Co-op does not require a long-term commitment. You decide every six months whether your organization will continue to hire co-op students.

Students continue to be recognized as full-time students while on co-op and do not require company benefits. Students should be considered temporary, full time hourly workers, but not independent contractors.

There are no employer fees for posting a co-op position.

While we hope that you will hire, posting a co-op position does not obligate you to hire a student. We understand that staffing needs and financial resources may change.

Undergraduate co-op students work for six months, full-time. The two cycles run from January through June and July to December. Master’s candidates frequently work January through July/August or from May/June to December. View co-op timeline.

For the January through June cycle, companies should post a position in September. Recruiting begins by mid-October. For the July to December cycle, companies should post a position in January. Since employers now have 24/7 access to their candidates, recruiting can begin as soon as students have applied to the position(s). View co-op timeline.

You can make an offer using our automated offer tool or through your normal hiring channels directly to the student verbally and in writing.

There are no additional fees or employer paperwork required to hire an international student and you do not need to sponsor their visa. The Office of Global Services (OGS) at Northeastern University coordinates all student documentation to ensure compliance with federal employment regulations.

Companies determine the salaries for co-op positions. There is a fair amount of variability based on a range of factors. See suggested salaries.

Your co-op contact will assist you with any concerns related to the co-op process or a co-op student. We encourage you to reach out if problems arise.

Students are committed to working full-time while on co-op. However, we allow undergraduate students to take a class while on co-op if it fits with their work schedule. We ask students to speak to their co-op job manager before enrolling in a course. In some situations, students can take evening classes, but if a class falls during the workday it is at the manager’s discretion to approve whether the student can take the class and adjust his or her work hours to make up the time. Masters’s level students are expected to seek approval from their advisor if they want to take a class while on co-op.