The Science Internship Program (SIP)¶
SIP is UofA's internship (co-op style) program for Faculty of Science students, including Computing Science. There is no separate CS co-op; SIP is it. You take one continuous block of 4 to 16 months off school to work full-time for a paid employer, then come back to finish your degree (SIP overview).
Our take: if you're in the Software Practice Option, SIP isn't optional. For everyone else, it's worth it if you want a long placement (and the employers who only hire students enrolled in a formal internship program), and can live with graduating later and paying term fees while you work.
The Rules at a Glance¶
| Requirement | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Full-time undergrad in Science, ALES, Campus Saint-Jean or Augustana | SIP Requirements |
| To apply to SIP | At least 24 units completed | SIP Requirements |
| To start a placement | At least 48 units, and no more than 105 (at least 3 courses left in your degree) | SIP Requirements, Calendar |
| GPA | 2.3+ in the previous Fall/Winter; drop below and you're removed from campusBRIDGE | SIP FAQ |
| Lengths | 4, 8, 12 or 16 months; 16 is the max | Tuition and Courses |
| Start dates | May, September or January | Calendar |
| After the placement | Return to a full course load (at least 3 courses) to finish your degree | SIP Requirements |
| Pay | All SIP placements are paid, full-time | SIP FAQ |
| Grading | Credit/No Credit; work terms carry no units toward your degree | Calendar |
Can you go out more than once? The SIP FAQ says yes if your first internship was 4 or 8 months, up to 16 months total; once you've done 12 months you're no longer eligible (FAQ). The 2026-27 Calendar words it as one 8-month (possibly two separate 4-month placements), 12-month or 16-month internship per degree. If you're planning a split placement, confirm with the SIP team first.
Extensions: if your employer offers to extend you and you're under 16 months, you may be able to accept; talk to a SIP coordinator (Tuition and Courses).
The Transcript Designation (8+ Months)¶
Complete at least 8 months and you get a "with internship" designation on your transcript and degree parchment. A single 4-month term shows up as one WKEXP course on your transcript but doesn't earn the designation (Calendar, SIP Requirements).
How and When to Apply¶
Getting into SIP and getting a job are two separate steps.
-
Join SIP. Sign in to campusBRIDGE with your CCID, pick the internship program (apply once only), upload your latest transcript, and wait for the SIP team to approve your profile (SIP Requirements). The intake windows are:
Opens Closes Beginning of September End of September Beginning of January End of January Early May Early June -
Apply to jobs. Once approved you can see and apply to postings in campusBRIDGE. Each posting has its own deadline, and some want you to apply on the company's own site instead (FAQ). You can also apply to jobs on public boards and bring them into SIP (see Finding your own below).
- Accepting offers. You must accept or decline an offer within 24 hours, and you can't decline more than one SIP-obtained offer per term without a justifiable reason; do it twice and you may lose campusBRIDGE access (FAQ). Don't apply to postings you wouldn't take.
- After you accept: create a work-term record in campusBRIDGE, upload your offer letter, and email sciiip@ualberta.ca. The SIP team registers you in your WKEXP course; you can't do it yourself (FAQ).
The SIP office also does resume/cover letter reviews and mock interviews; book an appointment.
Suggested timeline¶
The Faculty's own internship timeline recommends:
| Year | What to do |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Attend a SIP info session, finish 24 units, apply to SIP at the end of the year |
| Year 2 | Get your resume reviewed; start applying for placements (you need 48 units by the time you start) |
| Year 3 | Keep applying |
| Year 4 | You need a full course load left when you return, so Winter of Year 4 may be your last chance to start |
Fees: You Pay to Work¶
While on placement you're registered in one WKEXP course per 4-month term and are considered a full-time student (Calendar). Those courses carry fees (Tuition and Courses):
| Placement length | Courses | Fee index |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months | WKEXP 955 | 9 |
| 8 months | + WKEXP 956 | 9 |
| 12 months | + WKEXP 957 | 1 |
| 16 months | + WKEXP 958 | 1 |
The Registrar's 2026-27 sample assessment for one Science work experience term (fee index 9) is $1,094.04 tuition, $2,190.80 total once non-instructional fees (SU, health and dental plans, U-Pass, etc.) are added. Terms 3 and 4 (fee index 1) carry about a ninth of that tuition, but the non-instructional fees still apply. Check the cost calculator or the Student Service Centre for your own numbers, especially if you're an international student.
