Co-op Programs in USA: All you need to know

 Will have to take up a pathway program to fulfil eligibility in USA? Consider Co-op prorams in USA and the top US colleges offering them in this article. Let us discuss in detail about the co-op programs in USA along with the benefits of pursuing one and how it can be beneficial for international students.

Co-op programs also make a part of the US higher education system. International applicant applying at US universities and want to upskill? Then the co-op programs can be a side hustle but will besaviour. Studying in USA is essentially difficult and fulfilment of basic eligibility criteria is significant, but co-op programs are easy to study and admissions are easier. Thus, check out everything about co-op programs in USA and understand how to go about them. 

What is Co-op Program in USA?

A co-op program is a type of program that combines classroom learning with practical work experience. For students who are eager to learn more than just theoretical learning and want to gain firsthand experience, co-op programs are the best possible solutions for them. In addition to this, for some students, co-op programs can be another way of earning some money while studying at the same time. Experts believe that in today’s times, carefully crafted co-op programs offer an excellent opportunity to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical work experience. A Co-op (Cooperative education) is a form of work experience, which has several benefits. In a co-op, you get a full-time job in USA and you get paid a good amount of money. A co-op also elevates your CV/resume a lot and you get to develop various skills. Additionally, it makes your network very strong.

Full Form of Co-Op Programs

The full form of the Co-op program is cooperative education. The cooperative education programs are mostly offered at community colleges in USA and act as pathway programs to fulfil eligibility criteria in case an applicant falls short while applying to US universities for bachelor's or diploma programs. 

How do co-op programs work in USA?

Co-op programs are getting popular in US universities, however, there is no standard format which the universities follow to implement this program. As not many universities offer this program, students need to do thorough research to identify the universities that offer them. In addition to this, students also need to take care that the co-op program which they are going for must in tandem with their long-term goals.

Some of the universities with co-op programs in USA are:

• Bentley University
• Butler University
• Creighton University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Cornell University (NY)
• George Washington University
• Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
• Northwestern University (IL)
• Duke University (NC)
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Northeastern University (MA)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Do you get paid for Co-op programs?

Co-op students earn high school credits, although they are not paid. However, some employees pay a modest remuneration so that students can bear work-related expenses. Not all firms pay for work-related expenses.

Difference between a Co-op and a Work-Study?

• Work-study jobs are generally based on-campus only like part-time jobs in USA. Here students work on the campus only. There can be numerous administrative jobs, or maybe managing books in a library, or maybe helping in running a store in your campus. Whereas, in a co-op program students get the opportunity to work with the companies and gain real-world experience.
• Campus jobs are temporary jobs, where one can work till the time they are completing their studies, on the other hand, while attending a co-op, a student might get the opportunity to work full time.

Co-op vs Internship

Many people take co-op as internships; however, there are some fundamental differences between the two.

• Internships are usually undertaken during breaks, whereas, co-op programs run along with the studies. During a co-op program, students learn to manage their studies along with the work.
• Internships usually last for two to three months. On the other hand, a co-op program allows students to work with the company for full time or for a longer period say for six months or maybe a year.
• Students even earn academic credits for a co-op program or a co-op placement. Some co-op programs help students in coping with job-related experiences.
• Co-op is usually in the field of your study, whereas, an internship can be in any field.

Benefits of a co-op program

The major difference between a co-op program and a usual degree is at the end of the program, students with co-op programs gain significant work experience. This can be beneficial as students get the opportunity to make new contacts and also have real-world experience of a job. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students with co-op experience earn almost 8-9% more within ten years of graduation in comparison to students with a graduate degree.

International students can benefit from a co-op program by going through the curricular practical training (CPT) route. Also, co-op programs offer an excellent opportunity to international students to network which will be fruitful for their careers in the long term. Many F1 visa-holding students understand the importance of gaining useful work experience while studying in the US. CPT and OPT also maximize the employment eligibility of the students going for CPT (curricular practical training) and OPT (optional practical training). Read the difference between CPT and OPT

Different universities follow different parameters for implementing cooperative education programs. Many universities offering co-op programs do not take tuition fee from students going for this program. However, it does not mean that students will get the education for free; they have to manage other expenses themselves, whether it is related to their studies or it can be living expenses. Also, many companies or organizations pay salaries to students. More than financial benefits it is the invaluable real-world experience which the students get is really what makes a co-op program worth trying for.