Apply to Co-op

All students interested in applying to the Arts Co-op Program must meet the below requirements and follow the application process.

Applications are closed for the 2023/2024 intake. We will announce details for the 2024/25 intake by early September 2024. Please note that there is only 1 intake per academic year.

Before applying for Arts Co-op, please also make sure that you’re aware of and able to meet program guidelines under How Co-op Works, including length and number of work terms, work/study schedule, and mandatory pre-employment conferences.

Eligibility

To apply for Arts Co-op in September 2024, you must:

  • Be a registered, full-time student in a BA, BFA, BIE, BMS, or BMus degree program at UBC
  • Have completed at least 21 credits at the time of your application
  • Have at least 21 credits remaining to complete your degree, as of May 20251
  • Have a cumulative academic average of at least 72%2

Eligibility requirements are the same for all undergraduate Arts students, including international students.

Notes:

1 This is to ensure that you will have enough time in your degree to alternate between academic and work terms, which is an essential part of the co-op experience.

2 Co-op is an optional program that is suited to students who are performing well in their course work and can handle the added workload of participating in co-op. If you are close but fall short of the minimum GPA, we encourage you to still apply and include a rationale related to your grades.

Evaluation of Applications

For students who are admitted to the program, searching for a co-op position is similar to a typical job search outside co-op or after graduation, where an employer selects a successful candidate from several applicants.

Therefore, we strive to admit students who have basic employment skills that can help them apply for and land co-op jobs and have a successful experience in the program. These skills include those developed through various types of experiential learning, including paid, unpaid, volunteer, student leadership and/or extracurricular activities. Your application should have a strong focus on professionalism in content and format.

After the application period closes, there will be two rounds of evaluation. In round one, shortlisted students are selected for a writing activity. Students shortlisted from that round will either be invited to group intake interviews or admitted directly without an intake interview.

Through this process, we look for the following in prospective students:

  • Excellent written communication skills
  • Strong oral communication skills
  • Demonstrated leadership, time management, and teamwork qualities
  • Demonstrated professionalism, maturity, enthusiasm, flexibility, and career motivation
  • Willingness to apply to a broad range of positions, regardless of location or wage (an ideal co-op student has a sense of adventure!)

Application FAQs

September: Attend information session and submit application by deadline

October: Writing assessment and interviews (select candidates will be invited for interviews, while others will be admitted directly)

November: Offers extended to successful applicants, who then attend mandatory Pre-Employment Training Conference #1

January: Begin applying for summer co-op positions and attend mandatory Pre-Employment Training Conference #2

March/April: Complete Workplace Success: Self-Directed Studies

May: Start your first co-op work term and/or begin applying for fall jobs

Yes, hundreds of our students have experienced rewarding work in many exciting countries over the years. Many co-op students work abroad to explore another country while gaining paid professional experience – something not available on an international study exchange.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, roughly 10% of work terms each year were international positions. Currently, co-op jobs abroad are limited, as employers begin to hire internationally again and these opportunities recover to previous levels.

Yes, Arts Co-op students may participate in both Go Global and co-op.

Just keep in mind that applying for positions and securing a job while abroad will require greater diligence. We recommend meeting with a Co-op Career Educator to discuss how to best support your plans.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including Indigenous persons, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities.

If you require accommodations in the application process because you’re a person with a disability, please contact us at arts.co-op@ubc.ca.

We also support co-op students with disabilities when seeking appropriate workplace accommodations with their co-op employers.

UBC Career Development Resources

If you decide that you are unable to participate in the Arts Co-op Program, or if you are not selected, there are other on-campus resources to help with your career development and job search skills. Please consider the following:

  • UBC Career Centre: Get career guidance, attend workshops, employer info sessions, and browse job postings.
  • AMS Job Postings: Build your skills and experience through a range of roles, from student government, event planning, customer service, and more.

We also encourage you to reapply to Arts Co-op next year, if you are still eligible.

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