Cooperative Education (Co-op) and Internship Program
Overview
Start Building Your Career While You're Still in School
- Schedule an Appointment
- Find Internship and Major-Related Opportunities
- Report Your Experience
Build Experience & Get Career Ready
Learn how Co-ops and internships help you gain experience, enhance career readiness competencies, build your resume, and prepare for your career.- Work in positions related to your major
- Apply what you learn in the classroom
- Build connections with employers
- Explore career interests before graduating
- Enhance career readiness competencies
Program Glance:
- SIUE Career Development Center's Cooperative Education (Co-op) and Internship Program is dedicated to providing equitable access to career opportunities and success. While not all positions are paid, we strongly advocate for paid opportunities [pdf]
- Scheduling, coordination of major-related work, and compensation should be determined collaboratively by the student and the employer
Report Your Experience (Co-op, Internship, CPT)
How to Report Your Experience
Receive official transcript through the CDC- Login to Cougar Jobline using your E-ID and password
- Click "Internship or Experience" on the left side of your page
- Click "+ New Experience" at the top right corner of your screen, then enter the required information
- Click "Submit for Approval"
The Career Development Center will then email you with further instructions regarding paperwork.
Requirements
- Experiences must be related to your academic major or program
- All required forms must be completed each term
- Deadlines must be followed
- Approval and paperwork must be fully processed before transcript recognition is granted
For additional details, review side panel to access Forms, Orientation, Deadlines, and How to Participate
If you are interested in earning academic credit for your experience, contact your academic department for more information. Not all programs offer credit options, and eligibility varies. For students who do not pursue academic credit, the Career Development Center’s Co-op and Internship Program provides an official way to document your experience without incurring tuition or fees.
Features of a High Impact Internship, Co-op, or Experience
NEXT LEVEL!
Strong Experiences - Meaningful Learning - Skill Development
Experiences that align with these features of rigor are considered High Impact and offer the greatest benefits to students (Kuh et al., 2017). - You are expected to invest time and effort
- Your work has value and contributes to real projects
- You apply what you learn in your courses
- You connect classroom knowledge to professional experiences
- You receive guidance from supervisors
- You interact with professionals in your field
- You receive feedback that helps you improve
- You engage with people from different backgrounds
- You experience a professional work setting
- You gain insight into workplace expectations and culture
- You think about what you learned and how you grew
- You connect your experience to your goals
- You complete reflections, evaluations, or other outputs
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) - International students
What is CPT
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is required each term for international students who wish to participate in off-campus, major-related employment or volunteer experiences. Students must receive full authorization and be issued an I-20 before beginning any off-campus work. More information may be found on the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) website.
International students must complete CPT to obtain work authorization. Submitting required documentation through the Career Development Center is only one step of the CPT process.
Before You Begin
- Contact International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) to begin the CPT eligibility process, discuss requirements, and review ISSS paperwork each term
- Have a confirmed job offer that is directly related to your academic major or program, and then
- Contact the SIUE Career Development Center (CDC) to begin CPT and internship/Co-op experience paperwork each term
- Apply for and complete all CPT required steps and paperwork for each term you plan to work off campus
- Report and submit your experience through Cougar Jobline
- Allow at least 3 weeks for paperwork processing
- Meet all posted deadlines and due dates
- Ensure that all required approvals from ISSS and the CDC are fully completed and processed prior to beginning any work each term
- If you are earning academic credit, complete additional paperwork and requirements with your academic department, ISSS, and the CDC before beginning work
- Carefully read any documents your employer asks you to sign to ensure you are not limiting future opportunities
How CPT Works (Process Overview)
- Work with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) to request authorization
- Secure a position related to your major
- Report your experience to the CDC through Cougar Jobline
- Complete all required CPT and internship/Co-op paperwork through ISSS, the CDC, and any additional department that may be required
- Allow considerable time for both ISSS and the CDC to review and process your documentation (more information below)
- Receive CPT approval from both ISSS and the CDC before beginning employment
- Begin your experience only after all approvals have been completed
- Complete required competencies modules and reports
Important Requirements
- It is the student's responsibility to ensure all paperwork and approvals have been issued prior to beginning work each term
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You cannot begin working until CPT authorization and all required approvals have been fully completed and you have been issued your I-20 by ISSS.
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CPT authorization is employer-specific, date-specific, and term-based; you may only work within your approved start and end dates
- You may not change employers once CPT paperwork has been processed by the CDC
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All deadlines are firm and must be followed; late submissions will not be accepted
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You must complete and submit all required paperwork, forms, and assignments each term
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You are responsible for ensuring that all required documentation is accurate, complete, and submitted on time
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You must report your experience and complete all required competencies modules, student reports, and employer evaluations by the posted deadlines
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You are responsible for monitoring your SIUE email and responding to all requests for additional information or corrections
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You must maintain eligibility requirements, including enrollment, academic standing, and compliance with ISSS requirements
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Failure to meet requirements, deadlines, or authorization conditions may result in the inability to participate in the experience and may impact your immigration status
Plan Ahead (Critical Timing Information)
- CPT approval takes time and requires coordination between multiple offices
- Report your experience at least 3 weeks before your intended start date
- Allow a minimum of 3 weeks for processing
- Delays may occur if paperwork is incomplete or if you have holds
- Start early to avoid delays in employment
If You Are Also Receiving Academic Credit
If you will be receiving credit hours for the internship through your academic department, you must complete paperwork for ISSS, CDC, and your academic department.
