Program Overview

Program Details

The UTM Co-op Internship Program (UTMCIP) offers students a unique opportunity to enhance industry-specific skills and make themselves work-ready prior to graduation. With an increasingly competitive job market, the UTMCIP is the ideal program for students who want to gain work experience during their undergraduate program to enhance their employability.

Student Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the UTMCIP, students must meet the following criteria:

• Qualify for enrolment in an academic program that is participating in the UTMCIP.
• Be enrolled in an eligible program from the following academic departments:
  • Department of Biology
  • Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences
  • Department of Economics
  • Department Mathematical & Computational Sciences
  • Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology
  • Department of Management (Starting Fall 2025)
• Be entering Year of Study 2 as a full-time student in the upcoming Fall/Winter session.
• Be in good academic standing at the time of application.
• Students must remain in good academic standing to continue in the UTMCIP and apply for a work term.
• Students on probation at the time of application may not apply until their probation is lifted.
• Students who are assessed as On Probation at the end of the Winter 2025 term will not be eligible for admission to the UTMCIP.
• Students on academic probation or academic suspension in the Summer after Year of Study 1 (i.e., Summer 2025) will be ineligible.
• Students suspended in the Summer after Year 1 of Study due to academic misconduct will be ineligible.
• Applications by students with a pending allegation of academic misconduct (i.e., with a GWR notation) will be reviewed in accordance with the division’s established academic integrity processes and procedures.
• Students must be planning to resume full-time studies after completion of all work term requirements.
• Students cannot currently be part of another co-op program at the University of Toronto or complete a certificate with an experiential learning component.
• Both domestic and international students from eligible programs may participate.
• International students must maintain full-time registration throughout the program, so as not to jeopardize their Post-Graduation Work Permit.
• While it is not necessary at the time of application to the UTMCIP, all international students will require a valid work permit and Social Insurance Number (SIN) to participate in a work experience.
• Students with part-time status may be considered for the program if they have received accommodation from the University.
• Students admitted to UTM with transfer credits are welcome to apply. However, applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Entry Requirements

In order to be admitted to the UTMCIP stream of an academic program, students must fulfill specific program requirements.

Application Process

Students can apply to the UTMCIP by adding the regular stream of a participating program in ACORN and then submitting an online application form to join the UTMCIP stream of the same program.

Student Selection

All students who meet the eligibility requirements stated above will be considered for admission. However, due to the limited space in the UTMCIP, meeting the minimum requirements will not guarantee enrolment in the program. A combination of criteria will form the basis for admission and academic units will consider a student’s CGPA and Subject POSt prerequisites.

Program Fees

Every student registered in the UTMCIP is required to pay program fees as established by the University. The fees cover the cost of operations including, but not limited to, registration, stakeholder relations, program staffing, business development, curriculum design and iteration, delivery of preparatory program through mandatory Work-Readiness Modules, ongoing student support, and grading.

Program Structure

The time to degree completion for students enrolled in the UTMCIP is normally 5 years.

Program Sequence

• Year of Study 1: Students apply for admission to the UTMCIP stream of an academic program in the Winter term of their Year of Study 1.
• Year of Study 2: Students will begin the preparatory program in the Fall term of Year of Study 2. They will complete the first two Work-Readiness Modules in Year of Study 2, one in each term.
• Year of Study 3: Students will finish the preparatory program in Year of Study 3. Students will complete Modules 3 and 4 during the Fall term and then begin the recruitment cycle in the Winter term.
• Year of Study 4: Students complete a 12- or 16-month work term, which includes full-time work at their employer organization. Students will also complete Module 5, which will support them with their reflective writing for the final assessment.
• Year of Study 5: Students return to campus to complete their final Year of Study and any remaining academic program requirements needed to be eligible for graduation.

Financial Assistance

All students are encouraged to apply to UTMCIP. If you need assistance with financial planning because your feel the cost of the program may be a barrier, you are encouraged to meet with a financial aid advisor to discuss your circumstances. OSAP is a primary resource available to full-time domestic students. Visit the UTM Finances website to review other funding opportunities. Don’t forget to check out the Award Explorer – Search through a vast number of scholarships and bursaries to apply to.