Two ways to save:
- U-Pass opt-out: if you're working remotely or outside the transit area (Edmonton, Strathcona, St. Albert, Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan, Spruce Grove, Beaumont), you may be exempt from the U-Pass fee; the form is on the Tuition and Courses page.
- One course on the side: you may take one course per internship term alongside WKEXP if it's outside work hours, your supervisor approves, and you'll still have a full course load left when you return (Tuition and Courses).
Effect on Graduation¶
The Faculty says plainly that SIP "might add a year to a 4-year science degree" (SIP Requirements). An 8-month placement starting in May eats one Fall term; 12 or 16 months starting in May or September takes a full academic year. Plan it with your degree planning so you still have at least 3 courses (and any prerequisite chains, like the 400-level CMPUT courses you need) left for after.
Mandatory for the Software Practice Option¶
Both the Honors and Major in Computing Science, Software Practice Option, require an 8-, 12- or 16-month SIP. A 4-month placement doesn't satisfy it, and if you fail to complete a placement you must withdraw from the option and reapply to the regular Honors or Major (2026-27 Calendar, Computing Science). If you're in Software Practice, apply to SIP as soon as you have 24 units. See the program overview for how the options compare.
International Students¶
- You're eligible for SIP, but some positions require Canadian citizenship (SIP Requirements).
- The SIP page says international students no longer need a co-op/intern work permit. Once you've secured a placement and told the SIP team, they give you a letter confirming your participation, which IRCC may ask for (SIP Requirements).
- This follows IRCC's change: as of April 1, 2026, post-secondary students don't need a co-op work permit for student work placements, but IRCC lists conditions (on-campus work conditions printed on your study permit, a DLI letter confirming the placement is required, full-time status, placement totalling 50% or less of your program) (IRCC).
Immigration rules depend on your individual permit. Before you accept an offer, confirm your situation with International Student and Visitor Services (ISVS).
SIP vs. Finding a Summer Internship Yourself¶
You don't need SIP to work in the summer. A May to August internship falls in your normal break, so you can take one without enrolling in SIP, paying WKEXP fees, or delaying graduation. (International students: IRCC lets eligible students work unlimited off-campus hours during scheduled breaks such as summer, under the off-campus work rules rather than SIP; confirm with ISVS.)
| SIP | Summer internship on your own | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4 to 16 months | Fits in the May to August break |
| Fees | WKEXP fees each term | None |
| Graduation | May add up to a year | No delay |
| Transcript | "With internship" designation at 8+ months | Nothing |
| Job access | campusBRIDGE postings, plus employers that only hire students in a formal co-op/internship program (FAQ) | Public postings only |
| Support | SIP coordinator, resume/interview help, help if a placement goes wrong | You're on your own |
Finding your own placement¶
You can land a job outside campusBRIDGE and run it through SIP, as long as it's at least 30 hours a week, paid at least minimum wage, has a supervisor knowledgeable in the field, and the work relates to your degree (FAQ).
For how to find and land internships in general, see Internships.
Done SIP? Tell the next student what it was actually like
Official pages cover the rules. They don't say how responsive campusBRIDGE employers are, which CS employers post there, whether your 4-month term turned into 12, or how you handled the fees. If you've done a SIP placement, submit an internship write-up and we'll add it here. Sign it with your term (e.g. "SIP, May 2025 to Apr 2026").
Last verified: October 2026.