Co-op Information

A co-op (cooperative education) experience is any full-time work experience related to an engineering degree program in which a student temporarily leaves school (at least one semester). These experiences typically last 6-9 months and delay graduation, but benefits include potential academic credit and direct employment upon graduation.  

Students planning to pursue a co-op experience are encouraged to plan ahead. Be sure to meet with your academic advisor to plan your schedule to minimize the additional time required to complete your degree. This discussion is important to determining if/how co-op experience can fulfill course requirements.

• Students with minimum 2.0 UB GPAs and no disciplinary service indicators may take a leave of absence from the university to pursue co-op experiences. A leave of absence can last for up to (2) consecutive semesters. Total absence may not exceed (4) semesters.
• Alternatively, students can maintain full-time status by taking at least (2) credits of EAS 496 in each co-op semester. Some financial aid awards and scholarships cannot recognize this standing.

As part of planning, students should meet with a financial aid advisor to understand the impact of leave of absence or other registration policies.

International students should meet with an advisor from the ISSS (International Student and Scholar Services) Office to ensure compliance with work authorization regulations.

For undergraduate students, in order to minimize the number of semesters required for degree completion, please adhere to the recommended co-op timing for your department.