisor to plan the best time to leave.
While on co-op you will pay no tuition, unless you enroll in additional courses. If you currently receive financial aid, please contact the Student Administrative Services (SAS) office to ensure that you continue to receive financial aid when you return to Clarkson.
Students are generally responsible for finding their own housing while on co-op. However, some employers provide housing assistance. Every employer policy is different and students should have a conversation with their HR rep upon receiving the offer.
Requirements for Employers Hiring CU Co-ops:
- Position must be full time (35 hours per week or more)
- All co-ops must be paid minimum wage or higher
- Duration of co-op (regarding start and end dates) must coincide with registrar’s enrollment period each semester
- No more than two consecutive co-op terms will be permitted for any student
- Experience must be related to the student’s major
- Employers are asked to fill out one survey at the completion of the student’s experience
- All other state and federal employment laws apply
Housing assistance is not required, but can be used as a competitive advantage to attract candidates to your program. Each employer handles housing and relocation assistance differently.
As part of the co-op program, students must be compensated. For average hourly wages, contact careers@clarkson.edu.
All co-ops are required to run throughout the duration of the coinciding academic semester. Many employers prefer to add a summer on to the experience. Employers may ask a co-op to stay one additional semester. Please note, a student is only allowed to take up to two consecutive semesters away on co-op.