The Co-op program for graduate students in the Department of Computer Science is intended to prepare interested and qualified students for careers in computer science and involves work placements in academic, governmental and private business settings, supervised by practising professionals.
Application Deadlines
| Apply in Year (At Time of Application Deadline) | Application Deadline Date |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wednesday, October 1, 2025 |
Application requirements
- A supervisory consent form (with advisor/supervisor signature) should be sent to grad-admin@cs.ubc.ca prior to application
- Be a full-time UBC (Vancouver) student in good academic standing
- Demonstrate good communication skills, and a responsible, mature attitude
- Demonstrate leadership, teamwork and time management
- Be flexible and willing to accept a work placement outside the Lower Mainland
Work terms schedules
To be determined in consultation with the Computer Science graduate advisor.
- Co-op work terms must be paid and full-time
- Co-op work terms can usually only begin 6-7 months after application to the Co-op program
- A work term may not be the last in a student's graduate program
- M.Sc. students may not participate in more than two work terms
- Ph.D. and Ph.D. Track students may not participate in more than three work terms, and these must be scheduled after taking their Research Proficiency Exam (RPE)
- The number and the sequencing of the work terms must be approved by the Computer Science Graduate Advisor and, where applicable, by a student's research supervisor
- Graduate students in all research MSc (including Essay) and PhD programs can optionally, and with supervisor approval, take entire (4 month) terms at a time as “Co-op Work Terms”, in which they have a full time internship; the expectation from the department is that these extend the usual timelines and expectations (so e.g. an MSc student taking 1 work term would be expected to graduate in 7 terms)
- Students on a Co-op Work Term will not receive RA/TA funding; their minimum funding guarantees are paused and pushed forwards into later terms accordingly. Conversely, students on Work Terms should not have substantial duties outside of their internships, which must be full-time work placements
- The inclusion and possible timings of Co-op Work Terms in a student’s program must be approved by the student’s supervisor (if they don’t yet have a supervisor, their advisor provisionally approves, and approval from their eventual supervisor is needed later if it’s not the same person). See https://www.cs.ubc.ca/students/grad/policies/graduate-programs-0/forms-graduate-programs for the form, which must be sent to grad-admin@cs.ubc.ca before application
- Students considering taking Co-op Work Terms must register for the Grad Co-op Option 6-7 months in advance of the first such term (usually only one registration is needed)
NOTE: Being eligible does not automatically guarantee your acceptance into the Co-op Program.