Cooperative Education (Co-op)

Registration Process

To register for co-op, please complete all of the following steps as soon as possible, at least two weeks prior to your intended co-op start date, preferably in order:

1. Complete your Co-op Student Information Form.
2. Get approval from your academic advisor by having them submit the Advisor Approval form.
3. Get approval from the Financial Aid office by having them submit the Financial Aid Approval form.
4. Submit your offer letter showing your start and end dates to co-op@mtu.edu.
5. Submit your signed Cooperative Education Program Agreement to co-op@mtu.edu. You will need to download this document, read it, sign it, and share it with your employer for them to sign. Electronic signatures are acceptable. When you submit it, the co-op coordinator will sign for MTU. If your employer requires that MTU sign the form before they do, submit the document with your signature and a note telling us where to send the document to obtain your employer’s signature.
6. Read the Co-op Handbook.

Co-op applications are a collaboration of four offices and can take 1-2 weeks.

International students

When your registration is complete you will receive a confirmation email with a link to the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) application. IPS will process the application and issue your I-20 work authorization document by email. You will not receive a hard copy of your I-20; the email is official. You must have your I-20 before you begin work. If you have any questions about your I-20, please contact IPS. Please note that the I-20 email will come from opt@mtu.edu and often goes to the spam folder. If you have not received your I-20 a week after submitting your CPT form, please check your spam folder before contacting IPS.

Co-op Dates

Your co-op start and end dates must fall within these ranges.

Co-op Requirements

Undergraduate Students

• Minimum GPA 2.0
• Must be in good academic and conduct standing
• Must receive permission from their academic advisor
• Must have completed at least one semester at Michigan Tech

Graduate Students

• Minimum GPA 3.0
• Must be in good academic and conduct standing
• Must receive permission from their academic or graduate advisor
• Must have completed at least one semester at Michigan Tech

International Students: additional United States governmental requirements apply

• Must have completed two full time semesters in residence at Michigan Tech
• Must not have completed degree requirements prior to co-op semesters
• Must obtain a Social Security Number from the Secretary of State Office
• Must have work authorization (CPT)

Co-op Class

You will be registered for a 1- or 2-credit course delivered on Canvas by an instructor from MTU career services. The course requires online discussions, written assignments, evaluations, and a final report. These courses are offered fall, spring, and summer semesters for undergraduate and graduate students. The summer semester includes options for the full summer, track A (first half), and track B (second half). If your co-op extends over more than one term, you can choose to take the course in any term. You must successfully complete the co-op course in order to receive credit and in order to be eligible to participate in another co-op.

What to expect on co-op

The job search and application process for co-ops and internships is similar to other jobs. Companies use the job title to indicate whether they are recruiting for full-time, co-op, or internship positions. Handshake will also make this clear in the job posting. As soon as you receive an offer letter for a co-op, register for your co-op semester(s) through Career Services. 

While on co-op, your work should be relevant to your course of study and your career path and should be varied to provide a range of experience and training. Employers must provide co-op students with challenging, paid work. 

If you wish to extend your co-op by an additional semester, please contact co-op@mtu.edu for further information. You will need to resubmit advisor approval and an updated offer letter. In most cases, you will not need to take the co-op class again for an extended co-op.