Do I Qualify for MECOP?

Screening Questions:

  1. Are you a current student at or planning to transfer to one of the following universities? If so, will it be for one of the majors listed at said university?
  2. Do you have a cumulative GPA greater than 2.50?
  3. Will you have completed the courses required by your university to participate in your major's upper division courses by Fall Term of the coming school year?
    • All program applicants must get into their upper division courses by Fall Term to have the proper background prior to their first internship. Depending on the discipline, the internship may start in either the coming spring or summer term (depends on course schedule set by university).
    • If you are applying during the Fall Selection supplementary window, you will need to have already started your upper division courses to be on track for your internship.
  4. Have you, or will you likely be able to complete all of MECOP's required courses for your discipline prior to your first scheduled internship?
  5. Do you still have enough courses in your curriculum to complete two six-month internships, and return for at least one term prior to graduation?
    • MECOP assumes you will not take classes during either of your internships as they are full time jobs.
    • Note: If your discipline is in pilot with MECOP, you will only be required to complete one internship prior to graduation to qualify. Please see the following table to see if your discipline is in pilot: participating disciplines
  6. Are you able and willing to consent to the following program agreement forms?
    1. MECOP Inc. Student Participation Agreement
    2. MECOP Inc. Records Use Consent Agreement

If you answered "No" to any of the above questions, it is possible that you are not ready to apply to MECOP. If you are unsure please contact your university advisor. A list of MECOP advisors for your university can be found here.

If you answered "Yes" to all of the above questions, and would like to apply, please refer to our calendar for upcoming application windows. If we are currently accepting applications you can find an application form here.

Financial Considerations:

Students are required to be covered by health insurance according to recent laws.

  • If you are currently covered: Review your insurance policy and/or call your insurance provider to assess if coverage will continue when you are not enrolled at your university full-time. This should be done as soon as possible if you plan to go out on an internship.
  • Insurance Options: School, Parent, Spouse, Employer, or Cover Oregon (https://healthcare.oregon.gov )

If you are on a scholarship or have a student loan, make sure to reach out to your loan provider and your university's financial aid department prior to the start of an internship that overlaps a school term (this will happen for any MECOP/CECOP internship). Some schools require students to request a "leave of absence" or apply for internship credits in order to keep scholarships and loans intact. This is especially important for loans as some providers will start requiring payments after missing more than one term of school in an academic year.

If you have any further questions regarding loans, please contact your university's financial aid department.