Students

Students in the Co-op program may reference this page for details on how to handle the Co-op process, whether after Interview Day, accepting an offer, or preparing to report to work.

If you would like assistance at any stage of this process or with the forms, please contact us.

Post-Interview Day

It is of utmost importance that students maintain communication with the UA Co-op team after Interview Day. Any follow-up interviews, site visits, offers, or acceptances should be forwarded to Co-op staff via email or during a Post Co-op Interview Day Follow-Up appointment in 2004 HM Comer.

Co-op staff track these updates in order to guide students and companies through the offer/acceptance/placement process.

We advise you to send “Thank You” messages to all companies you have contact with during Co-op Interview Day. Student participants will receive an email immediately following Interview Day with company contact information for reference.

Co-op Acceptance Process

Once you have informed a company that you accept an offer, whether verbally or virtually, you are committed to that company. We strongly encourage you to reach out to our office to discuss offer details before you accept if you have questions or concerns.

Pre-Work Checklist

Follow the steps below before reporting to work each term as a Co-op student:

• Register in your designated Co-op course. This is a 12 hour, non-credit bearing course that maintains your full-time status at UA while at work.
• Pay the Co-op course fee in myBama ($264).
• Contact the Financial Aid office for questions regarding any Federal Student Aid questions.
• The Co-op program will communicate a Scholarship deferment on your behalf during work semesters. However, if you take an academic (credit-bearing) class during a work term it is your responsibility to contact the Scholarships office at scholarships@ua.edu if you want to apply a scholarship term to cover the cost of the non-Cooperative Education course(s).
• For on-campus students, defer UA Student Housing by completing the Housing Contract Release Request. Indicate “Co-op” as your reason for change in status. This form is found in myBama under Campus Housing.
• If you are on a meal plan that you need to cancel for your work term, contact Bama Dining at mealplans@bamadining.com.
• Students may visit the University Recreation center while on a work term, as a co-op student. To do so, students can purchase a membership for $28 monthly.
• Be sure to sign up for academic advising while at work. Advising may often be completed electronically or over the phone with an appointment if you are working away from the local area.
• Co-op students may connect and collaborate with other Co-op students via a Microsoft Teams channel. For more details please reach out to your Co-op Coordinator.
• Review work start and end dates on the “Program Calendar” page of the website.

While At Work

The Co-op office will maintain contact with you while at work for each of your three terms. Pay attention to your Crimson email account early in the semester for a link to the Contact Information and Salary Survey through your Gradleaders account. Near the end of each term you will complete an evaluation of your work experience through the Co-op Student Work Report, which is also distributed to students via email and through the Gradleaders platform.

Students returning from their first work term must schedule a Co-op Post Work Review appointment in Handshake. This meeting will support transition back to school as well as monitor work experiences.