Programs Approval

Approval criteria

The PSC approves Co-op/Internship programs that satisfy the following criteria:

• The academic program requires the successful completion of the student's work term(s) or internship as a condition of graduation. Additionally, where a program encompasses both mandatory and optional work terms, only those mandatory for graduation may be completed in the Public Service of Canada;
• Students registered in the Co-op/Internship program have full-time student status as defined by the educational institution in which they are enrolled;
• Generally, Co-op work terms are four months in duration and internships varies between four and eighteen months; and
• There is no cost to be paid by federal organizations to educational institutions for the referral or hiring of students participating in post-secondary Co-op/Internship programs.

Documentation requirements

In order to satisfy the above-mentioned approval criteria, institutions wishing to have a Co-op/Internship program approved by the PSC are asked to forward documentation that:

• Indicates that the Co-op/Internship program has been formally approved by the proper authorities (e.g. the university Senate or the Dean of the faculty) within the educational institution (a copy of a letter approving the program or an official course calendar or other promotional material would satisfy this requirement);
• Outlines the requirements to be fulfilled in order for a student to graduate from the Co-op/Internship program;
• Clearly indicates the number of mandatory work terms which must be completed as a condition of graduation; and
• Identifies the institution's contact person for each institution and for each program.

Educational institutions that wish to have their programs approved are invited to send their requests, or any modifications to the information related to a program already approved by the PSC, to:

National Client Services Directorate
Staffing and Assessment Services Branch
300 Laurier Avenue W, 21^st floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M7