Need Help?
Contact International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at 618-650-3785
Contact the Career Development Center (CDC) at 618-650-3708
Types of Experiences and Major Differences
The Career Development Center advocates for paid internships
Co-op
- Compensation: Always Paid
- Duration: 2 or more terms; students must complete at least 60 hours of work in each term
- Commitment: Full-time or part-time
- Includes:
- In-depth projects & opportunities
- Ongoing major-related experiences
- Significant exposure to your field of interest
- Qualifies for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for international students
Internship
- Compensation: Paid or unpaid
- Duration: One or more terms; students must complete a minimum of 60 hours of work in each term
- Commitment: Usually part-time
- Includes:
- Major-related projects and opportunities
- Exposure to your field of interest
Micro-Internship
- Compensation: Usually paid
- Duration: Approximately 2 or more weeks
- Commitment: 40 or more total hours
- Includes:
- Single project-based work
- Major-related experience with exposure to your field of interest
Guidelines for Participation
Student Guidelines
The following guidelines apply to all Co-op and internship experiences and outline key requirements for participation.
Program Participation Expectations- Students must complete all required program processes and steps, including reporting their experience and meeting deadlines and expectations
- Co-op and internship courses are for zero credit hours and do not carry academic credit
- Students are encouraged to pursue required and/or optional credit-bearing internships through their academic departments
- If interested in academic credit, students must contact their academic department for more information
- Positions must be directly related to the student’s academic major and enhance the student’s academic experience
- Undergraduate students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA
- Graduate students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA
- Students must have remaining credit-bearing coursework to complete
- Students must be actively enrolled during the term in which they participate in a Co-op or internship experience
- Paperwork is required for each academic term and is subject to change
- International students must be issued an I-20 prior to beginning any off-campus work or volunteer experience
- Students must complete all required program steps, including reporting their experience and meeting deadlines
- Students must be in good academic standing with the university
- Enrollment in full-time co-op experiences may provide full-time enrollment status for documentation purposes such as health insurance, housing eligibility, and student loan repayment
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Because co-op and internship courses carry zero credit hours, they do not qualify students for financial aid or access to university services that require enrollment in credit-bearing coursework
- International students must meet all applicable CPT requirements through ISSS and the CDC
Fine Print
- Students should carefully read all documents provided by their employer to ensure they understand expectations and are not limiting future opportunities
Employer and Position Guidelines
The following guidelines apply to employers and positions participating in the Co-op and Internship Program.
Approval- Employers and positions must be approved by the Career Development Center (CDC) for transcript recognition
- Approval is at the sole discretion of the Career Development Center
- The Career Development Center strongly advocates for paid internships
- Co-op positions are always paid
- Internships may be paid or unpaid
- Employers are responsible for ensuring that unpaid internships comply with U.S. Department of Labor guidelines (DOL Fact Sheet #71)
- Employers are encouraged to provide co-op opportunities that span at least two academic terms
- Internships may last one term or more
- Micro-internships are project-based and may be completed over shorter durations
- Employers may not require students to sign non-compete agreements
- Employers may not require students to pay fees of any kind to participate in a co-op or internship
- Employers should operate from traditional commercial business locations
- In-home businesses are not acceptable
- Employers should use company-based email addresses, such as name@company.com
Explore our Co-op resources to learn more or contact us for more assistance.
The Career Development Center coordinates internships for students in a variety of academic programs. Students should contact the CDC for more information.
Job Acceptance Etiquette: Policy Overview
Student Responsibilities
- Commitment Before Acceptance
- Students should only accept an offer when fully prepared to honor it
- Accepting an offer is a commitment and should be treated as a professional obligation
- Decision-Making
- If uncertain, consult Career Development before committing
- Decline offers you do not intend to accept promptly and professionally
- Professional Conduct
- Communicate clearly with employers
- Avoid last-minute changes that may disrupt hiring processes
- Communication Expectations After Acceptance
- Maintain professional and timely communication with employer after accepting an offer
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Consequences of RenegingReneging is accepting an offer and later declining it or failing to follow through
- Violations may impact future participation in recruiting and access to CDC services
- Temporary suspension of access to Cougar Jobline and Career Development Center services for up to one semester
- Written apology to the employer with the Career Development Center copied
- Repeat violations may result in extended suspension of access to Cougar Jobline
- Why This Matters
- Students risk losing future opportunities with the employer and within the industry
- May lead employers to reduce recruiting efforts
- Reneging damages SIUE’s reputation
Employer Expectations
- Provide written offers with clear details, including role, start date, compensation, and deadlines
- Allow a minimum of two weeks for students to make informed decisions
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Avoid practices that pressure students, such as “exploding offers”
