About Engineering Co-op

The UW Engineering Co-op program is known by employers as a resource for well qualified student employees. Co-op gives students the opportunity to work in their field while earning credit at the same time. Often, the credits can be applied to requirements in your major field of study; this varies by department.

While a regular internship can include engineering work, when student employment is set up as a Co-op, employers guarantee that your work is 50% or more engineering related.

How Co-op Works

Employers hire UW engineering students for one, two or three quarters. Most employers, as well as students, report greater satisfaction with their experience when they work six months or more.

As an engineering student, you can use Co-op's online recuiting tool to find work in your field (or use other resources). Then, while you are working, you earn college credit through courses ENGR 321 and ENGR 322.

Co-op work is usually full-time (more than 20 hours per week), but sometimes part-time (up to 20 hours per week).
Credits earned depend on hours worked. Full-time work earns two credits in ENGR 321; part-time work earns one credit per quarter.
Co-op jobs usually begin at the beginning of a quarter - summer, autumn, winter or spring.

Advantages of Co-op

Co-op students gain hands-on work experience while earning credits towards a degree. Businesses gain the opportunity to recruit, evaluate, and train potential employees.

As a student, Co-op experience helps you fine tune your career goals and objectives. The relevant work experience also increases your job readiness and your marketability after graduation.

All Co-op jobs are paid. See Co-op Salary Statistics in the employers' Co-op information.
All Co-op jobs comprise work that is 50% or more engineering-related.
Students on full-time Co-op jobs are considered full-time students during the quarters they are working. This means you may be eligible for some financial aid, student housing, student insurance, etc.

Earning Credits

Students on Co-op jobs earn two credits each quarter they work full-time (21 or more hours per week) and one credit for part-time work (20 or fewer hours per week).

Credit Fees

Good news! The credit fee for Co-op is substantially lower than for standard tuition credits. The quarterly credit fee is billed by the Student Accounts Office and will show up on your MyUW account. Many employers have a program that pays the Co-op fee, and we encourage students to ask if their employer has such a program.

Credit Fees	Undergrads	Grad Students
Full-time work – 2 credits per quarter (more than 20 hrs/wk)	$330	$450
Part-time work – 1 credit per quarter (20 or fewer hrs/wk)	$165	$225

Contact Engineering Co-op

Student Contact

Ana Wieman
Counseling Services Coordinator, Engineering Co-op Program
wieman@u.washington.edu
(206) 685-1789

Employer Contact

Dawn Wiggin
Educational Program Manager, Engineering Co-op
Dawn Wiggin
(206) 543-8711

General Contact

Co-op front desk
Engineering Advising & Diversity Center
301 Loew Hall
engrcoop@u.washington.edu
(206) 543-1770