Conference Funding

Conference funding is a funding avenue that has been generously enabled by a donation from the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering and the Engineering Alumni Association. The purpose of this funding avenue is to support students in attending conferences/events for their own personal development or community achievement.

Consult the Finance Policy §11 for full details. If there is a discrepancy between the contents of this website and the Finance Policy, the Finance Policy prevails.

Is this funding avenue appropriate for me?

Anyone attending a conference may apply! $50000 in total funding available for academic year 2026-7. A conference must be a gathering of multiple people with a common interest or background and on a well-defined topic. With this definition, multiple events can be considered conferences, such as:

• Academic conferences;
• Competitions;
• Symposia;
• Industry visits and plant tours. Conferences must be held by non-EngSoc affiliated entities to be eligible.

Your conference must be held in the same academic year as when you send the application, except:

• If your conference is held in March or April, you may file your application in the subsequent academic year;
• If your conference is held in May or June, you may file your application in the preceding academic year.

If you are attending a conference to represent yourself and not an affiliated club, you may file an individual application. If you are attending a conference on behalf of an affiliated club, your club must file a club application for you.

EngSoc recognizes two types of conferences:

• Academic conferences are conferences that contain an engineering design element.
• Hobby conferences are conferences that are not academic conferences.

On a per-application basis:

• Individual applications may claim up to $750 for academic conferences and $500 for hobby conferences, or 50% of all conference costs, whichever is lesser;
• Club applications may claim up to $750 per person up to $5000 for academic conferences and $500 per person up to $2000 for hobby conferences, or 50% of all conference costs, whichever is lesser. Each year, an individual may only receive $750 across all individual applications, and a club may only receive $5000 across all club applications. There is no limit to how much an individual can receive from individual and club applications!

Trial status clubs may only receive $200 per year across all funding sources.

How should I apply?

Applications are open every month except for the months of May, December, and April.

Group Application Template Individual Application Template Application Form

• Check the Calendar on the Finances Homepage to see when the next deadline is to submit an application
• Please ensure you submit your application with the subject: (Name of Organization/Conference)_Conference Funding
• Copy the appropriate template and fill it out accordingly.
  • If you are part of a club, please complete the group application form.
  • If you are an individual or a group of individuals planning to attend a conference, please use the individual application form.
• The application will be discussed during the monthly Finance Committee meeting to reach a recommendation. Once the recommendation is approved by the Board, the finance secretary will let you know if your conference funding has been approved or rejected.

How are applications reviewed?

Conference funding applications must demonstrate how participation in the conference creates benefits to attendees and the Skule™ community.

Clubs filing club applications must explain how individuals who bore expenses on behalf of the club will be compensated.

Only certain expenses are eligible for reimbursement, which meet the following criteria:

• They are necessary for participation in the conference;
• They are not excessive beyond what is needed for participation in the conference;
• Expenses claimed through conference funding must clearly be for that particular conference and not be for other purposes.

Eligible expenses include:

• Long distance travel from the GTA (beyond the range of local/commuter transit services);
• Room and board;
• Conference equipment (e.g. posters, electronics) and shipping thereof.

Ineligible expenses include:

• Travel within range of GTA’s commuter transit services;
• Ridesharing and taxi;
• Gasoline;
• Food and socials.

After you apply:

1. Applications are reviewed by the Finance Committee when they hold their meeting that month. Finance Committee meeting details are sent to all students 72 hours in advance of the meeting.
2. Finance Committee decisions are approved at the Engineering Society Board of Directors meeting in the same month.
3. If the funding is approved at the Board meeting, you may claim your expenses via cheque requisition. Approvals will be made in the same month that applications are made.

What happens after my funding is approved?

Once funding is approved, please submit a cheque requisition to claim any expenses. Visit Cheque Requisitions for more information. Note: when you submit your cheque requisition, you must also ensure that the conference review portion of the template is filled. Your funds will not be released before you do so.

Contact

If you have any questions about Conference funding, please contact the VP Finance at vpfinance@skule.ca.