Students interested in Co-Ops or Internships should contact The Office of Career Services.

If you are receiving scholarships, grants, and/or loans at UAH and choose to enter a Cooperative Education Program (Co-Op) or Internship, your work program must be approved by The Office of Career Services in order for you to receive special consideration of your financial aid.

If your program is approved by The Office of Career Services they will instruct you to enroll in a CRN that identifies you as being in an official Co-Op or Internship program. The Office of Financial Aid will make necessary adjustments to your financial aid based on your Co-Op or Internship CRN enrollment. You must be enrolled in the appropriate CRN at Financial Aid Census Date to receive special consideration of your financial aid. As long as you are in the appropriate CRN at the time of the census you do not need to contact The Office of Financial Aid to notify us of your program. Failure to enroll in the appropriate CRN by the census date could result in the loss of your scholarship and/or the loss of your student loan deferment.

Alternating Schedule

Alternating Co-Op/Internship refers to a program where a student rotates a semester of working full time and a semester of studying full time.

Example

A student is participating in an Alternating Co-Op/Internship and has a merit tuition scholarship valued at $10,000 for the academic year.

  • Fall: Study Term - Student takes classes full time and does not work. Scholarship pays $5,000
  • Spring: Work Term - Student works full time and does not take classes. Scholarship does not pay
  • Summer: Study Term – Student takes classes full time and does not work. Scholarship pays $5,000

Scholarships will disburse during study terms in which the student is enrolled in classes full-time. Scholarships will not disburse for work terms. Scholarships are limited to two terms per academic year. Scholarships are only allowed for 1 summer term per Co-Op/Internship student. Please keep this in mind if you plan to participate in a Co-Op/Internship for more than one academic year.

Pell Grants may disburse during any term in which a student is enrolled in credit hours. The grant will be pro-rated, based on eligibility, if enrollment is less than 12 credit hours. Pell Grants will not disburse during work-only terms.

Federally funded loans will disburse during any study term in which a student is enrolled at least half time. Loans will not disburse during a work-only term. Students will be eligible to remain in a deferment status for federal loans based on Co-Op/Internship CRN enrollment.

Scholarship Renewal Process 

Renewal is contingent upon meeting the following requirements:

  • If one scholarship disbursement was received during the academic year
    1. Students must meet the GPA requirements outlined in their scholarship description;
    2. Earn a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester in which a scholarship disbursement was received;
    3. Earn a minimum of 12 cumulative credit hours between fall, spring and summer of the same academic year
  • If two scholarship disbursements were received during the academic year:
    1. Students must meet the GPA requirements outlined in their scholarship description;
    2. Earn a minimum of 6 credit hours each semester in which a scholarship disbursement was received;
    3. Earn a minimum of 24 cumulative credit hours between  fall, spring and summer of the same academic year

Scholarships are reviewed at the end of each semester.

Please contact the UAH Office of Financial Aid with any additional questions.

Parallel Schedule

Parallel Co-Op/Internships refer to a program where a student works part time and studies part time year round. Under this program students must enroll in a minimum of 9 credit hours for the fall and spring terms and 6 credit hours in the summer term. The yearly dollar value of your scholarship will not change. Instead, the dollar value of your scholarship will be prorated as follows:

  • 75% of full time award payment for fall
  • 75% of full-time award payment for spring
  • 50% of full time award payment in the summer

Example

A student is participating in a Parallel Co-Op/Internship and has a Merit Tuition Scholarship valued at $10,000 for the academic year.

  • Fall: Student enrolls in 9 credit hours and works 20 hours a week. Scholarship pays $3750
  • Spring: Student enrolls in 9 credit hours and works 20 hours a week. Scholarship pays $3750
  • Summer: Student enrolls in 6 credit hours and works 20 hours a week. Scholarship pays $2500

Scholarships are only allowed for 1 summer term per Co-Op/Internship student. Please keep this in mind if you plan to participate in a Co-Op/Internship for more than one academic year.

Pell Grants will be pro-rated, based on eligibility, if enrollment is less than 12 credit hours.

Federally funded loans will disburse if a student is enrolled at least half time.

Scholarship Renewal Process

Renewal is contingent upon meeting the following requirements:

  • Students must meet the GPA requirements outlined in their scholarship description
  • Earn a minimum of 6 credit hours in each fall and spring semester;
  • Earn a minimum of 24 cumulative credit hours between fall, spring and summer of the same academic year

 

Scholarships are reviewed at the end of each semester.

Please contact the UAH Office of Financial Aid with any additional questions.