Co-op Program

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION (CO-OP) is a planned and supervised program that alternates semesters of full-time college classroom instruction with 3 semesters of full-time paid employment. The work assignments are closely related to your academic program and are designed to prepare you for your professional career by combining your academic training with practical work experience.

Have you secured a co-op for a future semester?

Already completed a co-op rotation?

Quick Facts

All co-op positions are paid! The average co-op salary is $20.86/hour based on the 2022-2023 academic year
You can gain up to 1 year (52 weeks) of experience before graduating
Over 480 students are currently in the program
- 84% of students are in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering
Over 100 companies recruit co-op students each Fall and Spring semester
The Auburn Co-op Program was established in 1937

What's the Difference Between Co-op and Internship?

Co-op

Three-semester commitment with the same company.
Co-op takes place year-round and students gain up to 1 year of experience and is a full-time work experience.
Co-op students have the opportunity to develop an in-depth skillset and manage their own projects during their work terms.
Companies give more responsibility to co-op students due to the longer period of time spent at the company.
Engineering students are ready to apply for co-op positions during their sophomore year.
Co-op students receive priority registration status and are able to register each semester during the early registration period for priority students.
Students do not pay tuition during co-op work semesters and are enrolled in a 0-credit hour course to maintain student status.

Internship

One semester commitment.
Internships typically take place only during the summer semester or 10-12 weeks but can happen during fall and spring semesters as well.
Internships may be part-time or full-time.
Internships provide a broader overview of work life.
Internships allow students to spend time at different companies.
Students can intern as early as the summer after their Freshman year
Students do not pay tuition during internships and are enrolled in a zero credit hour course to maintain student status.

The Co-op Program will work with students in any major or academic program to identify a suitable co-op opportunity, but co-op positions are typically only available for students in Engineering, Building Science, Supply Chain Management, Business, and related disciplines.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.
Engineering Students must be in-major before beginning a co-op job.

If you don't meet the requirements for co-op, internships are a great alternate option to gain experience.

INTERESTED? STEPS TO GET STARTED:
1. Attend an Interest Meeting: These usually take place during the first few weeks of each semester. See Upcoming Co-op + Internship Events
2. Complete the Interest Form: The link is sent to your AU email after attending the interest meeting.
3. Meet with a Co-op + Internship Career Coach: Schedule an Appointment on Handshake
4. Upload your revised resume to Handshake
5. Schedule interviews and attend Career Fairs

Co-op Ready: After you submit the Co-op Interest Form, you will be enrolled in a 0-credit hour Co-op Ready Canvas course which will help guide you through the job search process.

JOB SEARCH + INTERVIEWING

Handshake: All co-op positions are posted on the University's online job search platform, Handshake. Be sure to upload your updated resume to Handshake before applying for jobs.

Career Fairs and on-campus interviews are your opportunity to interview with 100+ companies to find the best fit. Sign up for interviews on Handshake.

Check out these helpful interview tips and tricks to help you land a job!

Send-Off Meeting: All students who have accepted co-op positions are required to attend a Co-op + Internship Send-Off Meeting at the end of the semester in which the student accepts a position. At this meeting, students will receive helpful guidance for having a successful work experience.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Scholarships: The Office of University Scholarships works with students to defer appropriate scholarships when students are completing co-op work terms. Please review this FAQ page for more information on this process.

Meal Plans: Students can request an exemption from meal plans for each work semester in AU Access > My Campus > Away From Campus Dining Accommodation Request.

Housing: Co-op students who need to request termination of their Auburn on-campus housing contract due to a co-op work semester may use this link.

Salary: Co-op positions are paid an average salary of $20.86/hour. Click here for more salary information.

Housing: Co-op students are responsible for their own housing costs; however, some companies may offer housing stipends or provide housing for students.

Meal Plans: Students can request an exemption from meal plans for each work semester through AU Access. AU Access > My Campus > Away from Campus Dining Accommodation Request.

Required Class: During work rotations, students must register for COOP 4910, 4920, or 4930. Students in work rotations do not pay tuition. However, this class is S/U, and a satisfactory grade is earned by completing 2 surveys and 1 evaluation.

Scholarship Eligibility: During work terms, scholarships are placed on hold. Please contact the Scholarships Office to double-check eligibility requirements. For more information, please review these scholarship FAQs.

Football Tickets: All students are still eligible to purchase football tickets. If purchased, Athletics will charge a $101 fee in lieu of student services fees.

Making Changes: Connect with your Co-op + Internship Career Coach to request any change to your plans for upcoming school and work semesters.

Co-op Work Term Checklist:

Enroll in the CO-OP class corresponding to your work term (4910, 4920, and 4930)
Complete the work information survey, checkpoint survey, and SkillSurvey evaluation

SURVEYS + EVALUATIONS

At various points in your work rotation, you will receive surveys and a link to an evaluation from the Co-op office.

Beginning

At the beginning of your work term, you will receive a Work Term Information survey to help the Co-op Program capture the most up-to-date information about your co-op job. This brief survey asks for information such as city, state, and salary.

Middle

Around mid-term, you will receive a Checkpoint Survey. This survey is to check in on your work experience and for you to privately report any potential work issues to a Co-op Career Coach. Remember, you do not have to wait until this survey is sent to report an issue.

End

Towards the end of each work term, you and at least one supervisor are required to complete performance evaluations on SkillSurvey. Each semester, you will receive an email with a unique link to the survey.

SkillSurvey assessment is a valuable tool that allows students to obtain feedback from multiple managers and co-workers regarding soft skill development. It was developed based on the 8 NACE Career Ready Competencies, which recruiters of college students have determined as the 8 most desired soft skills in new college graduates. Refer to this page to learn more about the Career Ready Competencies.

Fall 2023 (20 weeks)

Report to Work Monday, August 7

Evaluations Due Friday, December 15

Work Term Ends Friday, December 22

Spring 2024 (20 weeks)

Report to Work Tuesday, January 2

Evaluations Due Friday, May 3

Work Term Ends Friday, May 17

Summer 2024 (12 weeks)

Report to Work Monday, May 6

Evaluations Due Friday, July 26

Work Term Ends Friday, August 2

Fall 2024 (20 weeks)

Report to Work Monday, August 5

Evaluations Due Friday, December 13

Work Term Ends Friday, December 20

Students participate in a 3-semester rotation (typically a Fall, Spring, and Summer semester) to get a full year of experience (52 weeks) prior to graduation.

Co-op + Career Ambassadors are a group of student leaders devoted to outreach and programming to increase awareness of the Co-op + Internship Program and encourage undergraduate participation. Co-op + Career Ambassadors are upperclassmen who have successfully completed at least one co-op or two internship work terms, demonstrate leadership on campus and at their respective workplaces, and want to positively impact the campus community at large. Eligible students will be invited to apply for this volunteer role in March of each year.

Here are our 2023-2024 Co-op + Career Ambassadors.